Dominica / Special Interests

Dominica’s physical attributes with its magisterial landscape and underwater life, define its singularity, and activity orientated travellers will probably experience it best. Anyone with an outdoor bent is well catered for - a sedentary beach destination it is not, though there a number of timeless coastal locations in which to relax after days in the mountainous interior.

Walking and hiking are fundamental to the country’s image and highlighted in late 2010 with the inauguration of the much awaited Waitukubuli Trail, the long distance footpath linking the north and southern extremes of the island. The endangered Imperial parrot is emblematic of a deep commitment to nature, conservation and sustainable development and, while ‘Sisserou’ is the apogee for most visiting twitchers.

Birdwatching generally is also brilliantly varied and arguably the most rewarding in the Eastern Caribbean, discounting Trinidad and Tobago to the south.

Rich volcanic soils have given rise to a profusion of flora, vegetation and natural foodstuffs and, by extension, the expanding concept of agritourism, best appreciated in the Community Gardens and Culinary Tours around Eggleston and Giraudel Garden Villages.

Offshore however is where Dominica has gained international pre-eminence with its pristine reefs close at hand, arresting sea life and resident whale pods drawing scuba divers and the marine aficionado from far and wide.

A whale watching jaunt on a catamaran is effectively a ‘must do’ for any visitor or uninitiated local alike.

Onshore sport is dominated by football and cricket and West Indies play the occasional match at the new stadium next to the Botanical Gardens when the whole of Roseau tends to turn up.

While nightlife tends to be fairly limited, all genres of West Indian music will be heard at intervals on any trip and the island really comes alive in Roseau and elsewhere during Carnival and the World Creole Music Festival. Rest and recuperation are often necessary after time at these events, and certainly help if you’re on a concerted hiking programme - only a handful of hotels have in-house spas but there are a number of other specialist and alternative practitioners to help soothe away the aches and pains.

Dominica is very much a solo and child friendly destination with none of the drawbacks associated with some of the more populated islands; alfresco weddings against a raw natural backdrop are also becoming increasingly popular.

For more detailed information and recommendations for individual areas of interest please select a Special Interest category below or from the menu bar.