Dominica Island

The Caribbean's "Nature Island": UNESCO-listed Morne Trois Pitons, the Boiling Lake, waterfalls and hot springs, and sperm whale watching.

Dominica sits in the middle of the Lesser Antilles in the Caribbean, wedged between French Guadeloupe and Martinique. The island is about 47 km long, covers roughly 750 km² and has around 70,000 inhabitants; the capital, Roseau, lies on the southwest coast. Known as the "Nature Island of the Caribbean", it has nine volcanoes, dense primary rainforest, hundreds of rivers and waterfalls, and the world's second-largest boiling lake. Morne Trois Pitons National Park was inscribed as a World Heritage Site in 1997, and the island is also home to the Kalinago, the last remaining Indigenous people of the Eastern Caribbean.

The island breaks down into three areas: Roseau and the centre-south (the Boiling Lake, Trafalgar Falls, Titou Gorge and the hot-spring village inside the national park, plus Champagne Reef and Scotts Head in the south), best explored over 3–4 days from a base in Roseau; the north around Portsmouth (Indian River, Fort Shirley in Cabrits, the Syndicate Parrot Trail and north-coast beaches) for 1–2 days; and the Kalinago Territory and Emerald Pool on the east coast, which you can visit while crossing the island. The signature experience is a boat trip to see the resident sperm whales.

The best time to visit is the dry season from Jan–May; Jul–Oct is hurricane season, and Hurricane Maria devastated the island in 2017. Getting there: Douglas-Charles Airport in the northeast has flights via Antigua, Barbados, Puerto Rico and elsewhere, about an hour's drive from Roseau; fast ferries also run from Guadeloupe and Martinique. Roads are winding and steep. You can rent a car (a temporary driving permit is required) or hire a driver, and most natural sites require an Eco-Site Pass. Plan to stay 5–7 days.

Top sights

Where to eat

Itineraries