Jamaica Villas Happenings 

How Pregnant Women Can Enjoy Dunn's River Falls Park in Jamaica

The world-famous Dunn’s River Falls Park is the most popular visitor attraction in Jamaica. The river cascades down more than six hundred feet of completely natural rocks formed into an irregular staircase which is continuously renewed from deposits of calcium carbonate and sodium from the water. Brilliant sunshine pierces through the thick canopy of tall trees towering above the river, illuminating the red ginger lilies and other blossoms peering out among the lush vegetation on the banks. The clean, clear, cold water thundering down over the rocks sparkles and reflects the sunlight, creating a magical setting that has been photographed millions of times.

Almost everyone who visits Jamaica and is within reach of Dunn’s River Falls puts this on their must do list. Even cruise ship passengers arriving for the day as far away as Montego Bay, which is about a two hour bus journey, find it worth their while to visit this waterfall, one of the few in the world that empties directly into the sea. Climbing the waterfalls from the beach to the top is enjoyed by people of all ages.

It is therefore natural that pregnant women would not want to miss out on this fun. Fears about their safety, given their condition, are probably first raised by the site of many vendors on the way there and at the entrance trying to rent aqua socks - the rocks must be slippery and dangerous? As one walks down the path to the beach, one can hear the thunder of the falls, and glimpses of it from the banks will reveal places where the water rushes over the rocks with considerable speed and crashes to rocks below with great force. The fear of slipping and falling or being pushed over by the rushing water will probably deter most pregnant women from taking the chance of climbing the falls.

However, pregnant women can still visit Dunn’s River Falls, enjoy its natural beauty, swim in the river, and get a shoulder massage under the falls without putting themselves in any danger. It must be emphasized that this information is not intended as a substitute for medical advice, and pregnant women should consult their medical practitioners for advice specific to their condition and about activities that are safe for them.

First, be prepared to take your time and go slowly without rushing about like the cruise ship passengers who have to be back on board their vessel by a certain time. You will see them, snaking up the falls, hand-in-hand in a human chain, completing their visit in less than two hours.

The stroll down to the beach, hugging the river bank, is beautiful. And when you are at the bottom, you will be at the spot where Honey Ryder emerged from the Caribbean Sea in her white bikini in James Bond’s first screen adventure, “Dr. No”. Here, where the river falls into the sea, pregnant women can actually walk into the river without doing any climbing and sit under a small waterfall for an invigorating shoulder massage.

Retrace your steps up the river bank, but this time stop at the look out points, i.e. the terraces and the timber decks, constructed strategically at beauty spots overlooking the falls. Enjoy the sights and the sounds of the river as it flows down to the sea.

As you make your way up the banks, you will see many places in the river where the water moves very slowly in wading pools. If you look carefully you will see that there are places designed for easy entry to these pools so you can have a swim in the refreshing, clean water. No climbing is necessary. You can exit the wading pool the way you came in to continue your journey, stopping at another lookout point or going into another wading pool area. They are all different and each is worth sampling.

In this way, pregnant women can enjoy Dunn’s River Falls without climbing them or exerting themselves too much. And there is no reason why one cannot walk back down to the beach and do it all over again, as many times as one wishes to.

If you are staying at Silver Sands villas, you can book a tour to Dunn's River Falls park very easily at the Mysilversands Reception Desk on the Patio. For guests at our Ocho Rios Apartments, Dunn's River Falls is a short cab ride away, taking no more than ten minutes from the cruise ship pier.

Things to do

Jamaica Villas Happenings