In the waters surrounding Dominica, you’ll feel like you’ve entered an underwater world preserved just for you. And it was. Thriving coral gardens will lead you to exciting walls and pinnacles, all thanks to ancient volcanic activity surrounding the island.

Naturally Designed for Pure Enjoyment
Cascading waterfalls, deep gorges, pristine rainforests, and even a lake that boils—you can’t even imagine where the hikes on Dominica will lead you. With three National Parks and trails from easy to difficult, there’s no end to the hiking adventures on the Nature Island.

Venture Beyond the Ordinary
When you only have a single day to experience one of the Caribbean’s most unique ports, why waste it in a gift shop? From heart-racing outdoor adventures to relaxing, soul-soothing wellness experiences, look below for the essential Nature Island must-sees and hidden gems that are worthy of your time.

Amazing Outdoor Adventures

Dominica isn’t just for beach lovers and sunbathers. It’s for adventure seekers, too. The Nature Island is home to world-class diving and snorkeling, mountain terrain perfect for hikers of all levels, adrenaline-inducing gorges, and more rivers and waterfalls to explore than there are days in the year.

Roseau Valley Hiking Adventure
These hiking trips will take you through rainforests to waterfalls and are guaranteed to amaze and delight. From waterfalls to hummingbirds, the nature and beauty of the island will surround you.

Grey, Gold and Black Sand Beaches Surround Peaceful Bays

Dominica’s coastline is pristine with a range of terrain from white sand to black sand, from rocky to bubbly. Each beach is unique – some are lined with bars and restaurants while others are accessible only by four-wheel drive vehicle.

Health hunter? Nature seeker? Dominica is a restorative hideaway that embodies the true essence of physical and emotional wellbeing. From challenging physical adventures to relaxing soaks in thermal springs, the holistic powers of the Nature Island will cleanse your body and soul.

Wotten Waven Hot Springs
Sometimes warm mud is all a body needs

A little way’s inland from Roseau and enveloped by tropical forest is the tiny village of Wotten Waven. Popular with Dominicans and travelers alike, Wotten Waven is well-known for its natural hot sulfur springs and mud pools that are believed to have medicinal qualities.

Regardless of their actual healing powers, the hot springs offer a relaxing and reviving experience after a long day hiking the Waitukubuli National Trail. There’s no better natural medicine to soothe sore muscles — or calm jittery nerves — than by settling into the spring’s naturally muddy water.

Enterprising local villagers have created spas where health hunters and nature seekers can wallow in open-air pools surrounded by lovely gardens. Some stay open after sunset, allowing you to chill under the stars, drinks and snacks in hand, and be serenaded by tree frogs. Each spa has its own special charm and amenities, from private sulphur baths and mud pools to exotic gardens and local culinary delights.

Revive your body and stir your soul in Wotten Waven — home to spas powered by nature.

Le Petit Paradis

Only 20 minutes from Roseau, Wotten Waven is the perfect place to explore Trafalgar Falls, Middleham Falls, Titou Gorge, the Boiling Lake and many more extraordinary natural attractions. Le Petit Paradis is truly a hidden gem among many, and a favorite among birdwatchers.

Chef Joan prepares home-cooked, healthy meals highlighting local cuisine, while husband Al is at your service. Spicy chicken curry and perfectly grilled fish are guaranteed to please your palate, along with soup and a variety of sides. Ask for the “Bullet” drink, a local specialty.

Healing, hot sulphur pools are within walking distance, and will restore your energy after a long day.

Dominica is home to three national parks: Morne Trois Pitons National Park, Cabrits National Park and Morne Diablotin National Park.

Morne Trois Pitons National Park

In 1997, Morne Trois Pitons National Park was recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site – the first enlisted Natural Site in the Eastern Caribbean. Untouched and relatively undiscovered, the park is like stepping back in time. Lush, green primordial rainforests slope up to magnificent peaks. Rivers rush past giant ferns as the fragrances of island flowers surround you. Morne Trois Pitons National Park is truly how the Caribbean was meant to be.

Morne Trois Pitons is awash with natural wonders, highlighted by the Emerald Pool, Middleham Falls, Titou Gorge and Boiling Lake, thought to be the second largest fumarole in the world.

Key attractions within the Park include the Valley of Desolation, the Boiling Lake, Titou Gorge, Freshwater Lake, Boeri Lake, Emerald Pool, Middleham Falls, Morne Anglaise, Morne Watt, and Morne Micotrin (Morne Macque)

Interesting Facts – Morne Trois Pitons National Park:
The Boiling Lake feeds into the Victoria Falls and White River in Delices on the southeast coast of the island
The Emerald Pool is fed by the Middleham Falls
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest “Cage of Bones” drop scene was filmed at Titou Gorge

Cabrits National Park

Cabrits National Park is located on a peninsula on the north end of the island just beyond the town of Portsmouth.

Established in 1986, Cabrits National Park occupies 1,313 acres and protects tropical forests, coral reefs and wetlands. The park is nestled between a pair of low-rising peaks, extinct volcanoes, creating a spectacular view of the beaches below.

Fort Shirley

Step back into Dominica’s European Past
You can’t escape history — even on Dominica. But you can escape to Fort Shirley, part of the Cabrits National Park and located on a scenic peninsula just north of Portsmouth. This fortress is most famously known for a revolt by African slave soldiers in 1802, an event which would lead to freeing of all British slave soldiers in 1807.

The fort itself was built within a volcanic crater and served as part of a network of defenses along the Lesser Antilles during international conflicts between Britain and France in the 18th and 19th centuries. These conflicts left behind echoes of a different era and some of the fort’s ruins are being slowly reclaimed by the encroaching forest.

Much of the fort is intact or has been rebuilt, allowing you to see what the area must have looked like back when the fort was operational. Take a moment to climb the walls, look out from a row of cannons, and imagine setting your sight on ships slowly drifting into range.

The Officer’s Quarters has undergone a major renovation and is now home to weddings, receptions, concerts, and other events. Offering stunning views of Prince Rupert Bay, nearby beaches, and the mountains rising behind it, Fort Shirley is a natural lookout on the region. And if you’re planning a visit during May or June, plan ahead so you won’t miss Dominica’s Jazz n’Creole Festival that is held here annually.

Home to uprisings, victories, and defeats — Fort Shirley now connects visitors to an island at peace.

Syndicate Nature Trail and Parrot Preserve
Also situated in the western section of the National Park is the Syndicate Nature Trail and Parrot Preserve, which was constructed in 1993 through funding from by RARE Centre for Tropical Conservation and Birdlife International. The trail provides visitors opportunities to experience a genuine tropical rainforest and is a prime birding location. Bird watchers can expect catch a glimpse of many of the 179 species of birds found on the Nature Island including the Sisserou and Jaco.

Morne Diablotins National Park

Morne Diablotins National Park is a national park in the northern mountain ranges of the island. The park covers 8,242 acres, and was established in 2000, primarily to protect the habitat of the endangered Sisserou Parrot, the national symbol of Dominica. The park is home to 4,747 foot Morne Diablotins, the tallest mountain on the island and the second highest mountain in the Lesser Antilles.

When it comes to experiencing Nature’s beauty and magnificence, few destinations in the Caribbean can compete with Dominica. Aptly named ‘The Nature Island,’ you’ll find more rivers here than there are days in the year, adventurous hiking trails that can be enjoyed all for the cost of … nothing, and acres of timeless, misty rainforests that conceal countless waterfalls, hot springs, and one of the largest active boiling lakes in the world.

While the land provides a canvas awash with picturesque scenery and fascinating terrain, the azure-colored waters that surround the island let you submerge yourself in pristine, life-renewing splendor. Experience crystalline waters teeming with marine life and exploding with color as you enter a world full of underwater canyons, pinnacles, and volcanic craters that set the stage for some of the best diving in the Caribbean.

Whether you’re planning an extended stay or a day trip from a cruise ship, Emerald Pool is not to be missed when traveling to Dominica. Fed by the clear mountain water rushing from a 40 foot waterfall, the pool’s waters appear emerald green in the leafy, filtered sunlight. Its color and drama have served as the backdrop of several movies as well as weddings.

Located in Morne Trois Piton National Park, Emerald Pool is surrounded by verdant forest and offers swimmers and waders a cooling respite on humid days. Just ten minutes off the interior Roseau-Castle Bruce Road, it’s the most accessible waterfall in the UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Don’t miss your chance to experience the pleasures that Emerald Pool has offered its guests for thousands of years.

Middleham Falls
An hour and half “intermediate” hike will lead you into the heart of the rainforest of the Morne Trois Piton National Park.

There you will find a fascinating variety of trees, plants and shrubs. With a view of the falls in the distance, you will feel a cool spray of water on your body.

The falls are striking, with a narrow stream dropping about 200 ft. from a keyhole notch in the lip of the cliff. The pool beneath the falls is swimmable, though a bit chilly!

Titou Gorge
The hike through Titou Gorge is actually a short swim from the base of a waterfall through a series of natural “rooms and ponds” formed by high cliff walls canopied by interlaced trees. The undulating sides of this deep, narrow gorge were formed as molten lava cooled and split apart.

The swim is short, only about five minutes, and the canopied light filtering down the mountainside within the gorge is spectacular. A hot spring tumbles down a short wall just outside the entrance of the gorge, which feels wonderful after the cool waters of the falls!

Champagne Reef
Experience the spectacle of Dominica’s rainbow-colored seascape!

Named for the bubbling waters rising from volcanic thermal springs on the ocean floor, Champagne Reef attracts diving and snorkeling enthusiasts from around the world. The reef’s plummeting cliffs and towering volcanic formations perfectly match Dominica’s massive mountains and gorges.

Whether diving or snorkeling in these warm waters, you’ll encounter a dazzling explosion of color. The reef holds a paint box of sponges with names like pink azure, red rope, yellow tube, and purple vase, to name just a few. And greeting you as you go are countless crinoids — also known as water lilies. These marine animals attached themselves to coral and sponges, waving delicate tubular wands of red, yellow, each one hypnotizing in its beauty.

Matching the color and variety of the sponges and crinoids is a fascinating range of undersea creatures — octopus, rays, trumpet fish, parrotfish, frogfish, batfish, hawksbill turtles, seahorses, sea snakes, and eels. You may even encounter the remains of the 17th century Spanish shipwreck.

Don’t miss your chance to dive into the beauty and surprise of Champagne Reef.

Experience the enchantment of Trafalgar Falls

These famous twin waterfalls are a 20-minute drive from Roseau. It’s a short 10 to 15 minute walk along a well-maintained path to the viewing platform, where you can photograph both falls.

As you walk the path, be sure to stop at the warm spring that flows across the trail. The more daring can continue on to swim in the refreshing waters of the smaller waterfall or find the hot springs of the tallest fall.

Want a true taste of Dominica? There’s no finer way than to delight in our uniquely delicious cuisine.

This is The Nature Island so you can expect a bounty of vegetables, fruits and root crops in most restaurants. From our abundant reefs, a fresh fish, conch and crab backs, a Dominican specialty, are served with an eye toward sustainability. Sweet, ripe plaintains and a cornmeal we call kushkush are mainstays, as well as yams, breadfruit and chicken prepared in countless delectable ways.

Dining in Dominica is as much about the ambiance as the cuisine. Many restaurants serve up captivating panoramas along with an eclectic menu of continental, Creole and West Indian dishes. Dominican chefs are adept at preparing many European and American delicacies, with a West Indian touch.

For the serious hiker, Dominica is home to some of the most challenging and rewarding trails in the Caribbean. Hikers must be in very good physical condition. Sections of these trails can include grades that are often long and steep, and can exceed 35 percent.

Morne aux Diables – North
Duration: 4 hours

This excellent but strenuous walk takes you across Morne aux Diables, a mountain that dominates the very north end of the island soaring 2,826 ft. Though this volcanic mountain is dormant, you will see active sulphur springs along the way. The trail traverses the northern tip of the Island from Tanetane on the northwest coast near Portsmouth, to Vieille Case on the northeast coast.

Boiling Lake
Before people ever boiled water, nature was doing so wherever a break in the earth’s crust formed a fumarole — the place where volcano meets water. Dominica’s Boiling Lake…

Morne Trois Pitons Trail- East
Length: 1.06 miles
Duration: 6 hours

Located to the north of Boeri Lake and Morne Macaque is the impressive massif of Morne Trois Pitons. Its French name means “Three Peaks,” as the top of this mountain is actually shaped into three peaks. Morne Trois Pitons is also a dormant volcano, and the second highest mountain on the island. It reaches up to height of 4,672 ft within 5 miles of the sea, and is the dominant landform and the namesake of the Morne Trois Pitons National Park, a World Heritage Site. The beginning of the trail passing through secondary rainforest is moderate, but gets steep and tricky when you’re into the elfin woodland. A very challenging hike, it requires both good physical condition and a sense of balance. It is advised to wear long pants for the razor grass, which is a common feature of the trail.

Perdu Temps Trail
Length: 4.8 miles
Duration: 8-10 hours

A guide is highly recommended for this trail as it is not easily marked and as the French name for this trail suggests, you may well “lose track of time.” The trail connects the villages of Delices and Geneva, and takes you over several peaks along valley floors and through rivers. Atop the mountain trail, rainforest sights and sounds will captivate you. Highlights include the River Blanc, Jack Falls, agriculture and farm areas at Grand Bay and Pichlin, and the World Heritage Site – Morne Trois Pitons National Park.

Morne Diablotins
Length: 1.25 miles
Duration: 5-6 hours

At 4,747 ft, this is the highest mountain in the Eastern Caribbean, which is located in the Morne Diablotin National Park. The trail begins at approximately 1,900 ft above sea level, and usually ends at the “popular summit,” which is somewhat lower than the true summit. This hike provides you with a multitude of spectacular views, endemic parrots, an abundance of epiphytes, and various forest types.