Reach Falls

Reach Falls sits in a fold of the John Crow foothills, where the Drivers River comes down through rainforest and drops into a jade-coloured pool wide enough to swim across. It is the least developed of the island's well-known falls and much the most attractive for it: a short walk through forest, a set of steps, and then the pool. Guides will take confident swimmers through a short underwater passage into the Rabbit Hole, a chamber behind the curtain of water, and further upstream there are more pools and cascades to climb between. The valley is deep, green and quiet, and the road in passes through smallholdings rather than resorts.

What you actually see

• The main pool - jade water below a wide curtain of falls.
• The Rabbit Hole - an underwater passage into a chamber behind the water.
• The upstream cascades - pools and climbs above the main fall.
• The Drivers River valley - forest and smallholdings on the road in.

When to go

December to April is drier and the water clearest; after rain the river runs brown and fast and the upstream section closes. Weekday mornings are quiet. The site keeps set hours and is closed on some days, so check.

Honest expectations

The rock is extremely slippery and the underwater passage is only for strong, calm swimmers; do not attempt it without a guide. Access closes after heavy rain. Guides expect a tip on top of entry. The road east from Port Antonio is potholed and slow.

Nearby

Port Antonio and the Blue Lagoon are 45 minutes west; Long Bay is on the way.