This third trip segment got us to briefly experience island living for five nights in Dominica.

Interesting fact: The complex of 18 cottages where we’re staying hosted film crew members during the filming of the Pantano River scene in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest (2006). Each cottage has a plaque above the door commemorating who stayed there.

2026.01.28 – [DM] Portsmouth ==> Portsmouth

Today was largely spent securing food for our stay on the island. After a slow start to the morning, we drove to a grocery store in the nearby town of Portsmouth. The selection was limited, and prices were noticeably higher, so we purchased only a few essentials for breakfast.

Later, after eating breakfast, we decided to drive to Roseau, the island’s capital, to shop at some larger supermarkets. The 45-kilometer drive took well over an hour. We visited two of the largest supermarkets in town before heading back to our cottage.

In the afternoon, we reviewed our Dominica itinerary and contacted two car rental companies for our next island visit. Jenny pre-cooked the frozen meat and fish to save time on dinner preparation. We finished the day with a simple dinner of deli items from the supermarket.

By the end of the day, we realized that our choice of accommodation in Dominica wasn’t ideal, as most of the hiking and snorkeling spots we wanted to visit were closer to Roseau, the island’s capital. Interestingly, both the current airport and the new one under development (by Chinese company) are located more than an hour’s drive from Roseau, in the northeast of the island. When we asked about the airport’s remote, seemingly middle-of-nowhere location, we learned that it was the only place on the island capable of supporting runways of the required length, given Dominica’s mountainous terrain.

2026.01.29 – [DM] Portsmouth ==> Portsmouth

It rained quite heavily throughout the night. With cloudy skies still lingering in the morning, we decided to forgo our original snorkeling outing, which would have required a drive of more than 1.5 hours.

After breakfast, as the sky gradually cleared, we opted instead to go snorkeling at a nearby beach about 7 km away. The underwater scenery—including some coral formations—was limited to a specific area.

Unfortunately, our ATM troubles continued. We had to file two additional disputes with our home bank due to failed withdrawal attempts and now regret not bringing an extra ATM card. On a brighter note, we successfully secured a car rental for our next island hop to Barbados.

We wrapped up the day with an early dinner and an early night.

2026.01.30 – [DM] Portsmouth ==> Portsmouth

Today, we had planned two hikes—one easy and one more challenging. We left Portsmouth at 10 a.m. and drove about 1.5 hours to our first stop, the easy hike to Trafalgar Falls. What turned out not to be so easy was the last 10 kilometers of road leading there: it was extremely steep, narrow, and in very poor condition. Along the way, we were caught in a traffic jam involving heavy construction equipment, and on-site workers had to direct traffic to untangle the situation.

After paying the entrance fee, we walked for about 15 minutes under a light rain and mist to a viewing platform, where we were able to admire the two waterfalls known as “Mama” and “Papa.”

We then retraced our route and headed toward Middleham Falls, about 8 kilometers away. The final 2 kilometers of that drive were incredibly challenging—steep and muddy—and we were grateful we had splurged on an SUV in Dominica. A few kilometers before reaching the trailhead, the rain picked up significantly.

Jenny had already decided not to attempt this moderate-to-difficult two-hour hike. In the parking lot, we chatted with a couple from Québec who had just completed the hike in heavy rain and were soaked to the bone. The gentleman mentioned that the waterfall itself was underwhelming. Given the worsening weather and the trail’s reputation for being extremely muddy, we decided to skip the hike.

On our drive back, we stopped for gas and picked up some deli items for dinner.

2026.01.31 – [DM] Portsmouth ==> Portsmouth

After our final breakfast at the cottage, we retraced our drive toward the capital. Both Google Maps and Organic Maps suggested a shortcut to reach the Emerald Pool, a very popular tourist destination. Once we turned onto a secondary road, conditions quickly deteriorated to the point where the road was nearly impassable by car. We cautiously inched along this rugged stretch of off-road for about five kilometers—hard to believe, but we still encountered the occasional vehicle along the way.

About five kilometers before the car park, the road improved significantly. Upon arrival, we followed a well-maintained path leading to the Emerald Pool. We enjoyed a refreshing swim for around twenty minutes and took plenty of photos along the way. For the return journey, we opted for a longer but much better-conditioned route. Back at the cottage, we ended the day with a short swim at the beach right in front of our complex.

2026.02.01 – [BB] Portsmouth ==> Bridgetown

We did not sleep very well, partly due to an animal making noise on the roof of our cottage. Just before leaving, we completed the online arrival form for Barbados. By 8 a.m., we were driving out of Portsmouth toward the airport. Retracing our arrival route in daylight was significantly easier.

At the airport, we returned our SUV promptly and without any hassle. The security screening was probably the most stringent we have ever encountered, but we passed—an ode to our careful selection of items packed in our carry-on. The one-hour flight to Barbados was uneventful, and we moved quickly through immigration.

Outside the arrivals area, we connected with our car rental agent after a few minutes of searching. We were provided with a brand-new Suzuki Swift, fresh off the dealership lot. Finding our accommodation proved challenging, as the location provided by Google Maps was incorrect. Eventually, we used our host’s location pin from one of their messages and successfully found our three-bedroom house for our stay in Barbados.

After dropping off our luggage, we promptly drove to a supermarket for groceries, arriving just 20 minutes before closing and shopping in a hurry. Back at our accommodation, we were quite pleased with the place.