Moon Author's Review
Rainforest Bobsled Jamaica at Mystic Mountain (tel. 876/974-3990, reservations.jam@rfat.com, www.rainforestrams.com/jamicaintro.html, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. daily) is the latest tourism development to hit Ocho Rios, located on 100 acres of forest west of town, just before Dunn's River Falls and Dolphin Cove. The site is Rainforest Aerial Tram's fifth such attraction in the region, with similar ecotourism theme parks in Costa Rica, Dominica, and St. Lucia. The tours include a 15-minute ride up to the peak of Mystic Mountain on the Sky Explorer, a chair lift similar to what you'd find at ski resorts. The ride and summit afford stunning views over Ocho Rios, and once at the peak, there's a photo and memorabilia exhibit covering Jamaican history and culture, a gift shop, and a bar and restaurant housed in a wooden replica of an old Jamaican train station. There's a water slide and infinity pool in front of the building overlooking the sea. The Bobsled Jamaica ride consists of a two-seater bobsled-like tram that travels through the forest along suspended rails. It's an exhilarating five-minute blast of adrenaline, but only as gut-wrenching as the person in front controlling the brakes decides. The canopy tour (US$104) consists of a ride on a zipline through the forest along five different segments. The Sky Explorer costs US$42 per person or can be packaged with the Bobsled ride (US$62) or canopy tour (US$104), with a complete package including all three rides costing US$124 per person. Additional Bobsled runs cost US$20 each, while a family pack sold for US$40 gives you five rides. There is no additional charge for the pool and water slide.
