MAYFLOWER BOCAWINA NATIONAL PARK

  We were really excited about going to Bocawina and hiking through the jungle. It didn't surprise us that the lodge would be a bit pricy. However,we were shocked... read more to find how much it costs for a guide tour! Basically, by the time you pay US$140/night...More

  To give you an idea of how much I loved this park, I visited (from Hopkins) for the last three of four days! Each day, I adventured on a... read more different hike. The trails were well marked and maintained. There was no garbage in sight. The rangers, who signed me in (Darian and Chayton) were both so informative and friendly.

I'd surely recommend wearing sturdy sneakers at the very least. I was happy to have my hiking boots and trekking poles. Each of the visits gave me opportunities to both be in the jungle and have the chance to get refreshed in a pool of water, in a stream or under a waterfall. To that end, bringing a swimsuit is advised.

I trust any hike you do will be magnificent, but I thoroughly enjoyed the trails that led to Lower Bocawina Falls, Ramon Waterfall and Antelope Waterfall. All were exquisite!

Be sure to pack food and water. Bug repellent is critical. Even though the bugs were not disturbing me, I'm so glad I had applied the repellent before my hikes and had extra with me.

Allow for plenty of time for your car ride there, the road is a dirt road with lots of bumps.

I'd visit Mayflower Bocawina National Park again in a heartbeat and highly recommend you visit, too!

  Visited for the day and absolutely loved this park. Did the hike to Antelope Falls with great views towards the Caribbean. Tough, steep but not long. Went towards the Bocawina... read more Falls too and saw armadillos in the forest! Grey fox later as well on the...More

  I went with three teenagers for the combo Antelope waterfalls rappelling, lunch and zip lining. The guides were entertaining and knowledgeable. We hiked up the mountain in pouring rain (odd... read more for “dry season”), swam in a pool below a smaller waterfall then rappelled down. Great...More

  With weather complications and a reschedule we finally were able to have this amazing adventure!! The hike up and repelling were sensational, we felt safe and well taken care of!... read more But honestly our guides Victor and Donald were just simply awesome, fun, educational and became our friends instantly!!
Marco and Terri, Austin

  If you are in the Hopkins area this is a great hike to explore the NP and a wonderful cascading waterfall
Only a 3 mile out and back but... read more pretty steep with ropes and roots necessary for the last quarter mile up to the top of the falls and a beautiful swimming hole.

  Nice little park! The rangers are very helpful and informative and helped us decide what to do with our time there. Several of us did the hike up to Antelope... read more Falls, about 2 miles round trip. Tough but worth it! Nice and cool swimming hole. Two days later I did the loop trail, about 8 miles total with four water falls and swimming holes. Big Drop Falls was awesome...and a big drop getting there! Take PLENTY of water on any of these hikes. Nice way to get a taste of the jungle.

  My wife and I had an incredible time here hiking the trails and hanging by the falls. There is plenty of things to see on your adventures here.

  Not sure if I was going to make it to the top . Quite a climb. It was worth the struggle . great pool very pretty. water a little... read more refreshing . could have stayed there ALL day

  My wife and I had an incredible time here hiking the trails and hanging by the falls. There is plenty of things to see on your adventures here.

  This is a stunning national park with amazing trails up to many lovely waterfalls and incredible birds. We did not stay at the resort but it looked brilliant.

  Looking for a strenuous hike with a reward at the end? Hike to Antelope Falls. The trails offer ropes to help pull you up the steep parts. ... read more At the end is a lovely waterfall, with a Tarzan rope swing into a cool pool of spring water. The ride to the place was quite scenic along Hummingbird highway.

  Unlike my first zip line experience in Alaska, this one put me more in control because I got to brake myself. I also enjoyed the hiking in between rather than... read more going from platform to platform. The guides added humor as they provided information. They were...More

  I spent three nights at Bocawina as part of a group tour. The grounds of the National Park are gorgeous, the cabins are comfortable despite the absence of air-conditioning, and... read more the chef and kitchen staff turn out beautifully presented, delicious food. Our activities included a...More

  I suspect you could spend a couple of days exploring the park, but if you can't and you are up for the challenge, I recommend Antelope Falls. From the Visitor's... read more Center it's about a 45 min hike, if it is dry. We walked up the trail in a downpour and to ensure we were safe on the rocks and trails, we took our time. It was a very challenging hike (and climb in some places) so be prepared with something that comes over the toes--stubbed piggies are guaranteed otherwise.

There are two key things to see on this hike. The scenic view and the pool. The Falls are just gorgeous and the view is absolutely magnificent and the rain had stopped for us to be able to take it in! The pool is another 15-20 minutes further up, but should not be missed! We were the only ones there (who else would make the hike in a downpour?) and it was tranquil bliss! The pool was a cool treat for washing off the sweat and mud from the trail!

The climb down was still a bit treacherous because everything was still wet, but we persevered and had a very safe trip down.

Thanks to Israel, who was manning the Visitor's Center. He gave some great suggestions and helped us make the decision to try Antelope Falls!

Bring closed toed shoes, bug spray, swim suit, camera.

  The Bocawina National Park is a beautiful place with many natural wonders. The rangers are friendly and the price of visiting is more than reasonable. Since it is... read more in the jungle I made sure to wear proper clothing and footwear and doused myself and family with insect repellent. Unfortunately I found out days later that this was not enough as five big bumps that itched came out on me and as time went by the pain I experienced was terrible! One other person from our group of five also got a bite. Being from the city I did not know what bit me or how to get rid of it and most people could only give vague suggestions on what it was and what to do. I eventually found out it was locally called beef worms, otherwise known as human botfly larva! Unfortunately for me my body's reaction to these bites led me to having to visit two doctors which costed me a great deal of money, weeks of being unable to work, great mental stress and pain. Most people will probably visit this park and not be bitten but for those of us who are not so lucky it is a very stressful, expensive and unnecessary experience that I believe could have been minimized. This experience can be improved by having APAMO and the management at the Bocawina National Park take seriously the suggestion to have information on the website about the possibility of being bitten by different jungle insects while visiting the park. Giving names of the insects, how to prevent being bitten and what to do if you are bitten. I have contacted both organizations but none have seen fit to even answer my emails. This review is not to discourage people from visiting the park but rather to be INFORMED, so as to be aware of what can happen and so take as many preventive precautions to minimize the risks and if bitten having the knowledge to know how to respond.