Blue Hole Jamaica - Suggested Minimal Age for Kids

[3littleangels]

Tons of research but not a lot of relevant answers so I am hoping I can get some assistance here. My DH and I are taking our two kids (ages 5 and 4) on the Western Caribbean cruise in September. Both kids can't swim but love to play with water and float in swimming pools (with life vest). We have heard glowing reviews about Blue Hole but not entirely sure about suitable minimum age for kids. The limited reviews I was able to find online do not contain enough information for us to go either way.

I am curious to know if anyone has gone to Blue Hole with minor kids. If yes, I would appreciate information such as approximate age of the kid(s), whether he/she/they enjoyed the experience, and your recommendations / suggestions. Thank you very much!

 

[txga]

We went to Blue hole in June with a group ranging from 6-65 years old. Our 6 year old did not like it. They did give him a life jacket- but with everyone jumping, there wasn't an opportunity for him to just swim in calm water. You had to jump and then get out of the way. Also he had to be carried up some of the rocky pathways by the guides. And then there was the 1 hour long drive to get from Falmouth to Ocho Rios. So while we LOVED Blue Hole, it wasn't the best excursion for him. Our 10 year old in the group loved it as did the teens and adults. A beach at one of the other ports would give younger kids a better chance to just play in the water.

 

[dcarjn]

I was there in May and I agree with the above poster. We didn't have children with us, but it was mostly jumping, climbing, swinging, and moving from one thing to another. I can't imagine young children that don't know how to swim having a lot of fun. You jump off a cliff to get into the water. There is a place where you can climb down into it, but it's right next to where people are jumping in from 2 different places. I highly recommend going, but if I had my young kids with me, I would hesitate.

 

[3littleangels]

Thanks to everyone for the information. Based on above experiences, our family would most likely stick to beach and perhaps a bit of shopping for this time.

 

[Patience]

I'm having a hard time picking an excursion in Ochos Rios for my family too. We have a 20 year daughter who will be with us on our cruise in March and a 7 year old daughter. I was thinking about Blue Hole and tubing in the river. I've heard the tubing is gentle and suitable for young children. I wasn't sure about Blue Hole or Dunn River falls. Can my younger daughter and I stay on the beach while my older daughter and husband climb the falls? Any other suggestions?