Runaway Bay Holidays 2024/2025
This tiny white sand bay nestled on the north coast of Jamaica is the perfect spot to get away from it all. With its laid–back vibe, boasting some of the quietest beaches on the island, spend glorious days bathing, reef diving or visiting nearby waterfalls, then nights sipping rum punch.
Runaway Bay Holiday Deals
Jamaica's best kept secret
It might be the white sand beaches lined with palm trees that capture your heart and pull you to Runaway Bay, but you’ll soon discover the attraction extends much further than the coastline. Considering its small size, this tropical paradise is jam packed with exciting activities and is in excellent proximity to surrounding areas of interest including the Mausoleum of the legendary Bob Marley.
Nightlife is largely centred around the resort’s hotels, but you’ll find a handful of lively bars and plenty of fresh seafood restaurants by the water. If you’d like to experience an authentic Jamaican celebration, a 15-minute drive east will find you at Priory Beach, which hosts a beach party every Sunday evening. Dance here under the stars to live reggae music with jerk chicken being cooked up in the parking area.
Soak up the sun
At Runaway Bay you’ve got over six delicious kilometres of powdery white sand beaches to play with. Most seafront hotels enjoy their own private strip of paradise, making it the ideal destination for All Inclusive holidays to Jamaica. If that’s not for you, the public beaches of Cardiff Hall and Fisherman’s Beach are no less quiet or picturesque, and you’ll be met with tranquil water and sea breezes while you relax.
The sea here is both calm and shallow, making it great for paddling, and the almond trees dotted along the sand offer welcome shade to little ones and adults alike. Windsurfing and jet skiing are about as high speed as it gets in these parts. Snorkelling is also a popular pursuit and you’ll find lots of opportunities to trek along the sand on horseback.
Discover plane wrecks on the ocean floor
Not only is Runaway Bay the ideal place to find cheap holidays to Jamaica – it’s also a scuba diving hotspot thanks to its close-to-shore reefs dotted along the ocean bed. Plunge into the warm Caribbean ocean and you’ll come up close to tropical fish, lobsters, octopus, stingrays and starfish.
The shallow reefs are perfect for beginners and for the more advanced diver you’ll find about a dozen dive sites comprising of walls with overhangs and ledges covered in a large variety of hard and soft corals. You’ll also have the opportunity to explore one of the areas most popular dive sites – two plane wrecks home to barracudas and large turtles.
Dunns River Waterfalls
For an exhilarating day trip head around half an hour’s drive east of your resort to the Dunns River Waterfalls where you can scale 180 metres of rocks amid the Jamaican jungle. One of the island’s most popular tourist attractions, the area is no stranger to the spotlight. In 1962 Sean Connery and Ursula Andress emerged from this world-famous river in the Bond film Dr. No, and in 1988 Tom Cruise enjoyed a special moment in the iconic film Cocktail, under the thundering falls.
Experienced guides lead you to the summit and your group will create something of a human chain as you scramble across the rocks. The hike is actually suitable for all ages, but for those who don’t wish to get wet or are unable to manage the uneven terrain there are stairs alongside the falls. Once at the top, relax in one of many lagoons and take in the breathtaking beauty of the rich vegetation around you.
Feel the rhythm! Feel the rhyme!
Experience the thrill of bob-sledding amid the Jamaican rainforest as you twist and turn at top speed on Mystic Mountain’s signature attraction. The one kilometre custom–made track is entirely powered by gravity and if you don’t make use of the special handbrake, you’ll speed through the dense tropical landscape in no less than one minute and 59 seconds. If you prefer to whisk through the canopy on a high speed zip line, Mystic Mountain offers a six-platform course too.
Your adventure starts on board the Rainforest Sky–Explorer, a state of the art chairlift soaring over 200 metres above the treetops with views of the nearby Dunns River Falls. At the top you can take a wander around the butterfly and hummingbird gardens or take a dip in the infinity pool which comes complete with an adrenaline-fuelled waterslide.