Champagne Dominica is a great site to check out if you’re a scuba diving enthusiast. While Dominica isn’t usually at the top of the list for the best diving sites in the Caribbean, anyone who has taken the plunge at the Champagne reef knows just how wonderful this site truly is. Travelers who want to add a little adventure to their beach vacation shouldn’t miss this spot for the best snorkeling in Dominica. Whether you are an experienced scuba diver or are giving snorkeling a try for the first time, you will be impressed by what you see at this incredible location.

Champagne Dominica is easily accessible from the shore, which makes it a popular choice for those who don’t want to worry about boating to a dive site. A road is located only a couple hundred yards away, and many visitors choose to rent a car to reach Champagne reef or even take the local bus. For many years now drivers have been dropping off tourists with their snorkel masks and flippers at this location, so don’t be shy to ask the concierge at your hotel how to reach the spot with public transportation. The calm water and lack of currents makes this spot ideal for beginners and families.

The best snorkeling in Dominica is sure to include spotting sea horses, lobsters, a kaleidoscope of fish, and more. Beyond the wildlife you will encounter, Champagne Dominica is popular for its hot springs and underwater bubbles. This is not only a fascinating sight beneath the water, but is also a good spot to encounter local creatures. Squid can often be seen playing in the bubbles not too far from the shore. If you’re adventurous enough to plan a night dive, this is the best time of day to explore. Champagne Reef explodes with life once the sun goes down.

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Many visitors wonder where the bubbles come from. The answer is from volcanic activity beneath the ocean floor. Since Dominica is a volcanic island, it should come as no surprise that there are a few places where this heat and pressure escapes from inside the Earth. This special feature makes for some of the best snorkeling in Dominica—there is something so breathtaking about watching the wildlife play in the bubbles surrounded by coral. The bubbles are also where the spot got its name, after the French sparkling wine, Champagne, which is full of bubbles.

If you’re only visiting Dominica on a cruise, don’t worry, snorkeling is often a popular excursion option. Your boat will dock at the capital of Roseau and from there it is easy to plan a snorkeling trip to Champagne. If your ship doesn’t have this as an excursion option, there are local guides who can bring you to the famous site as well. For anyone who is enthusiastic about diving or snorkeling, or just wants to give it a try, the bubbles from geothermal activity beneath the ocean floor make for a spectacular site that you will forever associate with your visit to the beautiful island of Dominica.