by Linda Baudoin | Jun 13, 2020 | Beach, Nature, Sea, Travel Tips
Every year, from March to October, Leatherback, Green and Hawksbill sea turtles nest and hatch at Rosalie Bay. The endangered gentle giants can travel great distances, as far away as Canada, Europe and Africa, to Dominica to nest on our protected black sand beach.
To protect these creatures for future generations Dominica has founded the sea turtle conservation program. The program engages locals and guests in opportunities to help in the recovery of sea turtles on the island and throughout the Caribbean. Efforts include night patrol during nesting season, clean up on nesting beaches, education programs and data collection. Their trained guides tell you all about the turtles!
From witnessing a 1,000-pound Leatherback turtle crawling ashore to holding a hatchling that is smaller than a baby’s footprint, turtle season offers a vacation experience that is unforgettable and simply magical. We went to see the hatching this time…..
A magical moment is when the tiny hatchlings emerge from their nest for their initial journey to sea. Some nests hatch naturally, while others have a scheduled assisted release in the evening to increase their chances of survival. The odds are not in their favor –about 1,000 to one–as hungry predators and dehydration take their toll.
Rosalie Bay is about 1,5 hour drive from Hotel The Champs, but worth the stunning drive. This time there were as many as 32 small turtles finding their way to the ocean!
by Linda Baudoin | Jun 6, 2020 | Hiking, Nature, River, Travel Tips
A nice walk in ‘the backyard of The Champs’ is to the viewpoint over looking the bay in Portsmouth and Cabrits. You can just start your walk at The Champs and walk up the hill, before the water tank you go left on a small trail. If you are lucky you can spot parrots here!
After about 10 minutes you will reach a gravel road, take this road up to the banana plantation. Each banana plant has one bunch of bananas covered in a blue plastic bag. The bunches are covered with plastic bags for three reasons: to provide a suitable microclimate for the bananas to ripen more quickly, to protect the bananas (at least to some degree) from insects and other pests and to prevent the bananas from being bruised when it is windy and leaves may brush against the bunch. If you are interested you can take a look at the shelter were they sort the banana’s before taken to the market.
Just before the shelter on your left hand side you’ll find a small path winding down through the banana plantation (marked Waitukubuli trail). This path will lead you to the Picard Bridge where you can go swimming in the river or just continue hiking along the trail. This is part of the Waitukubuli trail, which spans 115 miles across the island of Dominica and the Picard Bridge is just a tiny portion of it. The bridge is a little unstable, so be careful when crossing it.
You will follow your way up, some parts are quite steep, there are ropes to help you up. After about 45 minutes you will reach the viewpoint. There is a small shelter to enjoy the view or have a picknick break. From here you can just take the same route down and back to Hotel The Champs where we wait for you with a nice cold beer or cocktail……
by Linda Baudoin | May 30, 2020 | Hiking, Nature, Waterfall
If you would like to visit a waterfall in the Northern part of Dominica, check out Bwa Nef Falls! The trailhead to Bwa Nef can be found off of the Northern Link Road between Lower Penville and En Bas/Vielle Case, about 30 minutes drive from Hotel The Champs. There is a sign marking the trail from the main road.
To start the hike, you walk from the main road down towards the river. There you will see the upstream river trail that leads the way to Bwa Nef. During the hike you will be walking around mud, water, rocks, tree roots, foliage etc. so be sure to have appropriate shoes.
It takes about 35 minutes to hike to the waterfall. You will pass banana plantations and thick jungle where you can spot land crabs. The tall waterfall is in a small canyon, tucked away from view until you are right below it. The cascade is almost hidden behind these towering rock walls. Beams of light, coming around boulders wedged between the rock walls above you, shine down through the water. It’s glorious! There is a small little area to ‘swim’ in if you want.
A nice stop on the way could be the cold Sulphur Springs; Unlike most of the springs on Dominica and other Caribbean islands, these are characterized by very cold water which comes as a surprise considering that they are located just next to the active volcano. But apparently, magma layer lies too deep under the ground to heat the water.
Dominica is geologically a very young island and geothermal activity is still present here. Cold Sulphur Springs is one of many sites that confirms it- you can see how water is bubbling not only in the main pool but also in the numerous geysers of different size. It’s just a few hundred meters from the main road and reachable by a well- prepared path.
by Linda Baudoin | May 23, 2020 | Beach, Nature, Sea, Travel Tips
Batibou Beach is an expansive and secluded soft-sand beach in the North-East of the island. This beach is known as one of the best beaches of Dominica. It is about half an hour drive from Hotel The Champs on the way to Calibishie.
On arrival you can park along the road near the entrance path or you can attempt the drive down on a road filled with potholes if you have a 4×4. It is nice to take the leisurely walk down through the forest full of palm trees. If you are lucky you can spot hummingbirds here.
The majority of the walk is in the jungle until you find yourself in an open spot overlooking Batibou Beach and several cliffside villages that speckle the north coast. The view makes you want to move faster and go down to this piece of paradise. The water is turquoise with splashing waves onto the gold sand. The beach is bordered by tall palm trees and the surrounding jungle makes it even more serene. If you have completed the walk down to the beach, there are two security guys who collect a 13 EC ($5 US) per person fee. This is for crossing the private acces road to the and for security on the beach.
There is enough space on the beach to find yourself a nice spot in the sun to let the sun and salt soak into your skin until you want to take a swim. The Atlantic Ocean here is calm enough for swimming and a gently sloping sea bed means you can wade out a good distance.
On the beach there is a small beach shack where you can have a drink or order lunch. You can use this beach as a nice stop for you (half) day trip to the north, but you can easily spend more than a few hours here. Just bring your hammock (there are perfectly placed palm trees here) and a good book and let the scenery do the rest……
by Linda Baudoin | May 15, 2020 | Dining, Hotel, Nature
On a quiet early saturdaymorning walk you might have the luck to catch a glimpseof some fishermen taking in their nets. Most generally, Dominica fishermen rely upon small boats ranging from hand crafted boats carved from a single tree trunk by the native KalinagoIndians to small row boats, to slightly larger boats powered by single, 40hp outboard motors or less. Dominica fishermenuse fish nets, fish pots, spears and go out in their boats for the bigger fish.
The smaller, man-powered boats are seen daily bobbing, most generally a quarter to half a mile from shore.Using hand lines, these fishermen seek anything that will take their bait from barracuda, garfish, wahoo,snapper and other. Other fishermen can be seen checking fish pots. They go out in the sea and drop the fish pot in the ocean to come back next day or a few days later to pick their catch, many times they findlobster in the pots.Lion Fish are hunted with spear fishing. Most of the time by divers or free divers. If you come for a dive holiday this will be one of the options for you to learn!
Close to shore, others set and pull large nets to catch blue robinsand other hand-sized fish that swim close to shore in large shoals.What cannot be observed is those fishermen who have ventured 5 to 50+ miles off shore, in their single engine boats. They are seeking big fish,blue marlin and tuna.Leaving before daybreak, these brave men take their passions “out there.”You can buy fresh fish at the Fish market (where they will cut and clean it for you) or straight from the fishermen at the beach or the side of the street.We prefer to buy our fish from the fish market in Roseau where we pre-order and geta nice piece of fresh fishfor our guests!
No better treat then a fresh caughtseared tuna @ Hotel The Champs…
by Linda Baudoin | May 1, 2020 | Dining, Guest review, Hotel, Pool, Promotions, Rooms
If things loosen up again, you don’t want to stay home anymore. You deserve a nice and relaxing break on our beautiful Nature Island!
We don’t know when you are allowed to stay with us yet, but you can pre-book your StayCation now and make sure you will be one of our first guests. Off course we will welcome you with all our heart and all precautions to both keep you safe and give you the best time.
We are continuously monitoring and following the changes in recommendations and guidelines of the local governments and the local health authorities in Dominica, to continue working towards providing the best service possible while safeguarding the safety of our guests and associates.
Hotel The Champs is ready to receive guests with these precautions. Our Hotel is currently being adapted for staff and guests alike, so that it is safe to take a few days off when things are loosening up again. In order to receive guests as safely as possible and to minimize the risk of contamination, the hotel has been examined. The working protocols have been revised so guests and staff can remain 6 feet apart. This new situation required some flexibility of management, employees and guests, together we can do this.
Specifically, the hotel, restaurant and pool area have been adapted in such a way that guests can stay 6 feet apart. Barrier tables have been created in the restaurant, so that there is always a table in between guests. In addition, breakfast and diner can be served on your own private terrace if you prefer. At our pool area we put a smaller amount of sunbeds so guest can still relax in the sun with enough distance from each other.
Off course we do everything we can to put our hygiene as optimal as possible. Extra disinfection of the most-frequently-touched areas like door handles, light switches and remote controls. Posters are used to point out guidelines recommended.
If you have any questions or you want to pre-book a room directly, please don’t hesitate to contact us by WhatsApp or Cell# +1 767 616-3001 We miss our beloved guests, so we hope to see you soon!
by Linda Baudoin | Apr 30, 2020 | Hiking, Nature, Syndicate, Waterfall
Nestled on the foothills of Dominica’s tallest mountain, Morne Diablotin, and close to the Picard River Gorge is the Syndicate Nature Trail. From hotel the Champs it is just a 10 minutes drive on the main road before you take the turnoff just before Dublanc into the mountains for another half an hour. The easy loop trail through the rainforest on the western slopes of Morne Diablotin is beloved by birders for the good chance of spotting Dominica’s endangered national bird, the Sisserou parrot, and its cousin, the Jaco parrot. The best spotting time is in the early morning and late afternoon. Also watch for hummingbirds and several dozen other feathered species. If you are a bird lover, we can also arrange special guided bird watching for you in this area.
Syndicate also has a diverse array of flora. It is a key location for research and educational purposes and has lovely view points along the walking path. Once on this trail there are incredible high, prehistoric-looking trees, beautiful varieties of textures and patterns. There are areas with large clearings and nice lookouts where you can experience how beautiful this ecosystem is.
After you hiked this nature trail, you start your way down again by car. On the way down you stop for the second hike to Milton Falls. The other name is Syndicate Falls, named after the area.
The trail to the fall starts where the Milton Falls signpost and a large mango tree are. At the beginning of the walk you wander through farm land. In them you can spot peppers, coffee, passionfruit, grapefruit, papayas etc.
Before the next part of the path you finally see a ‘gate’ and a little house which takes your $5 or $10EC donation for entering private land. After passing the final bit of farm land the path take you into thicker bush, high grasses, citrus trees dripping with moss and vines with mystery green fruit. You find yourself in a green valley surrounded by high peaks and flowing rivers. You make your way up rocky banks, crisscrossing the river, finally spotting the waterfall through the trees. It is absolutely stunning and a nice spot to take a swim and have lunch!
After some relaxing it is time to move forward. Another nice stop on your way down the main road is the Free up farm. Free Up Farm is a 7-acre farm where they have over 300 trees planted, an assortment of unique fruit and medicinals including Cacao, Mangosteen, Soursop, Moringa and Neem. The farm will serve as a demonstration site for the sustainability and profitability of permaculture and organic farming methods. The owners Aubrey and Lulu are more than willing to welcome you (www.freeupfarm.com)
After this food and veggie experience it’s time to go back; your cocktail at Hotel the Champs is waiting for you…..
by Linda Baudoin | Apr 23, 2020 | Hiking, History, Nature
Cabrits is the name of two steep block-like summits that are the remnants of a large collapsed volcano. Despite their elevation, the two Cabrits, West and East both provide fine views and they rise directly out of the ocean in a rather spectacular manner.
From Hotel the Champs it’s only a 20 minute ride to the entrance of the park which is located north of Portsmouth. Once you get to the park there is a $5 (US)/ $13 (EC) entrance fee. Turn right at the main entrance and you’ll take a path up to the trailheads. To the left and up the hill is Fort Shirley and the West Cabrits Trail. To the right is a trail that leads to the Commandant’s Quarters and the Douglas Bay Battery on the East Cabrits Trail. Both are well graded and only moderately steep.
Fort Shirley is a large 18th-century British garrison which once housed 600 soldiers. The Officer’s Quarters has undergone a major renovation. The Fort is now used for various functions such as Weddings, Receptions, Concerts and other events on the island. From here you have a gorgeous view of Prince Rupert Bay.
After a visit to Fort Shirley you can continue on one of the trails. You can walk them both easily in half a day and discover the old ruins covered in vines in this small jungle. Wildlife is abundant on the trails you can see many land crabs, hermit crabs, lizards, snakes, iguana and many birds. Although the area is heavily forested, this is probably one of the driest areas of Dominica. While the higher mountains to the east are bathed in almost perpetual cloud cover, often the Cabrits stay bright and sunny.
After your visit to the park you can decide to walk back to Hotel the Champs (if your legs are still fine) or to take a taxi ride. If you are going to walk you will pass Purple Turtle Beach, a nice sandy beach were you can take a swim or stop for a drink. After this relaxing break you will pass the small city of Portsmouth and will arrive at Hotel the Champs after another 30 minutes’ walk……
by Linda Baudoin | Apr 15, 2020 | Nature, River, Travel Tips
Dominica is known as the island of many rivers. The most beautiful one is certainly the Indian River, which became famous for filming movies such as Pirates of the Caribbean.
From Hotel the Champs it’s only a 10 minute ride or 30 minute walk to the bridge just south of Portmouth where experienced boatmen in hand-oared river boats will take you silently past many types of wild life and plant life along the swampy river bank. The 1½-hour return boat ride along this shady mangrove-lined river glides past buttressed bwa mang trees with a chance to spot egrets, crabs, iguanas, hummingbirds and if you are lucky even a flock of Jacko parrots.
The Indian River got its name because Kalinago (Carib Indian) lived along its banks and used it as an access route to the Caribbean Sea. The river was important to their livelihood as they used it to transport goods for trade with sailors and along the island chain.
After rowing for at least an hour you get to a pretty little bush bar where you get a lot of local, exotic rum punches, the most special one is the Dynamite. It’s a mix of sorrel and passion rum, the locals like it a lot!
From here you can make a nice walk through a small garden with different plants, flowers, fruits and if you are lucky some more wildlife. The guides can tell you a lot about the plants and for what medical reason they use it here on Dominica. If you walk long enough you will reach another bush bar for another Dynamite, but this is up to you….
After your walk and maybe a few drinks it is time to go back to the boat and step in and relax for your way back on the river…….
by Edwina Simpson | Mar 28, 2020 | Environs, Hiking
Coming off the road that runs from Portsmouth to the east coast of the island is a gentle walk that we can recommend to take in the Dominican countryside, and wildlife. Simply look out for these signs and you can park your car here before you walk or we can arrange to drop you or collect you as one can even walk from the Hotel The Champs but you may prefer to only do the longer walk one way.
The Gate to Brandy Manor
The beginning of the road is concrete as it traverses a small river, but after that it’s not surfaced fully.
Amongst all this nature there are three businesses down this road – Brandy Manor (horse riding and accommodation on your left, Lily’s Guesthouse further on to your right(also accommodation) and a prawn farm at the end. Despite this one rarely sees other people.
You will see a tributary of the Indian River on your walk, amongst all the other wildlife such as mango trees, coffee shrubs, wild flowers and palm trees.
Be sure to look up so you don’t miss bird life, and also down so you don’t trip up on the uneven road. Also you have to look around you to soak in all the greenery.
Our proprietor – Hans
Riverside farming
If you decide to walk to this trail from Hotel The Champs, the directions are very simple – walk from Picard to Portsmouth and at the bus station you turn right past Benjamin Park (cricket and football field) and walk further for about 30 minutes at which point you’ll reach the signposts on first picture.
If you would like to arrange horse riding we can put you in touch with the Brandy Manor.
We think this is a great walk to enjoy for the whole family – really any age can do it as it’s almost totally flat and well shaded.
