Diana Petterson Caribbean Islands, Dominica

Dominica: Tropical Rainforest & Mountain Range of the Morne Trois Pitons National Park

Me at Trafalgar Falls, known for its twin waterfalls, in the rainforest of the Morne Trois Pitons National Park in Dominica. (Dec. 16, 2024)

Dominica: Country #90 on my Countdown to 100 U.N. countries by the time I turn 70 in 2026.

It was a day of dripping sweat in the high humidity of the tropical rainforests as we ventured through two of nature’s wonders inside the rainforest and mountain range called the Morne Trois Pitons National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Dominica. 

We began with the slow and beautiful hike through the rainforest to the Emerald Pool and its waterfalls from one side of the island and the Trafalgar Falls with its pair of twin waterfalls on the other side of the island. 

Dominica, officially the Commonwealth of Dominica, is an island country in the Caribbean, not to be confused with the Dominican Republic, another island country I will see on this cruise. It is said that the explorer Christopher Columbus spotted the Commonwealth of Dominica West Indies in 1493. 

Historically, the island was inhabited by the Carib people before European colonization, with the French and British vying for control until it became a British colony in the 18th century. Dominica gained independence in 1978.

Hurricane Maria made landfall in Dominica on September 18, 2017. The Category 5 hurricane caused widespread damage to the island. There are also nine active volcanoes on the island. The last eruption  in 1980 was a small one. 

Dominica, 29 miles long and 16 miles wide with a population of about 72,000 people, with 14,000 in the capital of Roseau, are mainly of African and European descent.

Come sweat with me through the rainforest that covers 65 percent of the island country of Dominica.

Me at Trafalgar Falls, known for its twin waterfalls, in the rainforest of the Morne Trois Pitons National Park in Dominica. (Dec. 16, 2024)
Elizabeth and me walking the gangplank from our ship, Oceania’s Insignia to our excursion van awaiting us at Port Roseau for our tour of the island country’s rainforest. (Dec. 16, 2024)
Me at Port Roseau being welcomed to the island of Dominica in its capital city of Roseau. (Dec. 16, 2024)
Walking to our different tour vans parked along the Dame Mary Eugenia Charles Boulevard in Dominica’s capital city of Roseau. Elizabeth and I signed up for “Dominica’s Favorites” the rainforest and mountain range. (Dec. 16, 2024)
Driving through the capital city of Roseau into the Morne Trois Pitons National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Dominica. (Dec. 16, 2024)
Driving through the capital city of Roseau into the Morne Trois Pitons National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Dominica. (Dec. 16, 2024)
Driving through the capital city of Roseau into the Morne Trois Pitons National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Dominica. (Dec. 16, 2024)
Our first rainforest, heading to the Emerald Pool in the Morne Trois Pitons National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Dominica. It was about a 15-minute hike to the pool and waterfalls. (Dec. 16, 2024)
Walking through the rainforest to the Emerald Pool in the Morne Trois Pitons National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Dominica. I’ve never sweat as much as I did today in the humid, tropical rainforest climate of Dominica. I sweat so bad that my clothes were actually soaked. But oddly enough my joints felt great so, other than being cautious about the wet steps up and down, I felt great. (Dec. 16, 2024)
Walking through the rainforest to the Emerald Pool in the Morne Trois Pitons National Park in Dominica. (Dec. 16, 2024)
And, then going up on more stairs through the rainforest to the Emerald Pool in the Morne Trois Pitons National Park in Dominica. (Dec. 16, 2024)
A small waterfall, off the side of a small bridge, on the way to the Emerald Pool in the Morne Trois Pitons National Park in Dominica. (Dec. 16, 2024)
The Emerald Pool and waterfall with people swimming in the pool in the Morne Trois Pitons National Park in Dominica. (Dec. 16, 2024)
The Emerald Pool and waterfall with people swimming in the pool in the Morne Trois Pitons National Park in Dominica. (Dec. 16, 2024)
Me at the Emerald Pool and waterfall with people swimming in the pool in the Morne Trois Pitons National Park in Dominica. (Dec. 16, 2024)
A rum punch break between rainforest stops in Dominica. (Dec. 16, 2024)
I think I’m hooked on the different rum punches from the different islands. This one had a good taste to it so I bought a small bottle to bring home to Dallas. (Dec. 16, 2024)
A mural on the side of a building as we drove through the capital city of Roseau, Dominica, for our next rainforest stop at the Trafalgar Falls. (Dec. 16, 2024)
A mural on the side of a building as we drove through the capital city of Roseau, Dominica, for our next rainforest stop at the Trafalgar Falls. (Dec. 16, 2024)
Hiking to Trafalgar Falls in the rainforest of the Morne Trois Pitons National Park in Dominica. (Dec. 16, 2024)
Taking the many stairs down to Trafalgar Falls in the rainforest of the Morne Trois Pitons National Park in Dominica. (Dec. 16, 2024)
Walking to Trafalgar Falls in the rainforest of the Morne Trois Pitons National Park in Dominica. It’s a short 10 to 15 minute walk along a well-maintained path. (Dec. 16, 2024)
Walking up the stairs to Trafalgar Falls in the rainforest of the Morne Trois Pitons National Park in Dominica. (Dec. 16, 2024)
Trafalgar Falls in the rainforest of the Morne Trois Pitons National Park in Dominica is known for its twin waterfalls. (Dec. 16, 2024)
Me at Trafalgar Falls, known for its twin waterfalls, in the rainforest of the Morne Trois Pitons National Park in Dominica. (Dec. 16, 2024)
Views from the Morne Bruce hillside in Roseau, the capital city of Dominica. The viewpoint offers a panoramic view of the city and the Caribbean Sea, along with our Oceania ship, the Insignia. (Dec. 16, 2024)
Views from the Morne Bruce hillside in Roseau, the capital city of Dominica. The viewpoint offers a panoramic view of the city and the Caribbean Sea, along with our Oceania ship, the Insignia. (Dec. 16, 2024)
Views from the Morne Bruce hillside in Roseau, the capital city of Dominica. The viewpoint offers a panoramic view of the city and the Caribbean Sea. (Dec. 16, 2024)
Views from the Morne Bruce hillside in Roseau, the capital city of Dominica. The viewpoint offers a panoramic view of the city and the Caribbean Sea. (Dec. 16, 2024)
Me at the Morne Bruce Viewpoint overlooking the capital city of Roseau in Dominica. (Dec. 16, 2024)
Back in the capital city of Roseau, this is the Dominica Museum on the seafront by the cruise ship dock, is in front of the Old Roseau Market which was the center for slave trading during colonial times. (Dec. 16, 2024)
The Old Roseau Market located behind the Dominica Museum served as a slave market where the most inhumane commodity were African human beings stolen from their homes in West Africa and sold into slavery in Dominica. The market was indeed a bustling hub of commerce and trade, witnessing the exchange of goods and commodities between Dominica and neighboring islands.
Capitalism and slavery on the plantations in the region were owned and operated primarily by the English, French, Dutch, Spanish and Danish colonists, consumed black life as quickly as it was imported. Capitalism and slavery were intertwined. (Dec. 16, 2024)
The Old Roseau Market located behind the Dominica Museum in Roseau was a major trading market of slaves and commodities between Dominica and the surrounding islands. (Dec. 16, 2024)
The Old Roseau Market located behind the Dominica Museum in Roseau was a major trading market of slaves and commodities between Dominica and the surrounding islands. (Dec. 16, 2024)
The Old Roseau Market located behind the Dominica Museum in Roseau was a major trading market of slaves and commodities between Dominica and the surrounding islands.
However, the square’s significance extends beyond commerce, as it also served as a site for public executions. Despite its somber history, the square has undergone renovations and transformations over the years, evolving into a craft center with shops and stalls a that celebrates the island’s cultural heritage. (Dec. 16, 2024)
Back in the capital city of Roseau in the Commonwealth of Dominica. (Dec. 16, 2024)
Back in the capital city of Roseau in the Commonwealth of Dominica. (Dec. 16, 2024)
The Neg Mawon Emancipation Monument, in the center of a small roundabout in Roseau, Dominica, is a bronze sculpture commemorating the emancipation of slaves and the self-emancipated societies that fought against slavery and colonialism. (Dec. 16, 2024)
The Neg Mawon Emancipation Monument is a bronze sculpture of a shirtless, muscular man holding a conch shell to his lips in Roseau, Dominica that commemorates the emancipation of slaves and the self-emancipated societies that fought against slavery and colonialism.
The monument was erected near the Old Roseau Market, which in addition to being a slave market where Africans were bought and sold into slavery, was also a place of public punishment and execution for slaves.
The Neg Mawon Emancipation Monument is a significant landmark in Dominica commemorating the Maroons—enslaved Africans who escaped and resisted colonial rule. Unveiled on August 1, 2013, during the 175th anniversary of Dominica’s emancipation, this monument stands as a symbol of freedom and resilience. (Dec. 16, 2024)
The Neg Mawon Emancipation Monument is a bronze sculpture of a shirtless, muscular man holding a conch shell to his lips in Roseau, Dominica that commemorates the emancipation of slaves and the self-emancipated societies that fought against slavery and colonialism. (Dec. 16, 2024)
A World War II Memorial in the capital city of Roseau to honor Dominicans who died. (Dec. 16, 2024)
The shops and restaurants by the Port of Roseau in the capital city of Roseau in the Commonwealth of Dominica. (Dec. 16, 2024)
The shops and restaurants by the Port of Roseau in the capital city of Roseau in the Commonwealth of Dominica. (Dec. 16, 2024)
The shops and restaurants by the Port of Roseau in the capital city of Roseau in the Commonwealth of Dominica. (Dec. 16, 2024)
Heading back to the ship as we say goodbye to our time on the island of Dominica. (Dec. 16, 2024)