EUREKA! DISCOVER DOMINICA
Dominica is bubbling with adventurous possibilities; from a dip in its hot springs to its famous Boiling Lake This is a tropical island which offers a new way of seeing the Caribbean with the opportunity for the eco-savvy traveller to explore life and nature first hand
The French Caribbean island of Dominica is said to have barely changed at all since Christopher Columbus first saw it 515 years ago. The Papillote Wilderness Retreat is set in the heart of the rainforest in famous gardens established by owner Anne Jno Baptiste in 1969. The 3 Rivers Resort in Rosalie is run by ex London cabbie turned eco warrior Jem Winston and offers a range of accommodation from self contained wooden cottages and tree houses in the gardens to dormitory style bunkrooms camping options
Extreme activities on offer in Dominica include canyoning, which involves jumping into pools wading through rivers and rappelling through waterfalls. This can be combined with hikes to the famous Boiling Lake a boiling volcanic cauldron in the heart of Dominica's rainforest wilderness.
Firstly, the island is fantastic for hiking, with trails all over the island to suit people of varying ability. Walks range from 15 minute strolls (i.e. The walk to Trafalgar Falls) to six or seven hour round-trip hikes (e.g. The route to Boiling Lake or Morne Diablotin). To hike in some areas of the island, visitors are required to pay a US$5 site fee (or US$12 for the week). For further details, see www.visit-dominica.com/siteuserfees.cfm
Making the most of other natural resources, go for a swim underneath a waterfall (Emerald Pool, Victoria Falls, Trafalgar Falls) or bathe in a natural hot spring. Some hot springs can be found along walking routes (i.e. In the Valley of Desolation) and by the ocean’s edge at Soufriere. There are also commercial hot springs such as Screw’s Sulphur Springs in Wotton Waven.
In terms of sustainable tourism activities, there are a number of tours available which are community-based, therefore benefitting local people directly and also providing an interesting insight into Dominican life for visitors. These include a community gardening and cookery tour; the Touna Village tour within the Carib Territory and turtle watching tours (in season). .
Affordability wise, Dominica does not have any chain hotels or five star resorts, so affordable accommodation is available to people travelling on a range of budgets.
Touna Village Tour
Dominica is home to the Caribbean’s only indigenous population of Carib Indians, known as the Kalinago, many of whom live in 3,700 acres of reserved community land on the eastern side of the island. Local company Jungle Trekking Adventures and Safaris (JTAS) allows visitors to experience the traditional Kalinago way of life with a tour of the Touna Heritage Village – a small community situated in the Carib Territory. Here you will see how the Kalinago live, learn their history, try traditional bamboo basket weaving, sugar-cane juice squeezing, and discover the secrets of natural healing with a tour of the herb garden. Activities also include riding down the fresh meandering river in an inflated tyre tube, in true local style!
For more information about these and other community-based tourism activities in Dominica visit www.discoverdominica.com
Travel
The fact that Dominica is not that easy to get to adds to its appeal to the independent traveller who is looking for somewhere away from the crowds and the development that accompanies mass tourism.
Dominica does not have an international airport, but International flights from US and Europe are connected to the island through hubs in Antigua, Barbados, St. Maarten, Guadeloupe and Martinique. Leeward Island Air Transport (LIAT) usually completes the Dominican leg of these flights. (www.liat) British Airways Virgin (www.virgin-atlantic.com) and bmi fly to Antigua and Barbados from Gatwick and other UK airports..