The area surrounding the Emerald Pool was one of our favourite regions in Dominica. The beautiful pool itself is rightfully one of Dominica’s most famous sights, but once you leave it behind, it’s super easy to step off the modest tourist trail, as well.

For instance, we didn’t meet any other travelers at the other cool destinations in the surrounding jungle, like Jacko Steps, Spanny Falls and Morne Trois Pitons. The tiny village of Pont Cassé is the best base to explore this part of the island. Read on for my suggestions of what to do in Central Dominica.

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Visiting the Emerald Pool

The Emerald Pool to me felt like the quintessential “Jungle Waterfall”, like a place I had seen in a hundred adventure movies. Compared to some other waterfalls on the island, the small cascade alone might not be super special, but in combination with the pretty pool and the beautiful surrounding jungle, it’s really a must-see spot.

When I was there, it was pretty serene, but I guess that also depends a lot on your timing. Before visiting, definitely check cruise ship schedules online, so you can avoid the days when hordes of day tourists come here.

The Emerald Pool is located close to the road running between Pont Cassé and Castle Bruce. Minibuses can drop you at the entrance gate, from where it’s an easy 10-minute walk through a nice stretch of forest before you reach the pool.

The site is included in Dominica’s Ecotourism Site-Pass, which is 5$ per day or 12$ per week and allows you to visit as many sites as you manage in that time. Alternatively, you can pre-book your visit online to beat the crowds in case it’s a cruise ship day.

Other Places Worth Visiting in the Area

Spanny Falls

This small cascade in peaceful surroundings can be reached by taking a short hike through a beautiful section of jungle. It takes about 15 to 20 minutes and just before you reach the falls, you’ll have to scramble across some boulders, but there are some ropes you can hold on to, so it’s not too bad.

Even though it’s really not far from the road, it felt very pretty secluded, which definitely increased the beauty of the place for me. The trail starts at Spanny’s Disco south of Belles on the Pont Cassé-Rosalie road.

Jacko Falls

This is another small cascade, very close to the Pont Cassé-Rosalie road (a bit south of Spanny Falls, so you can combine a visit to both falls).

It’s pretty, but nothing to write home about on an island that is home to some much more impressive falls. I’d say definitely stop there if you’re in the area, but you don’t have to go out of your way to visit it.

Hiking to Jacko Steps

Visiting this former camp for escaped slaves was one of my highlights in this area, and it involves an adventurous hike, which party leads through the Layou River. There are not many traces of the former maroon camp left, but the trail itself is super spectacular, and it’s one of my favourite hikes on the island.

That said, you’ll have to be comfortable with the complicated hike through the river. You can find everything you need to know about the hike to Jacko Steps in my guide here.

Climbing Morne Trois Pitons

Another cool thing to do in the area, is to climb Dominica’s second-highest mountain. From the top, there are some great views to the north and west, but they really have to be earned by a pretty tough and sometimes rather chaotic hike.

There are tall, slippery rocks and muddly slopes to clamber up and at times, I had to almost crawl through large patches of tree roots. If managing that doesn’t give you a sense of achievement, nothing does. The upside is that I didn’t spot another person during the entire hike and could enjoy the view all by myself.

Practicalities

How to Get Around in This Part of the Island

This is the part of the island I found most complicated to navigate without my own transport. Some infrequent minibuses can be found and will take you along if you’re waving them down, but they don’t really follow a fixed schedule. They seem to be a little more frequent on the Roseau-Marigot Road than on the road to Rosalie or Morne Bruce.

Mostly I started walking along the road towards my destination, flagging down cars or the occasional minibus that passed me. This worked out well enough that I never had to walk the entire way.

As I stated before, hitchhiking on Dominica is pretty easy (if you actually encounter a car, that is). That said, if you’re on a tight schedule and want some flexibility, this is probably the one part of the island where a rental car really comes in handy.

Where to Stay in the Area

Pont Cassé is more of a loose collection of houses than a proper village, but it has a few accommodation options and I found it a good place to base myself for a couple of nights and to do day trips in the surrounding area. I stayed at D-Smart-Farm, which is an ecological farm and campsite with beautiful grounds.

Dawn, who runs the place, is super helpful and knowledgeable about potential hikes in the area. She can probably also suggest guides if you don’t want to hike on your own. They don’t have a website, but you can try and contact them on their Facebook Page to ask about availability. If you’re looking for something a little more luxurious, you could try Harmony Villa on the road to Jacko Falls.

Food options are a bit scarce in this area. There’s a small restaurant at the Emerald Pool and at least one bigger grocery store on the main road in Pont Cassé. Self-catering is probably your best bet here.

What Else to See in Dominca’s Centre

There are some absolute must-see sights in Morne Trois Pitons National Park like the Boiling Lake and Titou Gorge, Freshwater Lake and Boeri Lake as well as Middleham Falls and Trafalgar Falls. That said, those places are easier to reach from Trafalgar or Wotten Waven, though.  

See Also

What to do in Trafalgar, Wotten Waven and Morne Trois Pitons National Park, Dominica

Everything you need to know about Hiking to Boiling Lake and the Valley of Desolation on Dominica

Freshwater Lake, Boeri Lake and Middleham Falls – Three fantastic hikes in central Dominica