Dunn’s River Falls vs. The Blue Hole: Which Ocho Rios Adventure Is Best for Families?

Trying to decide between Dunn’s River Falls vs. the Blue Hole in Ocho Rios can be surprisingly hard because both are incredible family adventures, but they feel completely different once you’re there.

While my family loves a lazy beach vacation, after a few days we are usually looking for an activity day with more excitement. Ocho Rios is famous for its waterfalls and adventure excursions. From climbing waterfalls, swimming in natural swimming holes, or with dolphins, horseback riding on the beach, zip-lining through treetops, or riding ATVs through the jungle, there are so many things to do in Ocho Rios. With a fabulous mix of beautiful beaches and jungle experiences, Ocho Rios makes for an amazing location for a family vacation. You may be deciding between Dunn’s River Falls or Blue Hole, or both. In this post I’m sharing our experience on our Dunn’s River Falls Tour and the Blue Hole excursion, two must do adventures for families visiting Jamaica. 

Our family climbed the world-famous Dunn’s River Falls and jumped into the sparkling crystal clear blue pools at the Blue Hole for an unforgettable family highlight. If you’re planning a trip to Ocho Rios, or nearby with older kids, or teens, these two excursions are the perfect mix of adventure, teamwork, and fun! We compared the Blue Hole and Dunn’s River Falls to help families decide which adventure is best for their Jamaica itinerary. I’ll share what it was like, what to expect, and which one you might love most.

At the time of our trip, my kids were thirteen and eleven, which are ages that I would recommend for both locations. These excursions are not recommended if you have back issues, or serious medical conditions, since both involve a lot of climbing and jumping at the Blue Hole.  

If you’re still planning your Jamaica trip or comparing destinations, you can also browse all of our Caribbean and Mexico travel page for more family resort reviews, excursion ideas, and beach vacation tips.

Trying to decide between Dunn’s River Falls vs the Blue Hole in Ocho Rios?

Both are incredible adventures, but they’re very different experiences. Dunn’s River Falls is the famous guided waterfall climb that many first-time visitors choose, while the Blue Hole is a more adventurous jungle experience with rope swings, cliff jumps, and deeper natural pools.

If your kids love adrenaline and swimming, the Blue Hole is often the favorite. If you want the classic Jamaica experience that works for a wider range of ages, Dunn’s River Falls is usually the better choice.

Planning Our Ocho Rios Excursion

If you’re still deciding whether Jamaica is the right fit for your family, I also shared why Ocho Rios worked so well for us with kids.

If you’re wondering how to visit Dunn’s River Falls and Blue Hole in one day, we booked an adventure through Viator that included both. If your cruise is in port for the day, you can save a significant amount booking a local tour online through Viator vs. through the cruise ship. The hour and a half spent at Dunn’s River Falls and the one hour at the Blue Hole was a perfect day of fun for our family without feeling rushed.  

Want to check it out? Here’s the same tour we booked: Ocho Rios Blue Hole and Dunn’s River Falls Tour.

Our Ocho Rios combo tour included round-trip transportation in an air-conditioned van and admission fees to both excursions. The tour offered free cancellation up to 24 hours before, which is great for families. Pickup from our hotel in Ocho Rios made it easy.  Having a guide handle the logistics, especially since the two locations are about twenty minutes apart, meant we could just enjoy the experience without worry.

Days like this are a big reason we balance adventure with downtime on our trips, and why we often pair excursions like these with an all-inclusive stay, which I explain more in why we love all-inclusive resorts for family beach trips. If you’re still narrowing down resorts, I also shared what actually matters when choosing a family all-inclusive.

If you’re new to this style of trip, I explain what is included at an all inclusive beach resort, and also what’s not included at all-inclusive resorts so you know what to expect.

What To Bring On Your Dunn’s River Falls and Blue Hole Excursions

 
Since both excursions are centered around getting wet, make sure to wear swimwear and sunscreen and bring a towel. It is also mandatory to have water shoes to participate in both. If you don’t have water shoes, they are sold at both places for around $10. They really aren’t great quality though, so by the end of the excursion, the water shoes that my husband purchased were already falling apart. 

Gratuity is not included, so I would suggest bringing some cash for tips and snacks. Overall, I wouldn’t bring along too many things for the day because you will be in the water the majority of the time. There are lockers to rent at both and we were able to keep some of our non-valuable items in the tour van while we swam.

If there’s one thing that you don’t want to forget for Ocho Rios excursions, it’s a floating waterproof phone case with a neck strap, especially at Dunn’t River Falls and the Blue Hole Jamaica. Between the splashing water, rope swings, and rocky climbs, it will keep your phone safe while letting you capture your family’s laughs and jumps. It’s one of our top Ocho Rios travel essentials and belongs on every family’s excursion packing list.

Even if you’re planning to take your own photos, I suggest you bring some cash for the optional picture packages offered by the guides. I intended to snap my own pictures that day.  However, once we arrived, I wanted to have the best shots capturing my family’s joy at these two iconic Jamaican attractions while being fully present in the moment. Purchasing the picture packages allowed me to do that. Unfortunately, since I hadn’t planned on purchasing at both locations, I didn’t have a lot of cash on me and the Blue Hole didn’t take other forms of payment. Luckily, a friendly family that we met on our tour, offered to use their cash, in exchange for a Venmo transaction. The guides did an amazing job capturing those mid-splash/mid-jump pictures and videos!

Do You Need Water Shoes for Dunn’s River Falls and the Blue Hole?

Yes, water shoes are needed for both Dunn’s River Falls and the Blue Hole in Jamaica.

The limestone rocks at Dunn’s River Falls can be very slippery, and water shoes help protect your feet and improve traction while climbing the waterfall. At the Blue Hole, you’ll be walking on uneven rocks and jumping into deep pools, so secure footwear makes the experience much safer and more comfortable.

If you forget to bring them, water shoes are usually sold at both locations for around $10, but the quality is often very basic. Bringing your own pair ahead of time is usually the better option.

Excursion essentials we actually used for Dunn’s River Falls and the Blue Hole:

For the full trip beyond excursion days, I also shared our full Caribbean packing list for families.

Climbing Dunn’s River Falls

Our Dunn’s River Falls Experience:

Our first stop was the world-famous Dunn’s River Falls, one of Jamaica’s most iconic natural wonders. This stunning 600 foot waterfall tumbles over smooth limestone rocks through the lush tropical forest before meeting the Caribbean Sea below, creating a natural staircase. What’s unique about Dunn’s River Falls is that they aren’t just something that you look at, you actually climb them.

When we first arrived and met our guides (one who is the photographer/videographer for the experience) they made sure that we had the necessary watershoes and explained what we would be embarking on, and how the group was going to work together, literally hand in hand, as a team to make it to the top. As we approached the falls through the jungle forest, you could hear the roar of the water getting louder.  The group walked along the trail next to the falls down to the ocean. When I turned around and looked up, it was the most amazing sight. Seeing the falls flowing down into the ocean from that vantage point was simply breathtaking. The photographer grabbed each family for a photo as the falls were crashing down around us. 

Our guide then gathered everyone into a line, hand in hand, and we began the ascent. We made our way up through the flowing water, natural pools, and smooth rock formations. 

Every few feet, the falls opened into small pools where you could rest, float, splash around, take in the view, and snap pictures. Throughout the climb, the guides pointed out safe footholds, since it did require balance with the rushing water over the slippery rocks. Every few minutes we’d stop to catch our breath and take in the view, realizing how lucky we were to be climbing one of Jamaica’s most famous waterfalls together.

Dunn’s River Falls – Safety With Kids:

You might be wondering how safe the climb is at Dunn’s River Falls for kids. My tween and teen handled it really well and thought it was such a fun challenge. It was slippery in spots, but totally manageable with the help of my husband and me. What did make me a little nervous, though, were some of the much younger children in our tour group. There were a few who looked only preschool age, and they needed a lot of assistance on the slick rocks. Since everyone climbs hand-in-hand in a long chain, it can be tough for the group when little ones need extra help. 

If you’re visiting with young kids, I’d only recommend the climb if you have one adult per small child so you can focus fully on helping them. It’s definitely doable with the right supervision, but I wouldn’t want to rely on strangers to keep someone else’s little one steady on the rocks. Having your own adult-to-child buddy system makes the experience much smoother and keeps it fun and safe for everyone. If you aren’t a confident climber, have medical issues, or very small children in a stroller, you can follow the dry path beside the falls for amazing views.

Our Thoughts on Dunn’s River Falls:

Both of my kids loved the challenge of the climb. Their favorite moment came when our guide led us to a group of large, smooth boulders that formed a natural slide into a deeper pool. We all took turns gliding down, laughing as we splashed into the cool water and dunked ourselves under the small waterfalls along the way.

As we stood at the top and gazed at the view below, we all had a feeling of pride, and that we conquered something special and unique together as a family. At that point we thought that the day couldn’t get any better, but we were wrong. The Blue Hole was even more fun and unforgettable for our family!

f you’re only interested in visiting Dunn’s River Falls (without the Blue Hole), there are also Dunn’s River Falls–only tours available through Viator, which can be a good option for cruise passengers or families short on time.

What Is the Blue Hole in Jamaica?

The Blue Hole in Jamaica, also known as Island Gully Falls, is a series of bright blue natural pools and small waterfalls located in the hills above Ocho Rios. Surrounded by lush jungle and limestone cliffs, it’s one of the most exciting natural attractions in the area.

Unlike Dunn’s River Falls, which is a guided climb up a famous waterfall, the Blue Hole experience focuses more on swimming, rope swings, cliff jumps, and exploring the different pools along the river.

For adventurous families visiting Ocho Rios, the Blue Hole is often the highlight of the trip.

Diving into the Blue Hole

Next our adventure headed high in the hills of the jungle, to the Blue Hole, also known as Island Gully Falls. This picturesque gem was even more beautiful than I expected, with crystal bright blue natural pools, cascading falls, and jungle vines hanging overhead. One of the deciding factors when we chose Ocho Rios over other Jamaican destinations, was that my son had been requesting to visit a real, lush, green jungle and this was better than he expected. It was a natural fun-filled playground that kids could stay at all day long!

Our Blue Hole Experience:

Upon arrival at the Blue Hole we were greeted by our guides, fitted for life preservers and given an overview  about what to expect.  The hole is very deep, so even the strongest swimmers should consider wearing life preservers. The guides made us feel comfortable and excited about the adventure ahead. Throughout the visit, they were full of humor, personality, and energy, and helped at every step, cheering everyone on and keeping the atmosphere light and fun.  

As we followed the path through the jungle, the sound of the rushing water grew louder until the trees opened up to reveal the deep turquoise pool surrounded by the limestone cliffs and vines.

  The guides gave us directions, snapped a family picture, and then led us up the boulders to our first leap about ten feet high into the clear pool below. I’ll be honest, the first jump was a little intimidating for me, but once my husband and kids showed their bravery and took the leap, I needed to try it too!

The water was very cold, but so refreshing on the hot Jamaican day. The guides kept things safe and structured, so no free swimming here. This spot was all about the adrenaline rush of the jump!

After a few jumps from the boulders, we braved the famous rope swing.  It was a hit with the kids the moment we saw it. The guide took the first turn effortlessly showing us how to do it. This is an activity that takes some upper body strength. Then we each took turns swinging out above the bright blue water and letting go into the deep pool as the group members cheered from above.

Our guides led us deeper into the jungle, along muddy paths and across tiny bridges to more waterfall areas just as beautiful and full of excitement. Eventually we reached an area with a simple wooden platform, or plank perched fifteen to twenty feet above the deep water. Standing on the edge, it looked much higher than it had from below, my heart racing and pounding in my chest. The four of us all braved our nerves and took the plunge! The rush of the fall gave us another sense of shared accomplishment for the day.

There were other rope swings and between waiting our turn to jump, or swing, the guides entertained and impressed us with their daring flips and dives. The Blue Hole was pure adrenaline and fun for our whole family! 

The Blue Hole – Safety With Kids:

It’s important to know that parts of the Blue Hole can be slippery, uneven, and quite deep. The guides do a great job keeping everyone organized and safe, but parents should plan to stay close to their kids. Life jackets are required, which adds an extra layer of safety, but the jumps are high and will take you fully underwater before you resurface.

This is definitely an activity for confident swimmers who are reasonably fit and a little adventurous. I personally wouldn’t recommend it for younger children, ones that are fearful, or are not confident in the water.

My kids are adventurous, active, and love the water, so this was an incredible experience for our family. One I know they’ll remember for years to come. 

Some families choose to visit the Blue Hole on its own, and Blue Hole–only tours through Viator are available if you’re staying nearby or want a shorter adventure.

Final Verdict: Dunn’s River Falls vs. the Blue Hole for Families

If you’re interested and able to do both, go for it! These fantastic Ocho Rios family excursions each offer something unique, and together they make for an unforgettable day. But if you can only pick one, here’s how I’d decide:

Dunn’s River Falls is perfect for first-time visitors, cruise excursions, or families looking for a guided adventure at one of Jamaica’s most famous landmarks. It’s well-organized and fun for school-age kids through adults, though you’ll need to be steady on your feet and have a bit of stamina for the climb.

The Blue Hole, on the other hand, is more adventurous and less predictable. It’s better fit for confident swimmers, active families, and anyone who loves jumping, swinging, and exploring. It’s not ideal for toddlers or cautious little ones, but for our tween and teen crew, it was hands down the highlight of the trip! If we ever return to Ocho Rios, there’s no question that the Blue Hole will be a repeat experience for us!

If you’re planning a trip to Ocho Rios and want to experience both in one day, this Dunn’s River Falls and Blue Hole combo tour was the perfect fit for our family.

No matter whether you choose to climb Dunn’s River Falls or dive into the Blue Hole, you will have an unforgettable adventure with your family!

These excursions are just one part of a bigger Ocho Rios trip, and I shared more about what makes Ocho Rios such a good fit for families including beaches, resorts, and easy add-on adventures.

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Planning a trip to Jamaica soon? Save this guide on Pinterest so you can find it easily when you’re ready to plan!

If your Jamaica trip includes both adventure days and downtime, I also shared why this style of beach vacation works so well for us. If you’re still deciding where to stay, I also shared what we personally look for before booking a resort.

If your travel dates overlap with the school calendar, I also shared my honest teacher/mom thoughts on whether family trips during the school year are worth it.

Jamaica family travel photography © Stack the Miles. All photos were personally captured during our visit to Dunn’s River Falls and the Blue Hole, showcasing authentic family adventure and natural beauty..

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