Apart from some impressive natural oddities, beautiful waterfalls and pretty mountain lakes, Dominica also had some of the loveliest dark sand beaches I’ve ever come across. Almost none of them had any kind of tourist development, but that fact honestly only increased their appeal for me.
Here are my picks for the 5 most beautiful beaches on Dominica.
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The Top 5 Beaches on Dominica
Hampstead Beach
Okay, this is my absolute favourite beach on Dominica, as it has all the elements I always picture a wild tropical beach to have. The black sand stretches into the distance, the beach is beautifully backed by palm trees, hummingbirds flutter through the air and hundreds of little crabs scuttle along the sand.
While the sea is a bit rough, it was fine to swim there when I visited and moreover, I had the entire beach to myself. If you’re a film fan like us, you also might be interested to know that some scenes from the second Pirates of the Caribbean Movie were filmed here. It’s the beach that Jack Sparrow runs along while being chased by a tribe of cannibals.
Hampstead Beach is located west of Calibishie on Dominica’s northern coast and can be reached by minibus from Portsmouth. It’s sometimes also called ‘No. 1 Beach’ You can check out my guide to Calibishie and the beach here.
Wavine Cyrique Beach
The main reason for visiting Wavine Cyrique is the waterfall flowing off the nearby cliff and directly into the Atlantic Ocean, but I found the beach itself every bit as beautiful. Getting there is not easy, though, and requires climbing down the cliff via a series of ropes and ladders.
But I assume that everyone who made the trip will agree that it’s a small price to pay to experience this awesome palm-backed dream beach. The only fly in the ointment is that swimming is not recommended, because of strong undercurrents. Still, it’s a beautiful place to spend some time at, watching the ocean and the waterfall.
Wavine Cyrique is located near the village of Riviere Cyrique on Dominica’s southeastern coast and can be reached by minibus from Roseau (or by walking from Rosalie).
You can check out my guide to the adventurous hike to the beach here
Secret Beach (Bord la Mer)
Bord la Mer is also known as the secret beach (even if some people will try to tell you that that’s an alternative name for Wavine Cyrique Beach). The road leading there starts only about 500m to the south of the one leading to Wavine Cyrique, so you can easily combine a visit to both (like I did).
It’s a beautiful small beach backed by tropical vegetation and populated by a fair share of exotic birds. Another nice feature is the estuary of the Mahaut River, which flows into the ocean here. Unfortunately, just like nearby Wavine Cyrique, swimming here is not recommended because of strong currents.
Like Wavine Cyrique, the secret beach is located near the village of Riviere Cyrique on Dominica’s southeastern coast and can be reached from Roseau by taking a minibus. See my guide to the entire area here.
Sandy Bay Beach
Sandy Bay is located close to the village of Marigot, from where it can be reached by taking a small signposted trail that starts in a bend of the road east of the small port. It’s another beautiful slice of nature with the same awesome tropical island atmosphere that I just can’t seem to get enough of.
Unlike the last two beaches I mentioned, swimming is possible here, and when I dropped by, the sea was indeed rather calm. To the east of the “main beach”, there’s another smaller bay that you can get to by wading around the cliff jutting out into the sea.
Marigot is located on Dominica’s northeastern coast and while there are occasional minibuses, I found it easiest to hitchhike here from Crayfish River in the Kalinago Territory.
Mero Beach
This is one of Dominica’s more popular beaches, and the only one of the five where I wasn’t completely alone. It’s famous for its beauty, but as it sits right next to the village of the same name, it’s also quite developed.
That means it doesn’t have the “lost tropical paradise”-feel of the other beaches to it, but it’s easy to get to and there are a few shops and bars in the area, so it’s convenient for a short beach getaway. Mero is about halfway between Roseau and Portsmouth, and there are frequent minibuses from either city.
Runners-Up – Other Great Beaches on Dominica
Naturally, it’s tough to pick only five beaches, when there are so many awesome beaches on the island. Another one I really liked was Champagne Beach near Soufrière on Dominica’s southeastern coast, which is also famous for the nearby reef, which is a popular snorkelling spot.
There’s a beautiful beach at Pagua Bay near the Hatton Garden Estate, which you can visit while checking out Pagua Rock. Turtle Beach in Rosalie is also worth checking out, as is the small Purple Turtle Beach in Portsmouth (on the way to Fort Shirley).
There are tons of other beaches, especially around Calibishie in the north. I recommend just going out and finding your own favourite. You’ll likely have it all to yourself!
Map of Dominica’s Top Beaches
All the beaches that I’ve described above can be found in this map of Dominica. The Top 5 Beaches are marked with red pins, the runners-up with orange pins.
See also
The 10 Best Things to Do in Dominica
The 5 most Beautiful Waterfalls on Dominica
Where to Stay on Dominica – With Hotel Recommendations for All Budgets