Cruises from Dominica

Dominica is best known as a destination for naturalists and adventure seekers. While it doesn’t have the sandy beaches many of the other nearby islands boast, it is a favoured destination, because it is much less crowded than many other Caribbean hot spots.

Dominica is literally blanketed with tropical rainforest that covers this mountainous island. It also has many rivers, creating a variety of pools and waterfalls that beg exploration.

Roseau is Dominica’s capital city. Its streets are lined with old stone and wood buildings and the shopkeepers wash down the sidewalks in front of their establishments each morning. It’s a quaint town, but certainly not the glitziest or the richest. It’s a market town and walking its narrow streets will take you back in time.

The thing to do in Dominica, is to get up close and personal with nature and there are plenty of guides available who will be only too happy to help you do this. Hiking is a favourite activity and one of the best places to begin is the Morne Trois Pitons National Park. This is a 17,000 acre complex where you will find all kinds of interesting sights, including a lava pool covered with a thin crust, it’s the second largest boiling lake in the world. There are also rare breeds of parrot and monkey for you to seek out.

The Layou River is Dominica’s longest and its basin comprises a rather peaceful rural area, resplendent with bamboo, banana and coconut trees. The river is very popular for freshwater swimming and it is the location of a simple fishing village.

Head to Cabrits National Park, a 1,313 acre protected site, which is set in rolling hills and features tropical forests, swampland and volcanic sand beaches. It is one of Dominica’s great natural attractions and even has a marine park teeming with all manner of fish that live in the shallow waters of Douglas Bay. You can even explore the park underwater, by hiring a guide from the park’s officially designated dive operator.

The park is very popular with hikers and there are clearly marked trails with signs that point out the geological and architectural highlights in each area.

The nightlife in Dominica is nowhere near as lively as on some other Caribbean islands, but there are some nightclubs, of which The Warehouse and the Dominica Club are the major ones. There are also several eateries serving up traditional island fare at a more than reasonable price.

Shopping is not a major pastime here, but if you are looking for authentic island crafts, you can find them at Old Market Plaza. You will find beautiful, handcrafted, straw-weaved goods, such as handbags, grass rugs and other souvenirs of the island. Note that all shops in Dominica are closed on Sundays.

Dominica provides Caribbean travellers with a much needed break from the hustle and bustle of most other islands. The pace is much slower here, as it is not a bustling tourist centre. People come to Dominica to luxuriate in the peaceful island charms of what some of those touristy islands once had, but have now lost. Visiting here is like going back in time and that’s exactly the allure of this lush tropical paradise.