Dominica: the Nature Island

Dominica is unlike any other Caribbean island I’ve been too. Lush jungle covers this volcanic island that draws more comparisons to Hawaii than Barbados. 70,000 people call Dominica home, with 17,000 of them living in the capital of Roseau, the small, multi-colored roof filled city where cruise ships dock.

In Dominica we spent the day touring with Oris Campbell, a local guide provided by Discover Dominica. Oris took us to all the hot spots on the island (literally – we saw a bubbling geothermal spring) & provided local flavor & commentary throughout our time together.

The “Nature Island” continues to build up their tourism infrastructure in order to replace the source of economic wealth that was lost when the last sugar cane company shut down in the 1950s. To compound the problem, banana production, which used to be a main source of agriculture revenue, has dropped sharply since their protected tariff with the UK was revoked. Cruise ships only visit the island six months of the year, making that an unstable source of tourist dollars. While they don’t have an international airport, Americans & Europeans arrive via Puerto Rico & other island hubs to stay at resorts that dot the black sand beaches on the north side of the island.

As we zipped around the island in Oris’ small SUV, I think I said “wow” about 50 million times. Every turn of the road was met with a stunning vista. Green hills surrounded us on all sides as we went up, up, up the side of the volcano. Oris teased me with stories of boa constructors, which roam wild on the island (luckily we didn’t see any!). Dominica has four semi-active volcanoes & is the most densely populated land area with active volcanoes in the world – although the last major eruption was thousands of years ago (hurricanes & landslides are the biggest concern now).

Following stops at the Emerald Pool, Trafalgar Falls, a geothermal pool & steam vent, the Botanical Gardens, & at a spectacular overlook (these great sites deserve blog posts of their own!), we said “Tchau” to Oris (while English is the main language, Creole is widely spoken), & got some lunch in Roseau. At the suggestion of a police officer stationed outside the court building (always ask the locals!), we headed to the Cocorico Cafe, where we noshed on jerk chicken & fresh fish in coconut sauce (a local delicacy), while sipping Kubuli, the local beer of choice. Before heading back to the boat, we explored Roseau & stopped at Our Lady of Fair Haven cathedral – a beautiful, old stone Roman Catholic church in the middle of town.

Dominica is truly unique, much more than a “lay on the beach” island. There are over 300 miles of hiking trails on Dominica, & it’s repeatedly voted one of the top ten places to dive in the world. The island is ripe for eco-tourism, something we saw several small hotels advertising as we drove around on the steep (often 12% grade or more), winding roads. If you’re looking for an active, nature-filled Caribbean vacation, Dominica is for you.

Dominica, according to Oris…
– Devastated by category five Hurricane David in 1979, Dominicans remain leery of their position within the hurricane belt. With the majority of the island’s homes destroyed in the hurricane, many of the homes & buildings on the island are relatively new.

– Impatiens, which dot the home improvement stores & gardens of countless Americans, grow wild in Dominica.

– The largest manufacturing facility on the island is owned by Colgate-Palmolive & produces soup & oils from coconuts. We drove by & the coconut smell was almost overwhelming!

– Mango, chocolate, & coffee trees line the roads.

– Dominica’s only source of defense is a 400 person police force, only 50 of who are trained in combat. No army, no navy!

– In addition to the boa constructor, Dominica is home to possum, iguana’s, wild pigs, wild goats, & the Amazon Imperial Parrot.

– Dominica uses the Eastern Caribbean currency, but U.S. dollars are widely accepted, especially in tourist areas.

Our day in Dominica was graciously provided by Discover Dominica, the Dominican tourism bureau.