Soufriere, Dominica— Tucked away in the lush tropical rainforest of Dominica is Jungle Bay, a Black-owned luxury eco-resort overlooking the ocean. It features all the amenities you’d expect, including beautiful villas, world-class massages, sunset yoga, snorkeling, and diving adventures.
However, when it comes to food, Jungle Bay has a standout local experience that you won’t find anywhere else.
Guests are invited to venture outside their villas and around the property, where they can take their picks and eat from the endless fruit trees. The vibrant flowers only enhance the tropical fruits that add to the experience envisioned by owner Sam Raphael, who wanted to create a “unique edible experience” for guests to enjoy the many fruits he grew up eating in the Caribbean.
People have come from all over the world to experience this place and eat through the breathtaking garden aptly nicknamed The “Jungle of Eden’ or “Garden of Eden.”They also come to learn about the different ways that fruits and flowers can be used. This is where expert horticulturist and lead landscaper Stacy Moses takes guests on garden tours to learn about the over 75 edible fruits found in the garden and the flowers and herbs used in many different ways.
“One of the first things that people ask me when they see me is, ‘so what do you have for me to eat,’” Moses says, laughing. “But I love that!”
Her enthusiastic energy at six in the morning was refreshing and made for such a fun time as we continued picking red and white guavas, soursop, passionfruit, golden apples, and many more.
“How cool is it that all day, every day, I can talk about this? That as my job, I get to talk to people about my flowers and these fruits,” said Moses. “Every couple feet you walk, this is something you can eat. Plus this is good for your health. Dealing with plants is calming and relaxing, and the fruits are so good for you,” she added.
Moses says she has been working at Jungle Bay since 2021 when she was hired to help bring Raphael’s vision of creating a garden oasis to life by making Jungle Bay an “edible resort.”
She brought her experience– having studied horticulture focusing on flowers and plant nurseries– to the job, which she says is a joy.
“I have that background dealing with flowers from all stages of their development, working from baby seedlings to fully grown flowers and trees,” she said. “When people ask me if I have kids, I say yeah, I’ve got thousands,” Moses explains, referring to her flowers and plants.
Many of the fruits, vegetables, and herbs that are found in “The Garden of Eden” are used across the property in the spa for healing treatments, in the restaurants, and, of course, by the guests who are invited to have their fill.
As the talented green thumb behind Jungle Bay’s lavish landscapes, Moses says she wants to continue growing in her role, encourage others to pursue STEM careers and remain passionate about what they love.
“I’ve met so many people who are passionate about many different things, and for me, that’s something special because when you do what you love, you never work a day in your life,” Moses added with a smile. “This does not work for me; this is fun, and I get to share it with the world.”
