A visit to Dominica (pronounced Do-min-EE-kah) promises to be unlikely any other Caribbean island you’ve visited. Prepare to slow down, take in the scenery, breathe fresh air like you haven’t breathed in years, sample fruit right off the trees and experience nature in a way you can on only do in a few places on earth. This “Nature Island” is 29 by 16 miles of rain forest, dense lush vegetation, waterfall, freshwater pools and bubbling hot springs from active underwater volcanoes surrounding the island. It’s easy to spend a few days here and never see a beach – or at least a sandy one. Learn why producers selected Dominica as the backdrop for parts of the second and third Pirates of the Caribbean movies. As you drive the coastline on roads hacked out of the mountainside, jagged edges plunge into the ocean with mango trees and ginger root cascading down into the sea. And as you take the valley roads inland, you’ll be awed by the utter majesty of the unspoiled nature rising up around you like a cathedral.

 

 

 

 

 

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The island has a lot to offer, not just in what it does have – but also in what it doesn’t. There are no chain hotels, big-box mega-stores or ubiquitous restaurant brands. Locals have fought to keep it that way, too, and so the island remains untouched. Originally populated by the Carib tribe of Indians in the 1800’s, the French and British fought for control of the island. If you glance at a map of the island, it’s clear by the town names that the French populated the South (Roseau, Soufriere) while the British occupied the North (Portsmouth). Eventually, the British conquered the French portion of the island and maintained control until 1978 when Dominica gained independence. The island still has a Carib population of about 3,000 people; they occupy a northeastern corner of the island. A drive through the “Carib Territory” will give you a glimpse into life as it was for the native inhabitants a century ago and as it still is today.

 

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TOP REASONS TO VISIT DOMINICA, THE NATURE ISLAND

Dominica is a spectacular green island of rugged mountains, lush rainforest and rushing rivers in the Eastern Caribbean.

The island is a haven for adventure travelers seeking a unique vacation that includes: hiking and adventure, cultural events/festivals, diving and water sports, whale/dolphin watching and cannoning adventures.

 

To help you plan your next vacation, here are some of the top reasons to visit Dominica:

 

• 1. Dominica is rated as one of the top 10 dive locations in the world. Scuba divers can choose from a variety of dive sites that feature dramatic walls and pinnacles, pristine reefs, and amazing creatures. Although diving is a year-round activity on the island, Dive Fest 2011 is scheduled for July 8-17. Dive Fest educates both novices and experienced divers about the sport of scuba diving and helps raise awareness about Dominica’s stunning and unique marine environment.
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  2. Dominica is the only Caribbean destination with a walking trail that extends the length of the island. The Waitukubuli National Trail – named after the Carib Indian name for Dominica – is 115 miles long and is divided into 14 continuous segments that can take an experienced hiker nearly 2 weeks to complete in its entirety. The trail leads visitors into the heart of local communities while passing through mountainous landscapes and rainforests, and past rivers and waterfalls. Each May, Hike Fest celebrates the Nature Island’s best hiking venues, including the Waitukubuli National Trail.
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  3. Dominica is known as the Whale Watching Capital of the Caribbean and is the only country in the world where sperm whales reside year-round. Dominica is home to at least 20 species of whales and dolphins, including humpback whales, pilot whales and the spotted dolphin. The island’s sheer walls disappear under the sea to create deep, sheltered bays along the western coastline and form a haven for whales and dolphins within five miles of the WestCoast.
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  4. The Morne Trois Pitons national Park (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) has nearly 300 miles of footpaths, countless streams and waterfalls, and a well-established national park system to make for some of the Caribbean’s most spectacular and enjoyable adeventures. The park is an area of significant volcanic activity, which includes the Valley of Desolation, a region of boiling mud ponds and small geysers; the Boiling Lake; Titou Gorge; and Emerald Pool.
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  5. Dominica offer a variety of activities for water sports enthusiasts. Adventuresome visitors can kayak on cool mountain lakes, swim in secluded river pools, tube down the river into the calm waters on the West Coast, or snorkel on pristine reefs. The island’s abundance of fresh flowing water is fed by up to 300 inches of rainfall annually to give credence to the legend of its 365 rivers.
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  6. For visitors with a passion for flora and fauna, the island is home to more than 170 bird species, more than 1,000 species of flowering plants, 74 identified species of orchids and 200 types of ferns. Two endemic Amazon parrots – the Sisserou and Red-necked Jaco-are often spotted during a hike through the lush landscape. Dominica is also home to several small creatures including the crapaud (frog), the agouti and the manicou.
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  7. The annual World Creole Music Festival attracts some of the most renowned musical groups and soloists from the Creole-speaking world to Dominica and the Eastern Caribbean. Dominica’s 15th annual World Creole Music Festival is scheduled for Oct. 28-30, 2011.
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  8. Creole food is the island specialty, featuring tropical fruits and vegetables, local fish, island herbs and species. Dishes are spicy, but not flaming hot. Dominica’s restaurants serve an eclectic menu of continental and West Indian dishes served with a backdrop of captivating panoramas of the island’s unmatched natural beauty.
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  9. Visitors can tour a model Kalinago village at the Kalinago Barana Aute. The Kalinago Indians are the last indigenous people of the Caribbean. Kalinago Barana Aute provides a unique experience to learn about and appreciate the customs, practices and heritage of the Kalinago (Carib) people. Visitors experience a herbal medicine garden, hiking trails, scenic view points, the Crayfish River and Isulukati Falls. Kalinago artisans display their talents for canoe building, weaving baskets and creating authentic crafts.
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  10. Carnival – or “The Real Mas” – is the most festive season in Dominica. Carnival is highlighted by kaleidoscope of colors, a street parade and an exciting and entertaining street dance known as jump-up. The pre-Lenten festival, with a rich history dating back thousands of years, is one of the most anticipated celebrations on island and one that visitors won’t want to miss!

 

 

 

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Dominica's Carib People.

Properly known as the Kalinago, Dominica's indigenous people inhabit a 3,700 acres territory or reserve on the eastern coast of the island. Migrating in waves from South America from as early as the 3,000BC, various tribes made Dominica their home and by 1,000AD were well settled, calling the island "Wai'tukubuli" meaning 'Tall is her body' in the Kalinago language.

 

 

Despite fiercely resisting European colonisation for centuries, the Kalinagos eventually succumbed to the disease, greed, and tyranny unleashed by the Spanish, English and French colonising forces. Their grip on the island slowly slipped away with each major European offensive. In 1903, the British Administrator of the time, Heskith Bell, agreed to allocate 3,700 acres to the Caribs, and also officially recognized the Carib Chief with ceremonial adornments and a financial allowance.

 

Today, approximately 2,200 Caribs inhabit this enclave now known as the Carib Territory. Potential visitors should shred any delusion of finding a primitive people in grass skirts practicing primordial rituals. There is little to differentiate them for the rest of the population. However it is still possible to acquire a glimpse of their ancestral roots, especially from their craft, canoe building and physical attributes. Certainly, it is common to find outhouses in original tribal design teeming with traditional culinary activity.