During a Caribbean cruise that stopped in Roseau, the port of Dominica, I decided to go out on my own and hire a driver for the day. I thought it would be fun to hike to the Trafalgar Falls, explore Boiling Lake, the world’s second largest hot spring and shop at one of the local markets.
As soon as I disembarked the ship, I found a small stall nearby where several drivers were willing to take tourists to a wide range of attractions. It was here where I met Blaise.
Blaise, a sweet young woman born and raised on the island, was soft spoken and shy. She explained that she would take me to the top of the hill where I could take a photo of the cruise ship and shop for souvenirs which were much less expensive than at the cruise port.
Stopping at Morne Bruce, the view of Roseau was absolutely spectacular with an ocean view for miles and the scene of the local landscape. Blaise pointed out the cricket stadium, the large local cemetery and a couple of other buildings and then set off for our adventure.
The shopping was sparse and there were no food vendors, but Blaise had snacks and water in her car. I was hoping to try the Dominican cuisine and thought that if I had time when we returned, I would check for a place in town where the locals liked to eat.
After driving the coast for some time, we began our trek towards the center of the island making a few stops along the way. Blaise explained that the island was home to many rare plants, animals and birds that were only thought to be living throughout Dominica including the Sisserou parrot found on the Dominican flag.
Mountainous peaks rose up from the shoreline covered in lush greenery that was visible for miles. The drive was only 7 kilometers, which should have only taken no more than 20 minutes, but with poor roads and cruise ship traffic, it took us nearly an hour to reach Morne Trois Pitons National Park, home of the Trafalgar Falls.
Blaise found a parking spot and with so many vans, I was worried the place would be overcrowded. She explained that I would need to purchase my ticket and follow the signs for the hike. She would wait for me as long as I wanted to explore this magnificent trail.
After paying my $5 entrance fee, I immediately noticed the sign guiding me in the direction of the falls. I hiked a lovely path within the rainforest until reaching the beautiful twin falls about twenty minutes later. I was happy that I had brought comfortable shoes with traction because the rocks and trail were wet and slippery.
The upper waterfall, lovingly referred to as “Father”, cascades approximately 200 feet from the Trois Pitons River where it empties into hot sulfur springs. Visitors can enjoy swimming in the sulfuric pools at the base of the falls, but I was not prepared.
The lower waterfall or “Mother”, is just over 100 feet and fills up a natural swimming pool below which is much cooler than the springs. I took several minutes to climb through the rocks for a closer look at the falls and felt its refreshing spray. Having stayed for about an hour, I headed back on the trail where I would meet up with Blaise so I could enjoy some time at the Rainforest Shangri-La Resort.
While there have been no volcanic eruptions since the time of Christopher Columbus, one can see the steam coming up from the ground showing how hot the earth is below the surface. Boiling Lake, a fumarole located within the park, has a temperature that measures from 180 to 197 degrees. Unfortunately we did not have time to visit the lake, but saw evidence of the underground heat within the park where we saw bubbling water coming out from the ground as we strolled through Morne Trois Pitons National Park.
Although I was hoping to see some of the local parrots, we were unable to enter the Parrot Conservation & Research Centre because they were entertaining cruise ship passengers. I would have loved to have seen the Sisserou Parrot, but it was time for us to return to the port to find a local dish and enjoy a Kubuli beer before boarding the ship.
Blaise dropped me off at Ruins Rock Café which is close to the cruise ship port and before I could ask her if the menu really included zebra and kangaroo, she had already picked up her next set of patrons for a tour of the island. I ordered the codfish sandwich and was ready to find a local watering hole when I found the Hi Rise, Beach Bar, perfect for the seafood and scenery. I paid $15 for six beers and sat inside at a table with the view of the mountains and eventually left to board the ship for the next port wishing I could smuggle on my lager.
Have you visited Dominica? What excursions did you experience? I would love to hear about your adventure in the Lesser Antilles and any advice for a future visit. Many thanks for reading about my port day on this beautiful island and wishing you many Happy Travels!
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What to See and What to Do:
Morne Trois Pitons National Park
48 Cork Street
Roseau, Dominica
Rainforest Shangri-La Resort
Wotten Waven
Roseau Valley, Dominica
Parrot Conservation & Research Center Botanical Gardens
Bath Road
Roseau, Dominica
Telephone: 767 503 4630
Where to Stay:
Fort Young Hotel
Victoria Street, PO Box 519
Roseau, Dominica, West Indies
Telephone: 767 448 5000
Where to Eat:
Hi Rise, Beach Bar
Roseau, Dominica
Telephone: 784 528 1725
Great place for drinking and local fish.
What to Eat:
- Agouti is an animal similar to a squirrel or a guinea pig native to the area. The meat is seasoned and served in a spicy curry sauce with various vegetables.
- Callalou Soup is one of my favorite dishes from the island made with a vegetable that resembles spinach. Served as a soup, it is seasoned with various spices and fresh local vegetables.
- Chatou Water or Octopus soup is a one pot meal which contains dumplings and assorted vegetables.
- The Codfish Sandwiches are amazing! A favorite among tourists.
- Fresh Fruit to include mangoes, papaya, bananas, guava and pineapples
- Manicou is another island delicacy made from opossum. The meat is seasoned and then smoked usually served as a stew along with rice.
- Mountain Chicken is considered Dominica’s national food and does not contain any chicken in it at all but rather meat from the local frog and served with either yams, yucca, rice or plantains.
- Rum from local distilleries
- Sancocho is a hearty dish made with either chicken or beef with local vegetables such as plantains and cassava melon. A blend of lovely spices such as cilantro, cumin, garlic and paprika are added to a sauce of onion and tomato which is poured over the meat and served hot.
- Sorrel Punch is made from a local plant which is boiled and then ginger is added to it. It is a very popular drink during the Christmas holiday.
What to Read:
- The Dominica Story by Lenox Honychurch
- The Orchid House by Phyllis Shand Allfry
- Bayou of Pigs: The True Story of an Audacious Plot to Turn a Tropical Island into a Criminal Paradise by Stewart Bell
- Pharcel: Runaway Slave by Alick Lazare
Photo Guide for Dominica:
- Morne Trois Pitons National Park
- Scott’s Head with its tiny village and views of the Soufriere Bay
- Papillotte Tropical Gardens with its amazing waterfalls
- Victoria Falls
- The architecture in Roseau
- Underwater Photos at Champagne Reef
- Boiling Lake with its mesmerizing colors and mist coming off of it.