Green Grotto Caves

Named after the glistening green algae that lines the cave walls, the grotto is filled with stalactites and stalagmites. Guided tours take you through a network of caverns that stretch over 64 acres (25.9 hectares), during which you’ll learn about the caves’ geological and historical significance. Visit the caves as part of a half- or full-day tour from Falmouth or Ocho Rios, which sometimes include a stop at Dunn’s River Falls and lunch.

• You must pay admission and enter with a guide; children enter for half price and admission fees are included in most tour packages.

• Look out for little bats as well as the hidden, crystal-clear lake made famous by the James Bond movie Live and Let Die in 1973.

• Wear comfortable, sturdy shoes as the floors can be uneven and slippery.

• Photos and recordings are prohibited inside the caves.

• There are snacks and souvenirs for sale on-site.

The Green Grotto Caves are located right off the A1 road in Falmouth, on Jamaica’s north coast, just west of Ocho Rios and close to Discovery Bay. Because you must have a guide to visit the caves, most people visit as part of a tour that includes round-trip transportation.

The cave is open daily all year round—including on public holidays—from morning through to the late afternoon. Visit early for a quieter experience.

The caves were originally occupied by the native Taínos, and you’ll be able to see some of their paintings, tools, and pottery fragments at the site. Then the Spanish colonized the cave, hiding from the invading British in 1655; some even used the tunnel linking the caves to Runaway Bay to flee to Cuba. Escaped enslaved people have also used the cave to hide and, during WWII, rum runners stored their booze-filled barrels here for safekeeping.