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Beach · Montego Bay

Doctor’s Cave Beach Club, Montego Bay: a local's guide

Researched by Michael RainfordPrices & hours checked Sources
Doctor’s Cave Beach Club

No car?

You don't need a car. Take a licensed taxi (red PP plates) from the airport or your resort, or walk if you're staying on the Hip Strip; route taxis along the Hip Strip also pass the entrance.

On this page
  1. My local take
  2. How to get there
  3. What to expect
  4. Local tips
  5. Before you go
  6. FAQ
  7. Sources

My local take

Doctor’s Cave is the beach most people mean when they say “the beach in MoBay”. It has history: the club says Dr Alexander James McCatty gave the land for a bathing club in 1906, and the name comes from the cave his friends, mostly doctors, used to walk through to reach the sand. A hurricane destroyed that cave in 1932. Today it’s a managed beach on the Hip Strip, with an entry fee, changing rooms and chairs for rent, and the club says it sits inside the Montego Bay Marine Park, with coral reef offshore.

It suits cruise passengers, people with a few hours before a flight, and anyone staying in a resort with a thin beach who wants a proper swim. Go on a weekday morning: the sand is raked each morning, and the beach is at its quietest before the day crowd and cruise groups arrive. My take: pay the fee. You’re paying for a clean, organized beach with showers and toilets in the middle of town, and that’s worth it on the Hip Strip. If you want a long, empty beach, this isn’t it; head to Negril for that.

Margaritaville is a short walk south if you want lunch and a water park after your swim; see my Margaritaville Montego Bay guide. For proper jerk on the way back east, stop at Scotchies in Coral Gardens. For the rest of the area, see my Montego Bay guide.

How to get there

From the airport and town: The club is on the Hip Strip, Jimmy Cliff Boulevard (still widely called Gloucester Avenue), between Sangster International Airport and downtown Montego Bay. It’s roughly 6 to 7 km by road from the airport (map distance), usually a short taxi ride outside rush hour. Hotels along the Hip Strip, such as Deja Resort across the road, are within walking distance.

From Rose Hall: From the Rose Hall resorts, such as Iberostar Selection Rose Hall Suites, it’s about 19 km west along the North Coast Highway (map distance). Allow extra time for traffic through Ironshore and around the airport.

From Negril and Ocho Rios: Negril is about 80 km away by road and Ocho Rios about 100 km (map distances), so it only makes sense as part of a Montego Bay day trip.

What to expect

You pay at the entrance. The club lists general admission at US$8 for adults 12 and over and US$4 for children under 12. Inside there are changing rooms, showers and toilets, and beach chairs and umbrellas to rent for US$7 a day. The club also says Wi-Fi works on the beach.

Food and drink come from the outlets on the beach; the club’s facilities page lists a Starbucks and Pier One, with menus linked from the site. The water inside the bay is usually calm, and the club describes coral reefs offshore as part of the Montego Bay Marine Park, so bring a mask if you snorkel.

It’s still a working members’ club. The Tony Hart Clubhouse has a members’ lounge, gym, sauna and steam rooms, and annual single and family memberships are listed on the club’s site. Day visitors use the beach, not the clubhouse.

After Hurricane Melissa, the chairman of the Tourism Product Development Company told the Gleaner in late November that Doctor’s Cave Bathing Club was “up and running”, and the club’s own site lists daily opening hours now. I found no later report of a closure.

Local tips

  • Arrive soon after opening for the best spot and the calmest water, before the day's groups.
  • Bring small US or Jamaican bills for entry and chair rental; it saves time at the gate.
  • If you're flying out late, it's one of the few good beaches you can fit in close to the airport. Bring a change of clothes and use the showers.
  • Pack reef-safe sunscreen and a mask: the reef offshore is part of a marine park.
  • Agree the taxi fare before you get in, and use a licensed taxi with red PP plates.

Before you go

  • It’s a paid beach. Entry and chairs cost extra, and food and drink on the beach are priced for visitors.
  • It’s a town beach, not a quiet cove. It can get busy, especially on weekends, public holiday weekends and cruise-ship days.
  • The opening time differs between pages of the club’s site (8:00 or 8:30 am); plan on 8:30 to be safe.
  • Outside the gate, the Hip Strip has vendors and people offering tours and taxis. A polite “no thanks” is enough.
  • Planned rehabilitation of the Hip Strip is still at the design stage, so expect some roadworks in the area in future.

Questions people ask

How much does it cost to get into Doctor's Cave Beach?

The club lists general admission at US$8 for adults 12 and over and US$4 for children under 12. Beach chairs and umbrellas rent for US$7 a day. Check the club’s site before you go, as fees change.

Is Doctor's Cave Beach open after Hurricane Melissa?

Yes. The chairman of the Tourism Product Development Company told the Gleaner that Doctor’s Cave Bathing Club was up and running by the end of November, and the club’s site lists it as open daily, 8:30 am to 5:30 pm.

What are Doctor's Cave Beach opening hours?

The club’s site lists 8:30 am to 5:30 pm, Monday to Sunday. One page gives 8:00 am as the opening time, so 8:30 is the safe bet.

Why is it called Doctor's Cave?

According to the club, Dr Alexander James McCatty donated the land for a bathing club in 1906, and he and his friends, mostly doctors, reached the beach through a small cave. A hurricane destroyed the cave in 1932, but the name stayed.

How far is Doctor's Cave Beach from Montego Bay airport?

Roughly 6 to 7 km by road (map distance), on the Hip Strip between Sangster International Airport and downtown. It’s a short taxi ride outside rush hour.

Sources & updates

Update log

  • — Rewritten as a researched guide; facts re-checked. Entry fee and opening hours updated from the club's site; history corrected (founded 1906); post-hurricane status added.
  • — Link refresh: Added Deja Resort, across the road on the Hip Strip.
  • — Moved source citations out of the text

Spotted something out of date? Tell me and I’ll check it.

Where to stay nearby

Where to stay in Montego Bay