Dominica: The Nature Island of the Caribbean

When asked about the top vacation destinations in the Caribbean, most Americans will mention places such as Jamaica, the Bahamas, Grand Cayman or Cozumel. Dominica, on the other hand, rarely figures prominently on such lists and is often confused with the Dominican Republic. Yet this small island-nation is a green jewel standing out in the deep blue sea, due to stringent conservation measures dating back to the 1960s. Frommer's described it as "green long before anyone heard of eco-tourism," and among the few who are in the know, Dominica is the nature island of the Caribbean.

Getting There
Dominica's two airports are too small to handle jet airliners, so all flights to the island connect through other places in the Caribbean. Sea ferries also connect the island to Martinique and Guadalupe, and cruise ships sometimes visit. American receive a 21-day tourist stamp upon arrival.

Practical Matters
The local currency is the East Caribbean Dollar, with an average rate of $1 to EC$2.7. US dollars are widely accepted in Dominica, but the exchange rate improvised over the shop counter might not be as good as the rate available through the ATM. English is the legal language and widely spoken.

Electricity on the island uses the European, 220-volt standard. Socket adapters are necessary, as well as voltage converters for devices that do not have the ability to convert from high voltage themselves. Most modern laptop computers can convert their own voltage and need only a socket adapter, but most battery chargers cannot and need both the socket and voltage adapters.

The Forests
A key element of Dominica's eco-tourism are the three parks that dominate its interior: the Northern Forest Reserve, the Central Forest Reserve, and Morne Trois Pitons National Park. The latter is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and centered on a namesake volcano. The slopes of the volcanic mountain are covered in tropical forest, hot springs, waterfalls and sulfur-spewing fumaroles. The park is considered the single most bio-diverse area in the Lesser Antilles, and offers a variety of hiking trails. One example, the Boiling Lake Trail, is a one-day, challenging 12-mile trek over steep terrain, but is well-marked and leads to the aforementioned lake, which is heated by volcanic vents to a rolling boil.

Snorkeling and Diving
Volcanism marks the island's underwater treasures as well. Off the southern coast is a snorkeling and diving site known as "Champagne" because volcanic venting causes a continuous stream of bubbles to stream towards the surface. The western side of the island hosts a submerged volcanic rim, lined with colorful corals and teeming with tropical fish. This reef also attracts big fish from the open ocean and deeper waters, as it faces out to see and the underwater volcanic mountain slopes down into the inky blue abyss.