Port Antonio Attractions
Banana raft on the Rio Grande © Port Antonio Tourism
Rio Grande
The Rio Grande has been used since 1911 as a means of
transporting goods by bamboo rafts, particularly by banana farmers
in the Rio Grande Valley who floated bunches of bananas on rafts to
the end of the river at St Margaret's Bay. Today bamboo rafting
trips are a major tourist attraction, offering an experience that
showcases the natural beauty that the Portland area has to offer.
Trips last between two and three hours, and the 30-foot (9m) rafts
can carry two passengers and are steered by skilled raftsmen who
also act as guides. Rafts can be boarded at Berrydale or Grant's
Level and end at the mouth of the Rio Grande at St Margaret's
Bay.
