A Place to Get Soaked

A Place to Get Soaked

Wotten Waven is no thriving metropolis. In fact, the hamlet at the north end of the Roseau Valley is minuscule. But don't miss it. Hidden in its bush are sulfur-enriched, burping waters, fumaroles, and cascades. A few local entrepreneurs have made it a spa destination. Now, if you are thinking big-time pampering, think again. It is strictly BYOT (bring your own towel). There are three outdoor "spas." Each is unique. Tia's Bamboo Cottages are perched on a hill. The springs are at the bottom by the river. Don't want to dip? Well, the owner's preteen daughters at TiWen Glo Cho will take you on a tour down a flowered-bordered path to lush gardens, a small menagerie of native wildlife, and a waterfall. TiWen Glo Cho's state-of-the-art spa is four old-fashioned claw-foot bathtubs. Mineral water is jerry-rigged into them via a series of bamboo poles. Screw's Sulphur Spa is the most posh. It offers mud packs and wraps plus three pools, each a different temperature and a different depth. Screw, and that is his name, doesn't let you leave without giving you fresh juice or fruit. Dominica's spas are a far reach from the Golden Door, but then again, that is the charm.