Dominica (Roseau)
Trip Summary
Dominica was one of the stops my husband and I made over the summer on Royal Caribbean’s Serenade of the Seas via their Southern Caribbean route, and since then, it has cemented itself as my favorite island in the Caribbean! We have been to quite a bit of the Caribbean, but this island surprised us with its wild, natural beauty, its wonderful people, and its variety of things to see and do on the island.
One of my friends from college had recently gone to Dominica, and she had wonderful things to say about Bumpiing Tours, so as soon as I saw that Dominica was on our itinerary, I emailed the tour operator, Levi Baron, to set up a tour. The company has a lot of different options, but knowing that I wanted to see Titou Gorge, I booked the Roseau Valley Treasures hike.
The correspondence with the company was simple, my husband and I got easy instructions about where to meet the tour operator once we got into port, and the tour was far less expensive than anything the ship offered. Everything seemed to be in line for a perfect trip…and what a perfect day it turned out to be!
After meeting up with the rest of our tour group, we all got into a van and set forth to our first destination! Our tour guide started telling us about the island and answering questions as we drove, and I was amazed at the scenery–such wild greenery everywhere you looked. It was gorgeous, and so untamed…so different than some of the other touristy spots we had seen in the Caribbean.
Titou Gorge was actually our first stop on this trip…and it is good to go there early in the day as it gets very crowded as the day goes on…it is a magical place! After a hike to the mouth of the gorge, our guide pointed out where we could wade into the waters…or jump straight in via a cliff! You know what my husband decided to immediately do…and he was quickly joined by a few others as they all jumped into the gorge again and again. The water is deep (and cold!), but so refreshing against the hot and humid air.
Once everyone had their fill of cliff jumping, our guide motioned us all to follow him deeper into the gorge…and that is where the real adventure began! The gorge is amazing with towering walls and light that just barely peeks in overhead to cast down mesmerizing light beams across the clear water. I swam almost the whole way watching everything above me, because everything was just so beautiful. I had watched videos on YouTube about this place, but the real thing left me breathless!
We were also the first tour group to enter the gorge, so we saw the whole thing in its pure beauty…the waters calm and pristine, the gorge peaceful and undisturbed. We swam and swam, took some pictures, and swam some more.
Then, we heard the rushing of water up ahead. A waterfall! And a big one. Our guide had found a ledge on the other side of it and had a rope that he was throwing to everyone so that they could hang on while he pulled them past the waterfall’s current. Once everyone made it on the ledge, the guide motioned toward the waterfall…want to climb it?
Climb it? I had never climbed a waterfall before, but he said something bigger waited for us past it. But we didn’t have to go…only if we were brave enough.
My husband and I were the only ones who volunteered to go–everyone else wanted to wait behind on the ledge, so the guide took the two of us farther inside the gorge…and up our first waterfall! It was a tricky climb, and the guide went first, turning around often to point out places to put our hands and feet for traction as we climbed up. Finally, we made it! I turned around to see the water below…it seemed taller now, the water rushing by faster!
Our guide then called to us to follow him as he walked into the darker part of the gorge. Not as much light got into this part, and we followed his voice…until we heard the rushing of water again. There was a second waterfall! This one was not to be climbed, but even so, it was amazing to watch the power of the water crashing down and feel the freezing water as it hit our bodies. Our guide told us to climb out of the water and lean on the rocks under the waterfall while he took a picture, and that picture is now one of my favorites! Who knew that one of the most memorable times ever would be deep inside a gorge under a waterfall in Dominica?
However, we had to get back to the rest of our group! Our guide waded back toward the first waterfall and my husband and I were close behind him, but imagine my shock when instead of pointing us to places to put our hands and feet, he smiled at us….and jumped off!
Our group down below started cheering as we geared up the courage to jump, and after waiting to make sure our guide made it, I closed my eyes and held my breath and jumped! It was a scary drop but exhilarating when you surfaced because then, you knew you made it! You didn’t die, ha!
I was on a high the whole swim back, and on our way back out, we saw other tour groups coming in, and the water became very crowded very quickly. It was still beautiful, especially when you looked up, but now, the cavern walls echoed with splashing, screaming kids, and the yelling of people trying to have conversations as they floated through the water. A very different atmosphere, and it just showed me how fortunate we were to get to the gorge first, so that we could appreciate its full beauty.
But the day was far from over! Next, we would travel to Trafalgar Falls, and since we were getting there later in the day, it was already fairly crowded. However, it is a huge area with lots of water pools to explore. Our guide said that we could explore on our own and that he would come gather us when it was time to go to our next spot.
So we spent the time climbing rocks, enjoying the hot springs, and taking pictures of all the beauty that surrounded us. Such a magical time–this island just had one beautiful spot after another!
But it wasn’t over yet…after our guide came to get us, we traveled to our last spot of the day…Champagne Beach.
This place is unique in that small gas bubbles constantly come up from the volcanic sea floor, so it looks (and feels) like you are swimming through clear champagne! The rocky beach was also totally deserted, so we spent the time here completely to ourselves, snorkeling, swimming, and taking in the last bit of a beautiful day in Dominica.
All too soon, it was time to return to Roseau and board our ship, but in all honesty, this was the best place we had ever been in the Caribbean. We couldn’t have booked a better tour, too. The company was prompt and professional, the guide was excellent and tailored the trip to the group very well, and the day was simply perfect. For its stellar reviews, amazing guide, and fantastic day, Bumpiing Tours gets a great grade! I know that there are tons more to see on the island, and if I ever have the chance to come back, I will certainly book with them again!
Bumpiing Tours Roseau Valley Treasures Tour: A+
Looking online, there are a lot of tours that serve Dominica, but if you have the chance to visit, be sure to check out Bumpiing Tours. By far, one of the best tour companies I have encountered!
Favorite Experiences
Being the first people to enter Titou Gorge in the early part of the day before the crowds got there was an unimaginable experience. The peace and quiet to enjoy the full splendor of the place was divine, and I will always remember just looking around and seeing and hearing the utmost tranquility of the place.
Being there when it wasn’t crowded also afforded us the opportunity to climb the waterfall inside and see the second one farther in the gorge. I don’t imagine that we could have done that with a lot of people, because it would have been more dangerous. The one-on-one help from the guide was helpful here, too, because he could show us how to hike up the falls and see the gorge in its full glory!
What I Wish I Knew
With it being such a phenomenal day, I don’t think there is much I would do differently. If you go, I would recommend investing in a good pair of water shoes, because the terrain is pretty rocky and slippery, and you want to be able to walk in shoes with some good tread. This was helpful when climbing the waterfalls in Titou Gorge, hiking around Trafalgar Falls, and then snorkeling off the rocky Champagne Beach.
Be open to try all new things, too! Initially, I was nervous and didn’t try the cliff jumping at the mouth of Titou Gorge, but overcame that to be one of the only ones to hike the waterfall inside. That was definitely one of the best experiences, so if you get the chance, be brave!
Our tour also provided drinks and snacks, so be sure to taste all the things of the island! Our guide had brought some drinks in the cooler including Kubuli (Dominican beer) and Quenchi (local soft drink) that were both good. The beers had pop-off tops, but we didn’t ever need a bottle opener, because our guide had a trick of using a water bottle to hook the beer caps and pop it off. It took a little bit of practice, but soon everyone was trying his trick and yelling in victory when they finally performed the trick successfully. It was a fun time and made for a laughter-filled day.
So if you go see the island, check out the tour company! I know they offer a lot of other tours, too, to other parts of the island. Being on the island for only a day, I had to prioritize what we wanted to see, but there are a lot of other places to check out if you have the time. There are more options listed in this forum here, too, so definitely do some reading beforehand. It is a magical island and one that you want to experience to the fullest!
I also post reels and TikToks regularly of all the places I’ve reviewed on here, so if you want to see some videos of what to expect, check out my social media here:
TikTok: @touristyteacher
Instagram: @touristyteacher
Facebook: @touristyteacher
Happy travels!
