Booking choice: Rio Bueno river tubing, from $89 per person. Check dates Tour details
Montego Bay has no tubing river of its own in town: the trips drive you out to a river, float you down it with a guide and bring you back. Two well-reviewed options on Viator are the Rio Bueno float, which ends on a beach, and the River Rapids trip paired with lunch at Bamboo Beach Club.
Neither is white-water rafting. Think warm sun, cold clear water, a few bumpy drops and a lot of laughing.
The quick answer
The Rio Bueno tubing tour (4.8 from 402 reviews, from $89) is the best pick for most people: a guided float of about an hour over small rapids to Bengal Bay beach, for ages 4 and up. Choose the Bamboo Beach Club day (from $99) if you want a shorter float plus lunch by the sea.
Which river tubing tours run from Montego Bay?
Two well-reviewed trips: Rio Bueno tubing with a beach finish, and River Rapids tubing with an afternoon at Bamboo Beach Club.
| Rio Bueno tubing | Tubing + Bamboo Beach Club | |
|---|---|---|
| From | $89 | $99 |
| Rating | 4.8 (402) | 4.6 (186) |
| Length | 3 hours | 5 hours |
| Food | Not included | Lunch at the beach club |
| Youngest age | 4 | Under-6s ride on a parent's lap |
| Finish | Bengal Bay beach | Bamboo Beach Club |
Leaning towards the river and beach combo? Check dates for the Rio Bueno float.
Check dates for Rio Bueno river tubingWhat is the Rio Bueno tubing trip like?
A short jungle walk to the launch point at Irie Bridge, a guided float through bends and small rapids, a rope-swing stop under bamboo, and a finish on the white sand of Bengal Bay.
Helmets and life jackets are provided. On the way down you pass under an old stone bridge, and at the river mouth you paddle over the last little rapids to the beach, where you can swim or buy drinks before the ride back.
How long are you actually on the river?
Less than the tour length suggests: Rio Bueno guests report about an hour on the water, and Bamboo Beach Club guests about 30 minutes.
The rest is the drive, the briefing and the beach. One Rio Bueno guest wished the float were longer than its roughly 1.9 miles; families with young children tend to find it just right.
Is it white water?
No. Both trips are gentle floats with a few small rapids, and guests say so plainly.
Bamboo Beach Club tubers are strapped together in a circle and never felt in danger; one Rio Bueno guest wrote that it "can hardly be considered river rapids". Expect cold, clear water rather than an adrenaline rush.
Prefer a lazy afternoon? Float the river, then settle in at Bamboo Beach Club with lunch and drinks.
Explore tubing and Bamboo Beach Club Tour detailsWhat is the Bamboo Beach Club day like?
About an hour at River Rapids Jamaica for the tubing, then around two hours at Bamboo Beach Club for lunch and the sea.
Guests praise the beach club food and the relaxed setting; a few wished the staff had been clearer about meeting times. Pickups run from Montego Bay hotels and the Montego Bay and Falmouth cruise terminals.
Can kids go river tubing?
Yes. The Rio Bueno trip takes children from 4, and on the Bamboo Beach Club trip under-6s ride in a larger tube on a parent's lap.
The Bamboo Beach Club trip has a 280 lb maximum per rider. For more on ages across every tour, read Montego Bay adventures with kids.
Tubing with children? The Rio Bueno float takes kids from 4, with helmets and life jackets.
Check dates for Rio Bueno river tubingWhat should you bring for tubing?
A swimsuit, water shoes, a towel, sunscreen and a waterproof phone pouch, plus food or cash, because the Rio Bueno trip includes no food.
Feed children before you leave. A change of clothes for the ride back makes the day nicer. More in what to wear for adventure days.
Tubing or bamboo rafting?
Tubing if you want to get wet and bump through rapids; bamboo rafting if you want to sit back while a captain poles you downriver.
The Great River bamboo raft from $20 is a slow, social 90 minutes with a limestone foot massage and fruit stops. It is a good second river day, not a replacement for tubing.
Slower pace? A captain poles your bamboo raft down the Great River while you relax.
Explore Great River bamboo rafting Tour detailsFrequently asked questions
Is river tubing in Jamaica safe?
On these guided trips, yes for most people: helmets and life jackets are provided, guides lead the group, and the rapids are small. They are not advised in pregnancy or with back or heart problems.
Do I need to be able to swim?
You wear a life jacket and sit in the tube, and the rivers are gentle; confident swimmers enjoy the rope swing and beach more.
Is river tubing included in the Chukka zipline and ATV pass?
No. The Chukka Ocean Outpost pass has no river tubing; book a tubing trip separately.
Ready to book
Choose your day
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before on every option. Prices are from-prices in USD and move with the season.
Rio Bueno River Tubing & Beach
- Guided tubing trip down the Rio Bueno
- Helmet and life jacket
- Rope-swing stop and free time on the beach at Bengal Bay
River Tubing & Bamboo Beach Club
Gentle tubing, then a beach club afternoon with lunch
Great River Bamboo Rafting with Limestone Massage
A slow bamboo raft with a limestone foot massage
