Dominica (Caribbean)

Dominica is so rugged and mountainous that it was the last to be developed by Europeans. Today, it remains the least developed of the larger Caribbean isles. The island's interior evokes the romantic beauty of Kauai, Hawaii's Garden Isle. Like Kauai, it is almost always raining somewhere in the ubiquitous rain forests. Chances are, you will see quite a number of rainbows at just about any given moment while exploring the jungle-clad interior. Also, as in Hawaii, whale watching is an option.

Caribs called the island Waitukubuli or "tall is her body." And tall the island is! The island's peaks rise higher than any in the mother country: England. The interior is chockablock with trails, rustic but comfortable mountain lodges, a national park and some magnificent public gardens. Little wonder, then, that the island is called Nature Island of the Caribbean. Dominica is what Christopher Columbus might have had in mind when he described West Indian topography by crumbling a piece of parchment and throwing it on a table where sat Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain.

Dominica beaches tend to be dark volcanic grey or jet black, except for the golden sands in the far northeast. Beachcombers prefer the area around Portsmouth where beachfront bars and water sports are available.

Roseau, the island's capital, is located on the protected east coast. The only sizeable town on the island is framed by magnificent mountains and looks out over a wide expanse of colourful Caribbean water. Despite extensive hurricane destruction, Roseau has been rebuilt without losing its Caribbean flair for quaint architecture and a charming atmosphere. Friendly townspeople are apt to greet you in a French patois, the French having been first to settle on the island. Like so many Caribbean Windward Islands, Dominica has switched back and forth from French to British jurisdiction. It ended up being a British colony, but French patois can still be heard and most of the people are Catholic. The people are mostly poor but intensely proud of their island's beauty. There are said to be no purebred Caribs left. However, you often see the fine black hair and Amerindian facial features of many Dominicans who are obviously of Carib origins.

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