My local take
Status first: I can’t confirm that Somerset Falls is open, so don’t plan a day around it. The property has been on the market for years. In May 2024 the Jamaica Observer reported that the owners, the LP Azar Group, were trying again to sell the 135-acre property, for US$2.5 million. In 2023 The Star reported that the falls had dried up in the drought and the boat ride, the main attraction, had been halted. Since then I’ve found no official website, no current social media page from the attraction, and no Jamaican news report saying it’s operating. It doesn’t appear on the Tourist Board’s list of reopened attractions.
When it’s running, Somerset Falls is a pleasant, family-sized stop rather than a big adventure. The Tourist Board describes a short boat ride up a narrow river gorge to a 32-foot cascade, deep rock pools for swimming, a swimming pool with a waterslide, and a restaurant and bar, on land that was once an indigo and spice plantation. My take: until someone confirms it’s open, put your Portland river day into the places that definitely are, and treat Somerset as a bonus if you hear it’s running.
Open alternatives nearby: rafting on the Rio Grande, which ends at St Margaret’s Bay, a short drive east of Hope Bay, and the Blue Lagoon at San San. For a waterfall, Reach Falls on the east side of the parish is open. For more of the area, see my Portland guide.
How to get there
Somerset Falls is at Hope Bay, right on the main coast road west of Port Antonio; the Tourist Board says it’s easily found from the highway. Heading west from Port Antonio you pass St Margaret’s Bay, where Rio Grande rafting finishes, and Hope Bay is a little further on. Allow roughly 20 to 30 minutes’ drive from Port Antonio; that’s an estimate, not a timed route.
From Ocho Rios or Kingston, allow roughly two hours; those are estimates, not timed routes.
Without a car: Route taxis run along the coast road between Port Antonio and points west, past St Margaret's Bay and Hope Bay. Since the status is unconfirmed, a licensed JUTA taxi or tour that can take you on to an open alternative is the safer choice.
What to expect
This is what the attraction offered when it was operating, as described by the Jamaica Tourist Board and the Jamaica Observer; I can’t confirm any of it is running now. Visits centered on a guided boat ride up a narrow river through a gorge to the base of the falls, with time to swim in the rock pools. There was also a swimming pool with a waterslide, a restaurant and bar, restrooms, landscaped gardens and walking trails, and the original mill house and other 19th-century plantation buildings still stand.
The falls depend on the river, so even when the attraction is open, how much water is coming down depends on recent rain. Hours and prices aren’t listed on any official page I could find, so I’ve left them out.
Local tips
Before driving out, ask your hotel, a licensed tour operator or the Jamaica Tourist Board whether Somerset Falls is operating, and look for a recent post from the attraction itself.
Because it’s on the main road, you can check the gate on your way to or from Rio Grande rafting rather than making a separate trip.
If it is open, go after a spell of rain, when there is more water coming down.
Have a backup ready: the Blue Lagoon and Frenchman’s Cove are both open and only a short drive east of Port Antonio.
Before you go
- The property has been listed for sale, so what is on offer could change with a new owner.
- If you find it open, take cash and ask the price at the gate.
- Rock pools and river crossings are slippery; wear water shoes and watch children closely.
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Questions people ask
Is Somerset Falls open?
I can’t confirm it. There’s no official website or current social page, no news report this year says it’s operating, and it doesn’t appear on the Tourist Board’s list of reopened attractions updated February 9. Check with your hotel, a licensed tour operator or the Tourist Board before you go.
Is Somerset Falls for sale?
It was the last time it was reported. In May 2024 the Jamaica Observer said the LP Azar Group was again trying to sell the 135-acre property for US$2.5 million, after nearly a decade on the market. I’ve found no report of a sale since.
Where is Somerset Falls?
At Hope Bay in Portland, on the main coast road west of Port Antonio, a little past St Margaret’s Bay. Allow roughly 20 to 30 minutes by car from Port Antonio.
What can I do instead of Somerset Falls?
Rafting on the Rio Grande finishes at St Margaret’s Bay, just east of Hope Bay. The Blue Lagoon at San San is free to visit, and Reach Falls in east Portland is open for a waterfall swim.
Sources & updates
- Jamaica Tourist Board: Somerset Falls (description, location, history) · checked
- Jamaica Tourist Board: Tours and attractions reopenings list (record updated Feb 9, 2026; Somerset Falls not listed) · checked
- Jamaica Observer: Nearly a decade later, Somerset Falls still sits on the market (May 8, 2024) · checked
- The Star: Somerset Falls disappears, gushing waterfall attraction dries up in Portland (Jul 14, 2023) · checked
- OpenStreetMap: Somerset Falls (map location) · checked
Update log
- — New status page; status unconfirmed after checking official and Jamaican media sources.
- — Moved source citations out of the text
- — Removed repeated advice
Spotted something out of date? Tell me and I’ll check it.