12 Stunning Waterfalls in Dominica: Which Falls Should You Visit?
Dominica easily has some of the most beautiful waterfalls you can find in the Caribbean.
Not only does this underrated Caribbean island have 9 active volcanoes and 365 rivers, but there are also tons of BEAUTIFUL waterfalls to see!
There are some clear winners as to which ones are must-visits. But, there are a few hidden gems that shouldn’t be overlooked!
From popular waterfalls with emerald green water to the tallest waterfall in Dominica, secluded waterfalls where you’ll be alone with nature, or waterfalls with easy hikes — Dominica has it all!
Below we have listed 12 known waterfalls in Dominica with information on each, helping you decide which waterfalls in Dominica you would like to visit.
We visited over half of these waterfalls and the other half we’ve researched to give you as much information as possible. So, let’s “dive” into this list of waterfalls in Dominica!
12 Stunning Waterfalls in Dominica
Before visiting any waterfalls in Dominica, we highly recommend purchasing the National Park week pass as this will gain you entry into most attractions and sites on the island including Morne Trois Pitons National Park, Cabrits National Park, and more.
1. Middleham Falls
| Rating | Difficulty Level | Time | Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|
| ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | Challenging | 3-5 hours | Tallest Waterfall (260 feet), Swimming Hole, Less Traveled |
Known as the tallest waterfall in Dominica at approximately 275 feet, Middleham Falls is a must-visit waterfall in the Caribbean! And, it’s made the list as one of our favorite waterfalls to date (we’ve seen quite a few! 😉 ).
The hike to this waterfall, however, will get your blood pumping as it’s about a 3-4 mile round-trip with over a 1000 ft elevation gain. Add some rain to that and you’ve got a slick trail and multiple water crossings.
Middleham Falls is located in the Morne Trois Pitons National Park, so entry will cost you 5 USD per person.
We hiked this trail in the middle of the rainy season, on a rainy day, and although it was more challenging, it was a fun and adventurous hike. The rain also just added to the power and beauty of Middleham Falls.
Getting to the trail early is your best bet to avoid foot traffic. We didn’t see one other person on our hike (beginning at 6 am) until we were leaving a few hours later.
Read our Middleham Falls Guide for more information on this amazing waterfall in Dominica!
| ‘Wow’ Factor | Difficulty Level | Time Needed | Average Foot Traffic | Guide Recommended? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | Moderately Difficult | 3-4 hours | Light | No |
2. Victoria Falls
| Rating | Difficulty Level | Time | Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|
| ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | Challenging | 2-3 hours | Milky-Blue Water, Swimming Hole, Less Traveled |
Victoria Falls is another waterfall in Dominica that will make your jaw drop the moment you see it! This 165-foot waterfall cascades into a beautiful milky-blue swimming hole below.
Unfortunately, we didn’t have time to visit this waterfall. The trailhead is located over an hour from Roseau, as well as from Scott’s Head.
Visiting this waterfall will take a few hours, accounting for travel time and time spent at the falls. (You could also bundle this waterfall with others in the area including Sari Sari Falls and Wavine Cyrique Falls).
But, if you find yourself in a situation where you have extra time or it’s at the top of your list, then we highly suggest it!
Note that you’ll need to wade through the river on a majority of this hike it’s not easily navigated without a guide. Consider booking this Victoria Fall Tour!
With that being said, don’t forget to pack some water shoes and a dry bag!
We don’t recommend visiting Victoria Falls for those spending only a day in Dominica from the cruise port (due to travel time). If you are visiting from a cruise ship, consider visiting some closer falls such as Trafalgar, Spanny Falls, or Emerald Pool instead (read more about these waterfalls below).
3. Trafalgar Falls
| Rating | Difficulty Level | Time | Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|
| ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | Easy-Medium | 2-3 hours | Easy hike, twin waterfalls, swimming holes, hidden hot springs |
You may have heard of it, as Trafalgar Falls is the most popular waterfall(s) in Dominica!
These twin waterfalls are very popular among tourists which usually means lots of crowds. Arrive as early (or as late in the afternoon) as possible to avoid the heavy foot traffic brought in by the cruise ships.
We arrived around 10:00 in the morning and there were only a handful of people.
You can also plan your visit around the cruise ships if possible by checking Dominica’s cruise port schedule.
However, if you are arriving via a cruise ship, you may not have the opportunity to avoid those crowds.
This isn’t ideal but most of the people visiting Trafalgar Falls aren’t willing to navigate the river and rocks to get closer – this is your ticket to get away from those crowds!
To get to Trafalgar Falls you’ll need to take a quick 10-minute walk to the viewing platform and pay a 5 USD entry fee.
There are many swimming holes to visit that are private and away from the viewing platform. We navigated our way about 15 minutes through the river to visit a few of the swimming holes and we did NOT regret it as we had them all to ourselves!
You can also climb up through the river towards “Father” Falls to visit the hidden hot spring!
Read our Trafalgar Falls guide for more information on these twin falls in Dominica!
4. Emerald Pool
| Rating | Difficulty Level | Time | Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|
| ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | Easy (Note: lots of steps) | 1-2 hours | Picturesque Swimming Hole, Easy Hike, Jungle Vibes |
It’s hard to imagine visiting Dominica without making a trip to the beautiful Emerald Pool.
This gorgeous waterfall looks like one you’d see in a movie. 😍 We were told by a few locals that it has been featured in a couple of movies but were never able to find out which movies. If you find out, let us know!
However, because of its beauty, this waterfall can become easily overcrowded. Although its foot traffic comes in 2nd behind Trafalgar Falls, there isn’t as much room at Emerald Pool to spread out away from other people.
Because of how easily it can become overcrowded, we’ve rated this waterfall as a 4/5.
But, don’t let that discourage you from visiting! We were lucky enough to visit at the very end of the day (right before they closed the main gate to the parking lot) and were able to enjoy a few minutes of Emerald Pool all to ourselves!
Fun Fact: Emerald Pool is fed by our #1 Waterfall on the list — Middleham Falls!
Getting to Emerald Pool is about a 40-minute drive from Roseau or about an hour from Portsmouth.
It will cost you 5 USD per person ($12 for a week pass) and can easily be visited in under an hour if you are in a time crunch (3-4 hours including travel time).
If you’re looking for a similar waterfall without the crowds, check out Spanny Falls (#6)!
Learn more about visiting Emerald Pool in Dominica with our detailed guide.
5. Sari Sari Waterfall
| Rating | Difficulty Level | Time | Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|
| ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | Challenging | 3-4 hours | Challenging hike, river crossings, secluded |
Sari Sari Waterfall is located on the southeast coast of Dominica near Victoria Falls and Wavine Cyrique Falls (bundle all 3 for a fun one-day itinerary in Dominica!)
It’s also very close (20-minute drive) from the Rosalie Bay Eco-Resort and Spa — a beautiful luxurious stay in Dominica!
This waterfall is similar to its neighbor, Victoria Falls, where you’ll need to navigate your way through and across the river. The hike to Sari Sari Falls is slightly more challenging where you can expect to be climbing over many slick rocks and wading through the river’s current.
We don’t recommend that you attempt this challenging hike on your own. Take a tour or hire a tour guide instead. We’ve read multiple times how good Chadi Symes is, and plan to hire him ourselves on our next trip to Dominica!
Getting to Sari Sari Falls will require a drive about 20 minutes from the village of La Plaine or a little over an hour from Roseau.
You will need your waterproof gear for this hike, especially a dry bag to keep your valuables safe.
6. Spanny Falls
| Rating | Difficulty Level | Time | Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|
| ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | Easy | 1-2 hours | Swimming Hole, Easy Hike, Less Crowded, Hidden 2nd Waterfall |
If you’re looking for a waterfall similar to Emerald Pool (without the crowds), then we think Spanny Falls is a great alternative!
It’s also located right next door (about 10 minutes) if you’d like to visit both!
Not only is this waterfall beautiful, but there’s also a “hidden” waterfall beyond the first waterfall that’s even bigger and better! We unfortunately didn’t know about the second waterfall ahead of time and didn’t get to see it (still kicking ourselves for that!).
Note that the second waterfall (Penrice Falls) does require a bit of a hike up a steep hill for about 10 minutes.
Spanny Falls is easy to find and will NOT require a guide as it’s just about a 10-minute walk from the parking lot.
These falls are located on private property and cost 5 USD per person for entrance.
Look for the little shop on the side of the road called “Spanny’s Shop-N-Waterfall”, this is where you will pay and the owner can point you in the direction of where to park.
Check out our more detailed guide on Spanny Falls for more information!
7. Jacko Falls
| Rating | Difficulty Level | Time | Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|
| ⭐️⭐️⭐️ | Easy | 1 hour | Easy to get to, beautiful blue water, can get crowded |
Just a minute down the road from Spanny Falls you’ll find Jacko Falls.
We didn’t visit Jacko Falls because we had other waterfalls on our list that we wanted to visit more.
But, if you’re looking for an extremely easy waterfall to get to that is beautiful then you may want to visit Jacko Falls for yourself!
Jacko Falls is often highly visited by cruise ship passengers, so don’t expect to have these falls all to yourself.
The swimming hole has a beautiful blue hue and is often shallow (depending on recent rainfall).
8. Salton Waterfalls
| Rating | Difficulty Level | Time | Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|
| ⭐️⭐️⭐️ | Easy-Moderate (20-minute walk) | 1-2 hours | Secluded in the Rainforest, Swimming Hole |
For another beautiful and secluded waterfall, consider visiting Salton Waterfalls.
These falls are located on private property and you’ll probably find yourself alone at the falls (like we did), making it that much better!
Because Salton Falls is on private property and isn’t part of the National Park, the location isn’t clearly marked which can make it difficult to find. Look for a small wooden sign on the side of the road.
When we visited Salton Waterfalls, we followed Google Maps which led us to a private home. We parked on the side of the road and found that the owners of the home were also the property owners for Salton Falls. They asked us to pay $5 per person for trail maintenance and pointed us in the direction of which road to follow to find the trailhead.
Please note that the path to the falls isn’t flat and can have some slick areas, but is still considered an easy to moderate trail.
There is a swimming hole beneath the falls if you’d like to take a dip!
If you’re considering visiting Salton Waterfalls during your trip to Dominica, visit our Salton Waterfalls Guide!
9. Syndicate Falls (Milton Falls)
| Rating | Difficulty Level | Time | Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|
| ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | Moderate (Multiple water crossings) | 1-2 hours | Secluded, NO swimning allowed |
Syndicate Falls, or Milton Falls, is another secluded waterfall and is actually one of the few waterfalls located on the north side of the island near Portsmouth, in the “Syndicate Preserve” area.
So if you’re visiting Dominica via a cruise ship, you may want to skip this one.
It’s also located at the base of Dominica’s tallest mountain — Mourne Diabolotin.
This waterfall is over 100 feet tall and can be difficult to find, so taking a tour guide would be beneficial.
Once you find the trail, it will only take you about 15-20 minutes to find the falls. Wear your water shoes though, as you’ll be crossing a few streams along the way.
We unfortunately didn’t get to visit Syndicate Falls. If you decide to visit, let us know what you think!
Since you’re in the area, try to seek out Free Up Farm — a permaculture farm in the mountains!
Once again, these falls are on private land but you will need to pay $5 USD per person.
Also, please note, that swimming at Syndicate Falls is NOT allowed as the Dublanc River is the water source for the nearby villages. If you are found doing so, you could be fined!
10. Cathedral Falls
| Rating | Difficulty Level | Time | Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|
| ⭐️⭐️⭐️ | Mod Difficult (must take tour) | Time of Tour | Unique, Titou Gorge, Canyoning |
You can only visit Cathedral Falls one way…. and that’s by repelling down waterfalls through Titou Gorge!
(You can actually hike to this waterfall, which is about a 20-minute hike but you’ll need a guide and it’s not as fun!)
We took this Canyoning tour with Extreme Dominica and it turned out to be one of our favorite tours ever!
You’ll come across Cathedral Falls towards the end of the tour where you’ll have the opportunity to take photos (like the one pictured above!).
If you’re visiting Dominica from a cruise, Extreme Dominica will pick you up from the port and take you back before your departure time! Win-Win!
11. Wavine Cyrique Falls
| Rating | Difficulty Level | Time | Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|
| ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | Challenging | 2-3 hours | Waterfall on the beach, Extremely Difficult to reach, Black Sand beach |
Wavine Cyrique Falls or “Secret Beach” is one of the few waterfalls in the world that cascades directly onto a beach.
Although this may seem like a great waterfall to visit in Dominica, know that it’s extremely challenging to reach and is not recommended for children, or those with fear of heights or vertigo.
Also, we advise that you skip this waterfall if you only have a day in Dominica.
To get to these falls, a guide is HIGHLY recommended. You will need to climb many rope ladders and tree roots down the cliff to reach the black sandy shore below.
Also, before you visit, check the schedule of high tide and low tide, as the waterfall cascades directly into the ocean during high tide and is difficult to access.
Most importantly, start your visit to Wavine Cyrique before 2:00 pm to ensure you have enough daylight to hike your way back out.
12. Bwa Nef Falls
| Rating | Difficulty Level | Time | Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|
| ⭐️⭐️ | Easy-Moderate | 1-2 hours | Secluded, Jungle Canopies |
Bwa Nef Falls is an easy-moderate 30-minute hike through the Northern part of Dominica near Penville.
This waterfall is on private property so you may be asked to pay an entrance fee.
The trail can be found off the main road towards the river where you will then hike through streams, slippery rocks, and roots, all underneath jungle canopies. So make sure you wear appropriate shoes!
This waterfall isn’t at the top of the list but would still be worth visiting if you are in the area and want to explore the jungle of Dominica!
Waterfalls in Dominica FAQs
- What’s the tallest waterfall in Dominica? Middleham Falls (Approximately 275 Feet)
- How many waterfalls are in Dominica? Although there are 12 waterfalls on this list, there are many more in Dominica, including multiple in Titou Gorge!
- What are easy waterfall hikes in Dominica? Trafalgar Falls, Emerald Pool, Spanny Falls
- Can you swim in Trafalgar Falls? Yes, Trafalgar Falls has many swimming holes but will require you to wade through the water to get to them.
- What waterfall in Dominica is featured in Pirates of the Caribbean? Waterfalls in Titou Gorge
- What waterfalls in Dominica are best for swimming? Emerald Pool, Spanny Falls, Trafalgar Falls
Final Thoughts
Now that you know more information about waterfalls in Dominica, which ones do you plan on visiting?
Again, one of our top waterfalls on the list is Middleham Falls. Not only is it the tallest waterfall in Dominica, but the hike is beautiful, and the sheer power of the falls is absolutely breathtaking.
Of course, there are many other waterfalls in Dominica. Choose what waterfalls you’d like to visit and remember to pack a waterproof dry bag and water shoes!
