DOMINICA

Dominica   Roseau   The North   The South   Island Basics   Morne Trois Pitons

Dominica, known as The Nature Island of the Caribbean, radiates a sense of serene, ageless beauty. It's a place where people and nature live in harmony, where lush and varied flora and fauna are protected by an extensive natural park system. Home to the first Eastern Caribbean UNESCO World Heritage Site, the island also contains the appropriately named Boiling Lake, the second-largest thermally-active lake in the world.

Dominica (pronounced Dom-in-ee-ka) has 365 rivers, so it's no surprise that the island also has an abundance of waterfalls. A hiker's paradise, it's the largest (29 miles long and 16 miles at its widest) and most mountainous of the Windward Islands. And it's a world famous site for whale watching: year-round sightings of the resident population of Sperm Whales are common because of the depths of warm west coast waters.

Just as Dominica's mountains tower majestically into the sky, its coastline drops swiftly into the sea. And just as fervently as hikers head for the mountains, divers treasure its waters. With steep drop-offs, pristine reefs, clear waters and amazing marine life, Dominica is one of the best diving locations in the Caribbean. But it's still relatively undiscovered, leading to virtually vacant dive sites. The island also hosts Dive Fest, a week-long, island-wide event sponsored by the Dominica Water Sports Association in July. The festival includes an Underwater Treasure Hunt, free diving and snorkeling lessons, discounted whale/dolphin and dive trips, and Carib Canoe Races.

Then again, you might just want to laze on the beautiful white sands and admire the clear Caribbean water. No matter what you do or where you go you'll be captivated by Dominica's endless charm.

Map of Dominica