Konoko Falls and Park, St Ann, Jamaica
A Spectacular Adventure at Konoko Falls and Park
Konoko Falls and Park is a majestic cascade waterfalls nestled in the tranquil hills of Ocho Rios, Jamaica; approximately 5 minutes away from the Ocho Rios town center. Previously known as the Mahoe Falls and Coyaba Gardens and Museum (*coyaba is the Arawak word for heaven), the site renovated and re-branded itself in 2015 to become one of Jamaica’s premier tourist attractions.
Last December, I had the wonderful pleasure of going to Konoko Falls and Park on a work trip. You see a part of my work culture at the hospital is that every quarter we have a firm/team lyme (*lyme is Caribbean slang for hanging out or spending time together) to reward the members of the team for the hard work that they’ve been putting in for the past 3 months. The lyme can be anything; a team lunch, dinner, a day trip, night out, whatever the team decides to do. And last year, my team decided to make the short, scenic trip to St. Ann and ntvisit the astounding Konoko Falls & Park. As it was the first time for most of us, we didn’t really know what to expect. Except, of course we knew there would be a waterfall there. But we were armed with good vibes and a great attitude so we knew it we going to be a great day out.
Jamaica is world renowned for its beautiful white sandy beaches, but a favourite feature of Jamaica for many locals is the myriad of waterfalls and rivers that flow throughout the country. Jamaica is home to a whopping 32 waterfalls and while Dunn’s River Falls might be the most popularly known tourist waterfall attraction; hidden gems like Breadnut Valley Falls and Konoko Falls have been giving the locals an alluring escape and instagram-worthy photos for years.
Related: Chasing waterfalls at Breadnut Valley Falls
The word ‘Konoko’ comes from the Awarak word which means ‘rainforest’, a testament to the evergreen foliage that is prominent at the location. The first known inhabitants of the island, the Arawaks were the indigenous group of hunters and gathers present on the island prior to Christopher Columbus’ arrival in 1494; and their powerful presence is still palpable on the island to this day.
The visual embodiment of the Jamaican expression ‘Likkle (little) but Tallawah’ (*meaning small but mighty), the waterfall may not be as high, large or extensive as many of its other counterparts, but this beauty comes with an entire days worth of experiences perfect for the whole family.
How to get there
My preferred route of driving to Ocho Rios from Kingston is via the Edward Seaga North to South Highway. For me, it is a convenient route to Ocho Rios, since it is literally just a straight road to the town and the scenic drive is always a great experience.
Once you reach the roundabout at the end of the highway, you take the 2nd turnoff which leads you to the Ocho Rios town center. This is a straight road where you’ll pass a myriad of other tourist attractions. At the end of the road, you’ll arrive at a major intersection. At this point, you take the right onto Milford Road. Konoko Falls is located on Shaw Park Road, which is the first right turn off Milford Road. The road is a bit winding at this point but fortunately, the road is peppered with ample signs that tells you the right way to go.
Upon arrival, you can find parking in the fairly spacious parking lot. Then, you are are greeted and welcomed by a member of staff, who directs you to the ticket booth where you pay your entry fee and are given your wrist bands. You are also offered a tour guide which comes at no additional cost.
Entrance comes at a cost of $1500 JMD for adults and $1000 JMD for children for Jamaicans and $20.00 USD for adults and $10.00 USD for children for non-Jamaicans. And they are opened daily between 8:30am and 4:30pm.
*as we are currently experiencing a pandemic, they are likely closed until further notice.
A Moment Through Time and Beauty
We began our guided trek by going through the beautiful onsite garden. The lush botanical garden is home to many species of tropical flowers and plants; many of which are endemic to Jamaica. Konoko pridefully boasts that the spectacular tropical garden is home to one of the island's largest collections of exotic flowering plants.
The scenic tour is complemented by the presence of natural springs and rivers that freely flow through the garden, creating a feeling of peace and tranquility as your walk through.
Your peaceful stroll will eventually bring you to a small pond filled with koi, carp, and I believe snapper fish. It is advertised that you could feed the fish, but no one from our group did.
The final aspect of the garden tour sees you stopping at the “Jamaica corner”. The Jamaica corner is a small herb garden with colourful signs showcasing a few of Jamaica's most popular medicinal plants, including dandelion, aloe vera (called sinkle bible by locals) and spirit weed.
Once you leave the garden, visitors are taken on a brief walk through history at the Konoko Falls museum. There you learn a little more about the rich, vibrant and colourful past of Jamaica. Beginning with the island’s earliest inhabitants, the Tainos/ Arawaks whose artefacts have been found on the property; alluding to the property once being a settlement for the indigenous group. All the way to the most recent inhabitants of West African, Indian, Chinese and British descent. The remnants of our past continue to remind us of how far we've come as a nation.
Animal Adventures
This natural haven also serves as a home and sanctuary to a few animals, including a few of Jamaica’s endangered species. The bird aviary and mini zoo offer visitors a truly interactive experience and the opportunity to learn about the animals and their respective unique characteristics and features. Animals such as turtles, tortoises, crocodile, iguanas, snakes and a wide variety of exotic birds including, the colourful macaws, insightful Jamaican barn owl and ineractive budgies are a mainstay attraction and beloved part of the experience, especially with the kids.
Visitors also have the opportunity to get a bit more intimate with some of the animals. The bravest among us are given the chance to touch and pet the snake, iguana, macaws; as well as, the chance to feed the budgies. Feeding bags cost $100 Jmd or $1 Usd.
Personally, I found the animals to be pretty well-trained. The macaws were a very big hit with our group. They were really entertaining and pretty cooperative when it came to allowing you to pet them. Plus, they really stayed camera ready so you could get those amazing shots in.
A Breathtaking View
One of the most captivating lures of Konoko Falls is the mesmerizing, picturesque view of the town of Ocho Rios from the Yassi lookout point. This instagram and postcard worthy panoramic view of Ocho Rios is named after Don Cristobal Arnaldo de Ysassi, the last Spanish Governor of Jamaica, who fought the British for the island between 1657 and 1660. It is said that General Yassi had used this pointe to plot and plan his resistance and attacks on the British during the fight for the island between 1655 - 1660. The Spanish were eventually defeated and ultimately forced to flee to Cuba via secret tunnels and hidden escapes in 1660.
Although Jamaica no longer speaks Spanish as its native language, the influence of our Spanish ancestors is still very prevalent in the country’s architecture and the names of many historical sites and buildings. Even the town name ‘Ocho Rios’ is a testament to the Spanish influence, with its English translation meaning ‘Eight Rivers’.
Related: Exploring the Green Grotto Caves
View from Yassi lookout point
Lunchtime Affair
So I’m just going to come out and say it. I was way too hungry (read greedy) to actually take photos of my food, so…. there is none. The attraction does not allow food from outside on the property, so food can be purchased from the onsite restaurants and bars. The menu is pretty standard tourist food to be honest, which is a mixture of Jamaican cuisine such as Jerk chicken, festival, bammy, etc; and American foods such as hamburgers and fries, and so on. It isn’t master chef style cuisine but its still good. As I said, a very standard menu and nothing to really phone home about.
Climbing the waterfall
Now on to the main attraction…
The journey to the waterfall involves taking a steep descent to the beginning of the falls. Alongside the waterfall is an approximately 200 step staircase that leads you to the bottom of the falls where the climb begins. Interspersed along the journey down are little off spots where you can enter the falls if you don’t feel like starting at the exact bottom.
The staircase to Konoko waterfall
You can also use the staircase to head back to the top if you don’t want to climb the falls. I mean if you’re not concerned about your thighs feeling like they are about to fall off of course. You know fit life and do you and all that jazz.
The natural cascading waterfall is formed from limestone rock, over which crystal clear water from the Milford river flows. This led to the carving out of a beautiful series of cascades perfect for climbing and getting those stunning memory photos most of us love.
A View of Konoko Falls
Surrounding the waterfall is the lush green tropical vegetation and vibrant flowerbeds which complement the falls and create a cool and relaxing atmosphere for those who climb.
Cozy nooks of natural pools can be found in numerous spots along the climb. These made perfect rest spots for when you’re feeling a little tired. And even better locations for some instagram-worthy picture moments.
You can get lost in the feel of the soothing massage from the waterfall rushing against your back or gently immerse yourself in one of the pools for a moment of peace and serenity.
There is even an underwater cave where you can submerge yourself and explore for a moment.
Maybe it was the captivating scenery or the relaxing sound of the waterfall going in the background, but the climb itself was not too hard. It actually went by relatively quickly, aside from the moments we stopped to take some photos.
An added bonus of the experience was that the waterfall was not crowded. In fact, our group and guide were the only ones climbing the falls at the time.
Bonus Tips: What to bring
For this water- involved day adventure, there are a few things you need to make your day go as seamless as possible. You'd hate to arrive at your destination and realized you've left something behind, so below I've listed the things I think are key for this day trip.
Camera
Cash for entry fee, tips and lunch if you intend to eat there
Change of Clothes
Comfortable footwear
Towel
Swimsuit
Sunscreen
Water Shoes
No Jewelry
Insect Repellent
NB. There are also changing rooms and lockers available for rent if you need somewhere to put your things while you climb the waterfall.
Below I’ve added a short video I made of my Konoko Falls Experience. Check it out for a more immersive experience.
The Wrap-up
The tropical oasis that is Konoko Falls is the perfect day outing for anyone and everyone. It is one of St. Ann’s best kept secret and is a perfect tranquil escape.
