Rafting the Martha Brae

The Martha Brae runs down through Trelawny to the sea near Falmouth, and the rafting operation here is the most organised on the island: a departure village with a bar and craft stalls, a fleet of bamboo rafts and captains, and a set trip of about five kilometres taking an hour and a half. It is slower and gentler than the Rio Grande, with the river running between banks of bamboo and forest, and it suits people who want the experience without the three-hour commitment. The river takes its name from a story about an Arawak woman who is said to have led Spanish gold-seekers into it and drowned them.

What you actually see

• The raft trip - ninety minutes downriver through bamboo.
• The captains - poling standing and keeping up a commentary.
• Rafters Village - the departure point with craft stalls and gardens.
• The bamboo tunnels - stretches where the banks close overhead.

When to go

December to April is drier. Morning trips are cooler and quieter; cruise ship days in Falmouth bring large groups and queues. Rafts are priced per raft for two. Trips run daily in normal conditions.

Honest expectations

It is short, tightly packaged and busy, especially when a cruise ship is in Falmouth, and it does not have the wildness of the Rio Grande. Captains sell photographs and expect tips. The craft stalls at either end are a hard sell. After heavy rain trips are suspended.

Nearby

Falmouth's Georgian town is fifteen minutes; Montego Bay is half an hour west.