Jamaica Flora & Fauna

The Best Natural Attractions

Martha Brae's Rafters Village (Montego Bay; tel. 876/952-0889): Martha Brae's Rafters Village offers the best river-rafting experience in and around this popular resort. You sit on a raised dais on bamboo logs and watch the river scenery unfold.

The Black River (South Coast): You can explore what feels like real Tarzan country, with mangrove trees and crocodiles in the wild, on an outing with South Coast Safaris (tel. 876/965-2513). Lots of wild things grow in these swamps, and birders delight in the bird life.

Green Grotto Caves (Discovery Bay; tel. 876/973-2841). These limestone caves were once used to hide runaway slaves. They're a world of stalagmites and stalactites, with seemingly endless chambers and eerie Grotto Lake, which you can visit in a boat.

Somerset Falls (Port Antonio): Waters from the Daniels River race down a deep gorge through a rainforest. Flowering vines, waterfalls, and foaming cascades form a lush backdrop. You can swim in the deep rock pools.

Rafting on the Rio Grande (Port Antonio; tel. 876/913-5434): Shades of Errol Flynn, this is the grandest rafting experience in Jamaica. The rafts are propelled by bamboo poles.

Exploring the Blue Mountains (outside Kingston; tel. 876/960-6685): This is one of the biggest, wildest, and greenest parks in the Caribbean, ideal for exploring. You must hike 5 to 6 hours through thick vegetation (hearing amazing birdsong on the way) to reach the summit.

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