The rafting village has its own food. An on-site restaurant serves Jamaican food, and there is a jerk shop and two service bars, so you can eat before or after your ride without leaving the grounds. Visitors also get a complimentary fruit drink on arrival. If you want a bigger menu or a sit-down meal, Falmouth is about three miles away, and Glistening Waters in Rock serves seafood, escovitch fish, curried goat, lobster and jerk chicken beside the Luminous Lagoon.
Eating at the rafting village
Martha Brae Rafting Village has an on-site restaurant serving Jamaican food, a jerk shop and two service bars. The grounds also include gift shops, picnic lawns and Miss Martha's Herb Garden. The raft price covers the rafting experience, so budget for food separately.
A fruit drink on arrival starts the visit, and meals can wait until after the ride.
The village is open daily, including public holidays, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Cash and major credit and debit cards are accepted on site. Walk-ins are welcome, but advance booking is encouraged, especially for a group that wants a set time on the river.
Plan the food around the raft. Eating before you raft suits people who want to start on the river fresh, and eating after the ride suits groups who want to sit down slowly and talk about the trip. Either way, the village keeps you on site, so you do not need a second transport plan for lunch.
Falmouth: a fuller menu about three miles away
Falmouth is the nearest town, and it has more places to sit down. Alayna & Tashie Food Joint is a Jamaican restaurant at 75 Market Street, open Monday to Saturday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. and closed on Sundays. It is a practical choice for a breakfast or lunch of Jamaican food before you head out to the river.
Jerk and cooked dishes in town make a hearty lunch before or after the river.
For seafood, TIPSY TUNA SEAFOOD & GRILL JA at 2 Seaboard Street is open Tuesday to Thursday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. It is closed on Mondays and Sundays. If your group includes someone who eats vegan, vegetarian or Ital food, THE EDEN WAY is in that category. It is open Monday to Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and on Friday until 4:30 p.m., and it is closed on Saturdays and Sundays. That category describes the kind of menu, not every dish, so ask which items meet your diet.
For a longer evening, Chez Isabelle is a French fine dining restaurant, open every evening from 6:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. It is the choice if you want a formal dinner after a day on the river.
For jerk and cooked dishes near the town centre and the port, Pepper's Jerk Center is a Jamaican restaurant that lists jerked chicken, jerked pork, curried chicken, curried shrimp, escoveitched fish and barbecue chicken among its menu staples.
Confirm before you go: phone Pepper's Jerk Center and Mystic Flava Restaurant for current hours and prices before you travel.
More casual stops in Falmouth include HalfTime Sports Bar & Grill, a bar and grill at 85 Market Street, and Currie's Bistro, a fast food and takeout restaurant open from 3 p.m. to midnight Monday to Saturday. Annie's waffle and Conez Ltd is a café at shop 42, 86 Duke Street, and Ming's Empire at 24 Duke Street serves Chinese and Asian food. Nature's Blend Falmouth Jamaica is a juice shop, and Bamboo Beach Club is a bar open daily from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Glistening Waters and Mystic Flava by the lagoon
Glistening Waters Restaurant sits in Rock, Falmouth, beside the Luminous Lagoon, near the A1 north coast road. It serves Jamaican dishes including seafood, escovitch fish, curried goat, lobster, conch soup and jerk chicken. The restaurant is open daily from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., and its cocktail bar runs from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Downtown Falmouth is 2.5 miles away and the cruise terminal is 2.25 miles away.
Glistening Waters sits beside the Luminous Lagoon, so a meal here can run into the evening.
Glistening Waters is the better choice for a full sit-down meal near the lagoon, especially if your day continues into the evening. Mystic Flava Restaurant, linked with Falmouth Mystic Lagoon Tours, is an open-air waterfront restaurant in Falmouth serving Jamaican food, with a waterfront bar, so it works well if you want to eat with a view of the water.
The Falmouth cruise port and its food outlets
The Historic Falmouth Cruise Port has food and drink outlets including Margaritaville, Starbucks, Dairy Queen, Quiznos, Nathan's Famous, Auntie Anne's and Patty Port. These outlets are convenient for passengers who need a quick bite before returning to a ship, but they are not the same as independent restaurants in central Falmouth. The Jamaica Tourist Board also names Falmouth Jerk Centre, Pepper's Jerk Center, Juici patties and Spice Kitchen and Bar as food choices in or near the port area.
For a broader view of the port area and the town, read our guide to where to eat near the Falmouth cruise port.
Matching the meal to your day
Your choice depends on what kind of day you want. If convenience matters most, eat at the rafting village, where the food is on the same grounds as the raft launch. If you want Jamaican jerk and cooked dishes in town, Pepper's Jerk Center is a strong fit, because its menu staples cover jerk, curry and escoveitched fish. For a sit-down meal near the lagoon, especially if the day runs into the evening, Glistening Waters is the choice. If you are heading back to a ship, the cruise port outlets are the quickest option. Whichever you choose, book the raft ahead if you can, since walk-ins are accepted but advance booking is encouraged.
Think about the drive back before you order. If you are staying in Montego Bay, the ride back is about 30 minutes by the operator's estimate, so a late lunch in Falmouth still leaves time for an afternoon at the resort. If you are on a cruise, work backward from your all-aboard time, and leave a wide margin for the drive and for the terminal.
Getting to Martha Brae from Montego Bay and Falmouth
Martha Brae Rafting Village sits in the Martha Brae community in Trelawny Parish. It is about 25 kilometres, or roughly 30 minutes, east of Montego Bay by the operator's estimate, and about three miles from Falmouth. Jamaica's tourism authority describes the drive from the Falmouth cruise port as less than 15 minutes.
You can drive, take a private taxi or book a tour that includes hotel transport. Private transfer prices vary by operator, pickup point, group size and whether rafting admission is included, so agree the full total before you book.
Rafting time and price
The raft ride lasts about 1 hour and 15 minutes and covers about three miles of the Martha Brae River. Each raft carries two adults and one small child aged 3 to 9. As of October 2026, the official rafting price is US$99 per raft for tourists. Jamaican residents with valid local identification pay J$13,000, which is about US$82 at J$159 to US$1. Group rates are available depending on the size of your group.
Each raft carries two adults and one small child aged 3 to 9.
Transport, meals, drinks and souvenirs are separate costs, so budget for them on top of the raft fee. Allow more than the raft ride for the whole day. Arrival, check-in, the welcome drink, the herb garden, a meal and the trip back all take time, and a half-day plan fits well. If you are planning a family day, plan the seating before you arrive.
For more places across Trelawny, browse the Trelawny page of the restaurant directory.
Common questions
A rafting day comes down to the ride time, the price and where you want to eat around it.
Is there food at Martha Brae Rafting?
Yes. The rafting village has an on-site restaurant serving Jamaican food, a jerk shop and two service bars, plus picnic lawns and a complimentary fruit drink on arrival. You can eat before or after your ride without leaving the attraction. Meals are not part of the raft price, so plan a separate food budget.
How long is Martha Brae rafting?
The raft ride takes about 1 hour and 15 minutes and covers about three miles of river. The actual time can vary with river conditions. The full visit takes longer because you need time to arrive, check in, board, enjoy the welcome drink and the herb garden, and eat. The village is open daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., including public holidays.
How much does Martha Brae rafting cost?
As of October 2026, the official price is US$99 per raft for tourists, or J$13,000 (about US$82) for Jamaican residents with valid local identification. A raft carries two adults and one child aged 3 to 9, and group rates are available depending on size. Transport, meals, drinks and souvenirs cost extra. Cash and major credit and debit cards are accepted on site.
How far is Martha Brae from Montego Bay?
Martha Brae Rafting Village is about 25 kilometres from Montego Bay, or roughly a 30-minute drive, the operator says. The village is about three miles from Falmouth, and Jamaica's tourism authority describes the drive from the Falmouth cruise port as less than 15 minutes. Travel times change with traffic and with your pickup point.
Where to eat in Falmouth near the river?
Start with the rafting village if convenience matters most. In town, Pepper's Jerk Center is near the town centre and the port, and Alayna & Tashie Food Joint on Market Street serves Jamaican food. For seafood, TIPSY TUNA SEAFOOD & GRILL JA is on Seaboard Street. For a full sit-down meal near the lagoon, Glistening Waters in Rock is the choice, especially if your day runs into the evening.