Waterfalls in Portland, Jamaica

Portland is the wettest, greenest corner of Jamaica, and the rain that comes off the Blue and John Crow Mountains has to go somewhere. That’s why the parish has more waterfalls than anyone can count, from roadside cascades to falls you hike an hour to reach. This list is for anyone staying around Port Antonio, or doing the east of the island properly, who wants to know which falls are actually receiving visitors.

How I chose: local knowledge, plus the operators’ own websites, the Urban Development Corporation, or UDC, the Jamaica Tourist Board and Jamaican media. The falls I could confirm are in the main list. The ones I couldn’t are at the end, clearly labeled. For waterfalls in the rest of the island, see my list of the best waterfalls in Jamaica.

Portland waterfalls at a glance

Reach Falls, near Manchioneal

Reach Falls is the Portland waterfall most visitors have heard of, and the easiest to plan around. It’s a series of cascades and clear pools on the Drivers River, in forest inland from Manchioneal; the UDC, which runs it, puts it about 45 minutes east of Port Antonio. You swim in the pools below the falls, and guides take visitors up the river through the water. The Tourist Board lists it as open.

The UDC lists opening Wednesday to Sunday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, plus public holidays except Good Friday and Christmas Day, with entry of US$10 for non-resident adults and J$500 for resident adults (children less). In July 2026 the UDC invited private companies to lease and run the site for 25 years, so days and fees could change; check current prices and call before you drive out. It suits families with older children and anyone who would rather swim in a river than climb one. The drawback is distance: it’s a long day from anywhere but Port Antonio. Fees, directions and what to bring are in my Reach Falls guide.

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Nonsuch Falls, above Port Antonio

Nonsuch Falls is in the small community of Nonsuch, in the hills southeast of Port Antonio. The family business that runs it describes the falls as about 290 feet high, which puts them among the tallest in Jamaica, falling into natural pools you can swim in. Visits are guided hikes through the forest. The Tourist Board lists Nonsuch Falls as open, and the operator’s own site shows daily opening from 8 am to 4 pm and is selling tickets.

On the operator’s site, the hike to the top of the falls (about 50 minutes) is US$20 for non-residents and J$2,000 for Jamaican nationals, and the top-and-bottom hike (about two hours) is US$35 or J$3,000. You can pay online by card or in cash on arrival, and group rates are available for 10 or more. Prices change, so check the official site before you go. It suits fit walkers who want a proper hike with a big waterfall at the end. The honest drawback: it’s a real trek over wet, uneven ground, so it isn’t for small children or anyone unsteady on their feet. Like every Portland fall, it’s at its fullest after rain and thinner in a dry spell.

Nanny Falls, Moore Town

Nanny Falls is a small waterfall in the John Crow Mountains just outside Moore Town, the Windward Maroon community up the Rio Grande Valley. It’s named for Nanny of the Maroons, Jamaica’s only National Heroine, who is buried in Moore Town. When the Jamaica Observer visited with the Maroon colonel in 2016, it described a walk of about 30 minutes along a rugged track, crossing two streams, to a fall of roughly 35 feet over a pool that is good for swimming but not for diving. Moore Town residents believe the water has healing powers.

The Tourist Board’s list of reopened attractions shows Nanny Falls as open. There’s no official website with hours or fees, so go with a guide: the Jamaica Conservation and Development Trust, which manages the Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park, arranges Maroon community tours, and its Moore Town tour starts at the museum and includes the hike to the falls. It suits travelers who care about history as much as the swim. The drawback: the road up the valley is narrow and slow, so it takes most of a morning from Port Antonio. If you’re in the valley, rafting on the Rio Grande starts at Berrydale, on the same side of the parish.

Closed or unconfirmed

I couldn’t confirm that these are receiving visitors, from an operator, the Tourist Board or Jamaican media, as of October 8, 2026. Don’t plan a day around them without checking first.

• Somerset Falls, Hope Bay: once a family stop with a boat ride up a gorge to the falls. The property has been on the market for years, it isn’t on the Tourist Board’s reopenings list, and I found no official site or news report saying it’s operating. Details are in my Somerset Falls status page.
• Nonsuch Caves and Athenry Gardens: not a waterfall, but often listed with Nonsuch Falls. The Portland Municipal Corporation still describes the gardens and the nine-chamber cave, but a caves directory reports that the owner has closed them, and I found no notice that they have reopened.

If you want water without a hike, the Blue Lagoon at San San is free to visit. For where to base yourself, see my Portland guide.