Backpacking In Dominica: Visiting EmeraldPoolAnd Emerald Falls

“Come on we’ll go to Windsor, watch the boys in emerald green” – Stewart McAfee (later GAWA).

Let’s get the nuts part out of the way first. Dominica is pure class, a real lovely country, a true travel gem. And remember the name of this country – DOMINICA. It is NOT Dominican, Dominika, Dominican Republic (that’s a completely different island and country anyway!). It is purely and simply Dominica. It deserves to be seen. It’s also green. Emerald green. The same as Northern Ireland. I love the wild stuff. You know how islands are named wrongly…

IRELAND – (WESTLAND) – Ireland means “west” land, which kind of makes sense, but the island is a pure green. Perhaps it should be called GREENLAND. As I’m from Northern Ireland, this would mean I’m from Northern Greenland.

ICELAND – ISLAND – Iceland seems to be cold and has a lot of snow and ice, but it is still quite green, yet it is called ICEland. Perhaps it should be called Whiteland, coldland or snowland.

GREENLAND – Greenland is a pure lie of a name. It is colder than Ireland, it is less green than Ireland and it is also less green than even Iceland. Greenland is cold, icy, snowy. Perhaps it should be called Iceland.

But in its lesser known splendour, is wacaday Dominica the REAL GREELAND?

Getting Into Dominica

What might surprise you was that Dominica was very difficult to get into – back in December 2021 it was extremely strict. I needed a visa, a hotel booking, a flight in and out, a stringent online process, a payment of XCD$100, a PCR test in advance, 2 COVID vaccinations, another PCR test on arrival, and another one on departure. Below are only some of the protocols I had to adhere to in order to add this country to my 230 country whackpacking journey, including paying XCD$100 in advance for an Antigen test to be done on arrival.

I had to get a PCR test the day before, the day I arrived and the second day. Crazy. Thrice in three days.

My PCR timeline was a bit like this…

26th December – PCR test in Saint Lucia (so that I could get out of Saint Lucia and into Dominica!).
27th December – Early morning I got my negative result in Saint Lucia. Evening flight to Dominica. PCR test on arrival at the airport Dominica (so that I could get past immigration and actually into Dominica). That PCR test result took 45 minutes and was an instant negative.
28th December – PCR test in Roseau, Dominica (so that I could get out of Dominica and into Guadeloupe!).
29th December – Early morning I got my negative result in Dominica. Evening flight to Guadeloupe.
30th December – Flight Guadeloupe to Saint Martin / Sant Maarten and had to do a PCR test on arrival as the old one was expired and I had to backpack Guadeloupe, Saint Martin, Sant Maarten and Antigua in the space of 3 days. Later that day, I went back to the PCR test hut and got my negative result.

Due to all that madness, I only focused on three places here when backpacking Dominica-

1.Jacko Falls.
2.Emerald Pool and Emerald Falls.
3.Backpacking the sights of the capital city Roseau as well as touring the bars.

Getting To Emerald Pool And Emerald Falls

Luckily, Jacko Falls, Emerald Pool and Emerald Falls are close to each other, so you can hire a driver or get a taxi to cover both on the same day. I needed this to save time due to having to do those wild FOUR COVID PCR tests in FIVE days. Nuts stories from COVID times, but true. My driver was Eddie Linton and we drove up north out of the capital city, Roseau, where I stayed just outside in the GREEN VALLEY at the Roseau Valley Hotel – get it booked – it is gorgeous!

From this base, Eddie picked me up and we drove through central Roseau, then north, and east towards Emerald Pool, which is in the centre of the island.

The drive is so pleasant and I grabbed two local beers for it – one of the craft beers, Sairi (which are exclusively on sale in Hi-Rise Bar on the coast) and Kubuli!

Arrival At Emerald Pool, Dominica

First of all we arrive at the car park and entrance to Emerald Pool. This is a UNESCO World Heitage Site and therefore, you have to pay to enter. However, this was December 2021 and everything was really strict, we were in lockdown.

The kiosk wasn’t open and so I had a bonus 0f entry was totally free and nobody was here guarding the place. I grabbed the Sairi Beer and planned to drink it on the walk down to Emerald Pool and Emerald Falls. It’s signposted easily and clearly as the Emerald Pool Trail. There is normally an information point, kiosk, souvenir shop and restaurant, but they were all closed due to the pandemic. The restaurant is allegedly called The Banana Leaf Restaurant, though I didn’t actually see it.

Although the actual entrance payment place was closed, there were some souvenir shops still open, and some other cars, so it felt like I wasn’t the only tourist here.

The Walk Down To Emerald Pool, Dominica

So I start the walk down to Emerald Pool. The Emerald Pool is located 3.5 miles (5.6 kilometres) northeast of Point Casse on the way to Castle Bruce. I am on the easiest and most accessible trail.

This trail is part of the Morne Trois Pitons National Park, and the walk doesn’t take me long and it’s not tricky at all. On the way down, I get a glimpse of the Emerald Pool and Emerald Falls from above. Everything is so green and glorious. And natural. It smells so natural.

I open my beer on the way down. It’s tropical and glorious. As I get closer to Emerald Pool, I can see there are other tourists here, swimming in the pool.

Emerald Pool and Emerals Falls, Dominica

Emerald Pool is deep into the bottom of the walk. It has a waterfall which drops into a base which is a great pool to swim in. Nature at its best here, this was not built by humans.

When I arrived down at the clearing by the pool, I realised that I am not the only tourist here! There was a young family here too. We got talking and it was a French guy called Alain O’Sullivain. Alain was here with his two children and his Italian girlfriend. They were just coming out of the pool just as I had decided to get in and swim. Nice to meet you Alain, thanks for taking the photos of me, as I was alone!

Once the family had left, I was alone and this was really magical and secluded. After a while, I headed back up the steps and along the path away from Emerald Pool and Emerald Falls and still nobody was here. My driver was waiting. My driver was Eddie Linton. Eddie is also a tour operator and taxi driver. Here are the details for booking Eddie Linton, I recommend him.

Eddie Linton
Linton’s Tour And Taxi Service
Reliable and Professional Service
33 Elmshall
Roseau
Dominica
Email: lintons@cwdom.dm

Office: (767) 448 2558
Cellular: (767) 235 2709

I’d also recommend staying at the Roseau Valley Hotel in Dominica – I loved it there!

Here are the details for booking a stay at the Roseau Valley Hotel in Dominica:

Roseau Valley Hotel,
Dominica
Roseau
domcopt@gmail.com
767-225-7038
Wotten Waven Road, Roseau, Saint George Parish, Dominica
https://www.facebook.com/RoseauValleyHotel

The only real regret would be that I didn’t share the magic of Emerald Pool, Emerald Falls and the hike down with a girlfriend or wife. A lot of these journeys are sad non-encounters due to that.

Here are some videos from my trip to Emerald Pool and Emerald Falls: