1. Dominica, not to be confused with the Dominican Republic , the nature island, is not easily accessible via the mainland United States. The airport is small and only propeller planes can land there.
  2. The island is beautiful and is one of the few Caribbean islands with a rainforest. It is known to have 365 rivers.
  3. The currency is East Caribbean Dollar (1 USD = 2.7 XCD). The USD has full acceptance, though.
  4. Kalalau is the national dish. It’s a soup made from Dakshin, and I would recommend trying it out.
  5. Public transport is better than most other islands but is still limiting if your itinerary is jam-packed.
  6. There are two towns, Roseau and Portsmouth. I would recommend staying in Roseau if you don’t have a rental car since most tours, taxis, and buses depart from there.
  7. Most good activities are on the south side of the island. The south faces the calmer Caribbean Sea while the north side faces a more turbulent Atlantic Ocean.

Things to do

  1. Boiling Lake - a 6-hour round-trip hike on a well-marked trail. It starts at Laudat, the highest village on the island. You can either take a 50 EC$ taxi or a 5 EC$ public bus from the Botanical Gardens. There is a “breakfast river” stop one hour into the hike where you can refill water bottles. The temperature at the center of the lake is about 400ºC, while at the edges is 80ºC.
  2. Victoria Falls - The most beautiful falls on the island. It has an excellent natural swimming pool. It has a bit convoluted of a hike that involves crossing a river four times. So, it is hard to do this without a guide.

Wavine Cyrique Falls - The falls themselves are not extraordinary, but the hike to the falls is pretty intense and involves climbing down a ladder on the cliff along with a cliff hike.

  1. Emerald Pool and Waterfalls - A famous tourist spot. It is an easily accessible pool to swim in.
  2. Jacko Falls - This is an OK waterfall. Easily accessible, but nothing significant.
  3. Spanny Falls - A pair of falls. The first one is easily accessible; the second requires a bit of climbing in the wild.
  4. Scott’s Head - The best spot for snorkeling on the island. A 4 EC$ bus from Roseau to Scott’s head runs during the day.
  5. Champagne Reef - Over-hyped spot for snorkeling on the island. Scott’s Bay is much better.
  6. Canyoning with ExtremeDominica - A great canyoning and rappeling experience through the Titou Gorge. Not cheap but well worth the price tag.
  7. Trafalgar Falls - A pair of falls worth seeing. It is hard to get to their bottom for swimming.
  8. Middleham Falls - Great Falls that require ~45 mins one-way hike to reach. With an excellent natural swimming pool.
  9. Escape Beach - A good beach on the Atlantic side for snorkeling.
  10. Red Rocks - Red-colored rocks close to the Escape beach. Waste of time and money. The visit cost 5 EC$.
  11. Botanical Gardens - Free to access gardens that contain a 10-min hike to the top of Union Hill.
  12. Windsor Cricket Stadium - An international Cricket Stadium for Cricket fans. Free to access.

Potential itineraries

If you are on a single-day trip, e.g., via a Cruise ship, then either do

  1. Boiling Lake hike with swimming in the George Titou at the end or,
  2. Victoria Falls, Emerald Pool, and Scott’s Head.

If you have multiple days, then you should consider doing the following activities in this order of significance

  1. Boiling Lake hike
  2. Victoria Falls
  3. George Titou canyoning
  4. Scott’s Head snorkeling
  5. Middleham Falls
  6. Emerald Pool and Waterfalls
  7. Wavine Cyrique Falls
  8. Trafalgar Falls
  9. Escape Beach
  10. Carib Territory
  11. Champagne Reef
  12. Spanny Falls
  13. Jacko Falls
Dominica Airport
A natural scene showcases the blue expanse of a lake surrounded by lush green hills, with steam or mist rising, creating a mystical atmosphere.
Boiling lake emitting steam, surrounded by lush green hills, creating a mystical atmosphere.
A vast, steaming Boiling Lake surrounded by lush greenery, releasing vapor into the air
Boiling Lake emitting steam in a volcanic region, surrounded by lush greenery. The lake's mineral-rich waters appear turbulent, with natural rock formations visible around the perimeter.
A natural pool located at Titou Gorge serves as the entrance to the Boiling Lake hike. Additional images include Victoria Falls and the Emerald Pool with a waterfall.
Emerald Pool
Champagne reef beach
A picturesque beach scene features clear blue waters and a lush green backdrop, commonly associated with tropical vacation destinations.
A landscape view featuring Scotts Head, a coastal area with clear blue waters, lush green surroundings, and a scenic horizon under a bright sky.
Indian River, Dominica
A picturesque waterfall in a lush, green forest setting, with a vibrant rainbow arching across the cascading water.
A waterfall cascades into a lush, forested area, surrounded by greenery. A rainbow is visible, adding vibrant colors above the flowing water.
A cascading waterfall flows amidst lush greenery, creating a serene landscape. Sunlight filters through, illuminating parts of the foliage and highlighting the vibrant surrounding nature.
A cascading waterfall surrounded by lush greenery, featuring clear water descending a series of rocky tiers, creating a serene and picturesque natural scene.
A cascading waterfall flows over lush, green foliage and rocky terrain, with mist rising from the base, creating a serene natural landscape.
A pathway surrounded by lush greenery leads to Wavine Cyrique Falls, with dense forest vegetation creating a serene atmosphere.
Wavine Cyrique Waterfalls
Wavine Cyrique Waterfalls
A yellow bus is crushed under a fallen tree in a botanical garden setting
damaged bus due to a hurricane, situated near a botanical garden
Roseau Cricket Stadium
A cricket stadium is situated by the coastline in Roseau, with a scenic view of the surrounding landscape. The stadium is prominently positioned on the right side.
A large, sunlit cricket stadium with lush green grass and seating areas surrounds the field. The clear blue sky suggests a bright, clear day for a match.
Red Rocks, Dominica
Carib Territory Tourist Center, Dominica
Carib Territory, Dominica
A traditional vegetarian meal includes various colorful vegetables artistically arranged on a plate representing a cultural cuisine of Dominica
A bowl of hearty vegetarian soup containing vegetables, served in a rustic dish on a wooden surface.