The Eddison TOurs’ Top Ten Places to See in
DOMINICA
Dominica is truly an island full of natural wonders and unrivalled beauty- so many that it can be difficult to choose what to see first!
Here are my top ten places to visit in Dominica.
I can also recommend three particular tours to you if you’ve never been to Dominica before and want to cherry-pick some of the highlights:- Northern Treasures, Dominica’s Waters, and The Indian River.
(You can of course fast forward to Dominica’s Secrets if you want to do something a little different, or we can talk about a Custom Tour if you prefer…)
1. The indian River
Dominica is known as the island of many rivers - 365 of them in fact! The most beautiful one is certainly the Indian River, which became famous for filming movies such as Pirates of the Caribbean 2 and 3.
This place is full of mysteries and beautiful nature.
I (or one of my hand-picked Eddison Tours guides) will pick you up from the dock at Portsmouth and we will take a short speedboat ride along the beach, past all the beautiful yachts and along the coastline. On arrival at the mouth of the river, we trade the roar of the big outboard for the quiet clunk of wooden oars as this is a nature reserve and only accessible for small vessels.
Trees form a dense canopy over the river and creatures scuttle in and out of the muddy shallows into the cool shadows. It’s normal to see crabs and herons and lizards and a whole variety of other wildlife. If we are lucky, we will see a flock of Jaco parrots and perhaps hear the Sisserou, our national bird.
A stop at the Bush Bar for some locally brewed Dominica rum is the perfect interlude before a gentle float back downstream.
(Find out more about the Indian River Tours available in Dominica’s Highlights)
Indian River, Portsmouth, Dominica
Trafalgar Falls is located in Morne Trois Pitons National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Dominica. The park is known for its diverse flora and fauna, volcanic features, and waterfalls.
Trafalgar Falls consists of two main waterfalls, often referred to as the "Mother Falls" and the "Father Falls." These falls are sourced from the same river but cascade separately down the mountainside.
The area around Trafalgar Falls is geothermally active, and there are hot springs nearby at Ti Kwen Glo Cho which we also visit as part of the Dominica Waters Tour
The falls are spectacular, especially after rain.
(You can visit Trafalgar Falls with me as part of the Dominica Waters Tour or add it to a Custom Tour if you prefer.)
Another geological anomaly on this incredible island; there is an area near Calibishie where the lava from a previous eruption has flowed to the sea. The resulting moonscape takes you right down to the water where the high iron content in the lava has rusted in the salt and tropical sunshine, producing some incredible colours.
(Best seen in the late afternoon light as part of the Northern Treasures tour, or as part of a Custom Tour.)
3. RED ROCKS
4. Chaudiere Pool
Fresh water from one of Dominica’s 365 rivers courses down the mountainside and creates one of the best natural swimming pools in Dominica. It’s a 30 minute, relatively easy hike down the hill to get there, but the opportunity to jump off the rock face into deep and cooling water is worth every step (You can also enter the water in a more leisurely fashion if you prefer ;) )
It’s like being a kid again.
The walk there is on uneven ground and partly through jungle although well marked and cleared and not particularly steep. You need to be relatively fit to get there - and back up the hill again - as there is no vehicular access. We often are the only people there for hours.
(We go here or to Syndicate Falls in the afternoon of the Northern Treasures Tour but Chaudiere Pool can easily be incorporated into a Custom Tour if you prefer.)
5. Middleham Falls
Middleham Falls is in the Morne Trois Pitons National Park and is a stunning 275-foot waterfall formed by the convergence of the Middleham River and the Ti'tou Gorge River. The waterfall cascades down the steep cliff face of basalt and other rock colours created by earlier volcanic activity. It is absolutely breathtaking.
Starting from where we park, the trail first crosses the Providence River. It then passes a few cultivations and a massive Maho Kochon tree, before entering virgin rain forest.
As we descend the winding track to the 275 ft waterfall, there is lots to see, including a large spring gushing between the rocks, and an old abandoned cultivation with bananas, tanya and a breadfruit tree. We are walking through untouched rainforest and although there are no large mammals, the area is rich with an incredible diversity of trees and other plant species as well as bird life, reptiles and insects. The buttressed Chatannyé and the pillar-like Gomyé are really impressive. The area is home to endemic parrot species as well as various varieties of hummingbird and thrush, and we are quite likely to spot a tree lizard or two.
Another distinguishing feature of the rain forest is the comparatively open forest floor. This is because only as little as 10% of the sunlight striking the canopy is able to penetrate through the tree tops. This leaves little chance of growth for any but the hardiest seedlings, and hence offers an easy walk-through. However this ease is deceptive and one can be tempted to divert from the trail to explore. It is very easy to get lost when one strays from the trail, even for only a few yards/metres.
The trail is uneven throughout, with the occasional handrail, and features a lot of up- and downhill sections as well as some steps. The last 100 metres or so is often particularly muddy and slippery and is definitely more scramble than walk. From the viewing platform, it is possible to clamber over the rocks and swim in the pool under the falls (although if it has been raining hard, this is not for the faint-hearted!).
(We do this hike in the morning on the Dominica Waters Tour but Middleham Falls can easily be incorporated into a Custom Tour if you prefer)
6. ti Kwen Glo Cho
Ti Kwen Glo Cho literally means ‘Little Corner with Hot Water’ as the thermal activity in the area creates a natural, mineral rich spa with water the colour of cappuccino. Of all the little spa offerings in this area, this one is our favourite.
This water has been used for generations to soothe and relax the body, treat aching muscles, arthritic pain and even skin complaints.
The hot water (and it can get very hot and times) is mixed with the fresh cold water from the Kabwit waterfall on the property. Several natural cold showers are available near the pools to complement your hot water soak and provide a rejuvenating hydrotherapy treatment.
Set in the midst of a beautifully manicured tropical garden, it’s just the place to while away several hours. They also have a Bush Bar with an impressive number of locally brewed rums made with local herbs, so you can chill out completely…
(We visit here as part of the Dominica’s Waters tour, or you can incorporate it into a Custom Tour if you prefer.)
7. the waitukubuli trail
If you step out the back of the Bush Bar that we visit on the Indian River Tour, you will come across a path that extends into the jungle in both directions. Usually cut to at least 6ft across, often much more, this is part of the longest hiking trail in the Caribbean. It extends 114 miles, starting at the spectacular Scott’s Head in the south and ending at the Cabrits National Park near Portsmouth in the north.
There are 14 sections to this trail, some much harder than others, but most are possible to complete in one day of hard hiking. A guide is recommended for all but the most experienced hikers. My wife and I and the team at Mango Garden Cottages are responsible for maintaining one of the sections of the trail, in the north, along with some of our neighbours.
Waitukubuli (meaning ‘long is her body’) was the name for the island of Dominica before Christopher Columbus and his men charted it on Sunday (hence the name) 3rd November 1493.
(If you would like to hike one, or multiple sections of this trail, I can organise this for you. Please get in touch.)
8. The Kalinago Territory
Early European settlers in the Caribbean called the locals ‘caribs’ which in fact meant ‘cannibal.’ Of the various tribes who moved north from South America through the archipelago, the Kalinago Indians are the only ones who maintained their indigenous status, on the wild island of Dominica.
You can visit their territory, see a traditional village and buy some of their beautiful woven goods. It’s one of the few places worth visiting at the same time as the cruise ships are in port, because the Kalinago people then put on performances with traditional dancing and sometimes demonstrate their weaving and baking traditions.
This is an unique place in the Caribbean islands where the first people known to live here are still here, despite all the history of the last 600 years.
(The Kalinago territory is in the east of Dominica and can easily be incorporated into a Custom Tour)
9. dominica underwater
Dominica is almost as incredible under the water as it is above it. Because the island is basically volcanoes rising thousands of feet from the ocean floor, you don’t have to go far from the shore to find incredible walls to dive, coral to snorkel and a jaw-dropping range of creatures.
You have probably heard of the famous Champagne Reef where the water bubbles like champagne thanks to the underwater thermal activity from the volcanoes, but there are plenty of places to see some incredible underwater wildlife off the coast of Dominica.
(Our favourite thing to do is to combine some beautiful snorkelling with a BBQ on the beach, but we can also organise fantastic diving excursions for you.
Please get in touch.)
10. Fort shirley and the Cabrits
Construction on Fort Shirley in Dominica began with the British in 1765 but this fort was expanded and improved over the years by both the French and the British as the island of Dominica changed hands.
The site of a famous slave soldier revolution in 1802, this is a UNESCO heritage site and it has been carefully restored by the Dominican historian and archaeologist Lennox Honychurch since the 1980s.
The site of the fort is fascinating and the forest is gradually encroaching from the surrounding Cabrit hills (so named because of the goats that roamed there). There are some beautiful walks in the surrounding hills and Fort Shirley is at the end of the famous Waitukubuli Trail.
(Fort Shirley is just outside Portsmouth in the north-east of Dominica and can easily be incorporated into a Custom Tour. See the fort on a Sunday and come to the P.A.Y.S BBQ on Portsmouth Beach in the meantime.)
MEET YOUR GUIDE
Eddison John Laville
“Maybe you want an adventure. Maybe you just want to chill and see some interesting places. I’ve got you covered.
I was born in Dominica and although I have travelled a lot, I have spent most of my life here on the island. I love it here. I know most people are pretty proud of where they come from, but when you visit Dominica you will realise why we think our island is the best in the world.”