Dominica might be small, but it totally blew us away with the number of natural and cultural sights all over the island. Awesome hikes, impressive waterfalls, serene lakes and an interesting indigenous culture all helped to make this one of my favourite destinations in the Caribbean.

Especially if your time here is limited, it’s a good idea to know what definitely not to miss during your stay on the island. Here’s my list of the 10 must-see sights on Dominica.

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The 10 Best Things to Do in Dominica

Below I’ll give you a top-list of my favourite sights on the island and what to expect from them. If you’re interested in visiting them, check out the links to the separate blog posts, where I go into more detail on how to reach the places and other practicalities.

Boiling Lake Hike

The beautiful and varied hike to this rare geological phenomenon was my personal number one thing to do on Dominica. The hike takes at least 6 hours return, is strenuous and at times complicated, but once we reached the otherworldly Valley of Desolation with its hot streams and constant venting of volcanic gas, all hardships were forgotten.

The constantly bubbling lake itself was a unique sight, which we won’t forget for a while. Another thing we loved was the chance to soak our tired muscles in the hot natural springs on the way back from the Lake.

See also: Everything You Need to Know About Hiking to Boiling Lake and the Valley of Desolation on Dominica

Wavine Cyrique

This small waterfall on Dominica’s eastern coast is beautifully located on a black-sand beach backed by high cliffs and tropical vegetation. The cascade itself isn’t particularly impressive, but the amazing surroundings more than make up for it.

I found the adventurous trail leading there to be part of the fun, but you’ll definitely need a head for heights. That said, the complicated way there meant that we had the place completely to ourselves once we got there.

See also: Hiking to Wavine Cyrique

Indian River Boat Trip

Another thing we really liked was the laid-back boat trip along this beautiful river in Portsmouth, which is at times broad and overhung by coconut palms and at others bathed in the constant dusk of an atmospheric mangrove forest.

During the tour, we spotted loads of birds and crabs, and also stopped for a drink at the Bush Bar, which is surrounded by traditional Kalinago Tree Fern Carvings. People who can take you on the tour hang around the bridge at the southern end of Portsmouth.

See also: The Indian River, Fort Shirley and other sights in Portsmouth

Victoria Falls

I thought that Victoria Falls was the most impressive waterfall on the island, and similar to Wavine Cyrique, getting there involves a super fun, adventurous hike.

We had to clamber over rocks and wade through the river to reach the impressive cascade at the end. Something else I liked, was the chance to hang out with Moses and his family at the vegetarian Zion Valley “Rastarant” after the hike.

See also: Hiking to Victoria Falls

Hampstead Beach

In my opinion, Hampstead beach on Dominica’s north coast is by far the prettiest beach on the island. It’s a long stretch of beautiful black sand, backed by a forest of palm trees and populated by loads of cute scuttling crabs. The fact that we were the only ones there only made it better.

While you’re in the area, I also recommend checking out the atmospheric ruins of the old Hampstead Estate Sugar Mill, as well as the cool Red Rocks Cliffs in nearby Calibishie.

See also: Hampstead Beach and other great things to do in Calibishie

Cabrits National Park and Fort Shirley

The restored central building complex of this 18^th century fort near Portsmouth contains a museum about the local history and nature, but the real star attraction to us were the ruins of the old officer’s quarters, which lie in the nearby forest, atmospherically overgrown by creepers and fig trees.

Apart from that, the surrounding Cabrits National Park is a great place to spot some local wildlife and there are two hills you can climb for fantastic views of the surrounding landscape. The park is quite small, so you can easily combine a visit with a boat tour on the Indian River at the other end of Portsmouth.

See also: The Indian River, Fort Shirley and other sights in Portsmouth

Freshwater and Boeri Lake

Those two beautiful lakes in Morne Trois Pitons National Park are a great destination for a day-trip from Trafalgar or Roseau. You can walk around Freshwater lake by following an easy hiking trail through the surrounding forest, which climbs some smaller hills, which afford great views.

Boeri Lake is a little deeper in the forest and while it was a little chilly, I still found it a nice spot for a swim. While you’re exploring the area, I recommend keeping your eyes peeled for Agoutis, of which we spotted a few in the area.

See also: Freshwater Lake, Boeri Lake and Middleham Falls

Middleham Falls

If you’re in the area around Freshwater and Boeri Lakes, you can easily tack on a visit to Middleham Falls, which is one of Dominica’s highest waterfalls.

It is much easier to reach than Wavine Cyrique and Victoria Falls and only requires a short (if somewhat steep) hike through a pretty section of jungle.

See also: Freshwater Lake, Boeri Lake and Middleham Falls

Emerald Pool

The Emerald Pool seemed to us like the quintessential jungle waterfall. It’s a beautiful natural pool fed by a small cascade and surrounded by super dense rainforest vegetation.

You can get there by taking an easy 10-minute hike through a beautiful stretch of jungle. As it’s so easy to reach, it’s popular with cruise ship passengers. If you don’t want tons of other people crowding the place, I recommend checking the cruise ship schedule first.

See also: The Emerald Pool and other great destinations in Central Dominica

Kalinago Open Air Museum

Dominica’s Kalinago people have populated the island since long before the arrival of the Europeans. The Kalinago Barana Autê is a cool open-air museum located on a cliff above the Atlantic Ocean, which gives a good introduction to Kalinago culture and architecture.

There are a number of reconstructed traditional buildings, and I also liked watching the Kalinago women making their traditional handicrafts, like the beautiful larouma reed baskets.

If you have some more time in the area, I can really recommend seeking out the ruins of the old Catholic Church in Salybia or taking a hike to the Pagua Rock, which is an important place in Kalinago legends.

See also: What to Do in Dominica’s Kalinago Territory

Map of Dominica’s Sights

All the places I’ve described above can be found in this map of Dominica

Other Sights in Dominica

Obviously, there is much more to see on this beautiful island. We spent almost three weeks in Dominica, and if you, too, have more time here, you could spend some time exploring more of the pretty villages of the island, like Soufrière and Scott’s Head.

The capital Roseau has a beautiful Botanical Garden and enough historic wooden buildings to make it worth spending some time here. There are also lots of more adventurous hikes in the island’s centre, like Jacko Steps and Morne Trois Pitons.

Finally, it’s also worth exploring a bit without a particular goal in mind, Some of my favourite moments on the island came when we unwittingly stumbled upon some small waterfall in the jungle or a wild tropical beach in the middle of nowhere.

See also

Where to Stay on Dominica – With Hotel Recommendations for All Budgets

The Perfect One Week Dominica Itinerary

Backpacking Dominica on a Budget – The Ultimate Guide