Dominica's signature snorkel and dive site, where volcanic vents send warm bubbles rising through a shallow reef you can reach straight from the shore.
Intro
Geothermal vents on the seabed release streams of gas that rise through the water like a glass of champagne. It's one of very few places in the world where you can swim through this, and you don't need a boat to get to it. Entry is from the beach, the shallows start close in, and the reef slopes off gradually, so it works for a first-time snorkeller and a certified diver on the same afternoon.
What you'll do
- Park up top, take the stairs down to the beach and set up near the bar.
- Enter from the shore and swim out over the shallow reef.
- Head to the far south end of the beach to find the bubble vents, where the water runs noticeably warmer.
- Follow the drop-off for sponges, corals and reef fish. Turtles are seen here regularly.
- Divers: work the reef edge for macro life, the small creatures you only spot when someone points them out.
Key tips
A guide is worth it here, both for finding marine life and for knowing where the vents run strongest. Mornings are usually calmest and clearest. The shore is rocky. Water shoes make the entry much easier. Snorkel gear can be rented on-site if you don't have your own. Do not touch or stand on the coral. This is a protected marine reserve.
