Dominica Travel Guide: From Rainforest Hiking to Creole Cuisine
Scott’s Head, Dominica, has sandy beaches, turquoise waters, coral reefs, and panoramic views of the rainforest-covered mainland.
A small, volcano-carved island wedged between Martinique and Guadeloupe in the eastern Caribbean, the Island of Dominica — not the Dominican Republic — is one of those rare finds: a down-to-earth haven of otherworldly beauty with a rich and welcoming culture and an amazing array of nature-based activities. Whether it’s hiking through mist-shrouded volcanoes, foraging for pepper cherries and breadfruit on an organic farm, or scuba diving among the corals, karibu adventures’ Dominica adventures are authentic, sustainable travel done right.
I had just arrived in Dominica and was driving through some of the lushest rainforest I had ever seen. But it was the sound that made me stop and pull over: a primeval wall of pure, untamed nature. I had the skin-tingling sensation of traveling back to what the world must have been like eons ago.
I have been traveling regularly to the Caribbean since I was 12, and my parents decided to develop one of the first boutique-style condominium complexes in the Turks and Caicos. At the time, there was nothing but endless sand beaches, a few potholed roads and one dive shop. It was magical.
The Turks have changed quite a bit since then, and I thought there weren’t any more Caribbean islands still to be discovered that remained so pristine and relatively undeveloped.
And then I visited Dominica.
Dominica Island’s untouched nature includes verdant mountain peaks and freshwater lakes.
The pristine, undeveloped Caribbean island of Dominica has started hitting the big travel blogs
The small volcano-carved island of Dominica (pronounced “Dom-in-EEK-a”) is located in the eastern Caribbean between Martinique and Guadeloupe, about 635 km (395 miles) southeast of Puerto Rico. Known as the ‘Nature Island,’ Dominica is home to active volcanoes and is covered in waterfalls and endless rainforest.
In the past few months, this heretofore little-known paradise has been making all the gold-standard travel bucket lists.
The New York Times has named Dominica Island a “Secret Garden” and chose it as one of its 52 Places to Go in 2024. National Geographic included Dominica as one of the 30 most exciting destinations for people to visit in 2024. Time Magazine picked Dominica as one of its “World’s greatest places for 2023.” CNN Travel called it one of the “25 most beautiful places in the world,” and TripAdvisor called it one of the “top seven Caribbean islands people are overlooking.”
Dominica is truly special. It is the place that time forgot.
Dominica is truly special. It is the place that time forgot, protected from extensive development by its rugged terrain and nine active volcanoes (the highest concentration in the world). As a result, few places in the world retain such pristine natural beauty and feel as though wild nature rules, not humans. Combined with a welcoming culture, a variety of nature-based activities, and delicious food, it’s easy to fall in love with the island.
With that said, if you’ve got seven, eight or 10 days to soak up Dominica Island, how do you want to spend your time, and what is really worthwhile?
Having spent a lot of time in Dominica and being pretty picky about what’s worth my time, here’s my take on the best things to do — and what to avoid — on this beautiful, down-to-earth and welcoming Caribbean island.
Things to do in Dominica for adventure travelers
Instead of following the herd of cruise ship itineraries, we have carefully curated an eight-day Dominica adventure informed by research and relationships with locals that gives our karibu-ers an authentic appreciation of the people and place while doing our very best to travel without trampling (one of karibu’s guiding principles). And if a place isn’t worth going to, we don’t go.
Here are just some highlights:
Dominica Rainforest Hiking
Dominica is famous for hiking, and the Waitukubuli trail, a series of 14 hiking segments that cross the entire island from north to south. Our favourite segments include the hike around Freshwater Lake, the island's largest lake, located at more than 760 metres (2,500 ft) above sea level. It’s an otherworldly experience as you go from thick rainforest below to elfin cloud forest, with a view that changes as the clouds move.
We also hike the marquee Boiling Lake — a six to eight-hour trek through rainforest, sulfur springs and Desolation Valley, to the world’s second-largest volcanic caldron of boiling water. Both are located in the Morne Trois Pitons National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
And when it comes to waterfall hikes, we like Middleham. It’s a great introduction to the rainforest, but just long enough that it’s not crowded. You are rewarded at the end with a refreshingly cool plunge in a waterfall-carved lagoon. The key is to go at the right time of day to avoid the cruise day-trippers, which our expert guides time perfectly.
Dominica Canyoning — It Feels Like Jurassic Park
If you haven’t tried canyoning, you’ll want to, especially in Dominica.
Canyoning involves navigating natural canyons using a combination of climbing, rappelling, and swimming. The island is full of lush, dramatic gorges alongside waterfalls dropping to cool crystal pools. We have just the place, and our tour guide is the go-to canyoner on the Island.
Coral-Friendly Dominica Diving and Snorkeling
The waters surrounding the Island of Dominica offer an amazing range of topography and marine life. We explore the volcanic vents and underwater rock walls of the Soufriere Scotts Head Marine Reserve with Nature Island Diving, a local diving outfit with a strong commitment to stewardship and protection.
Scotts Head, like most of the Caribbean, has been impacted by coral bleaching and Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease, a rapidly spreading disease affecting over 20 species of hard corals in the Caribbean. The NID has been doing incredible work to try and protect and conserve the reef, and part of our experience includes a talk about conservation efforts along the reef.
Engage With Dominica Island’s Local Indigenous Community, the Kalinago
The Indigenous Kalinago people are the last remaining Indigenous community in the entire Caribbean region.
Dominica is home to the Caribbean’s only remaining Indigenous population. The Kalinago people, numbering about 3,000 people, are Indigenous Caribs with their own Autonomous Territory, which you can visit. Many like to invoke the Kalinagos when talking about the Island’s history and culture. If you’re interested in learning more, we recommend searching out experiences that benefit the community.
At karibu, we have chosen to go a little deeper, consulting with the Kalinago chief and elders on what they think is the best way to visit and engage with their people and land.
On our visit, a Kalinago shaman leads us in a spiritual cleanse, followed by a traditional meal with elders and a chance to learn about the Kalinago’s unique history and what they are doing to keep their traditions alive.
Dominica Creole Cuisine
Dominica is famous for its exquisite variety of tropical fruits.
One of the true attractions of Dominica is the amazing food — a result of the fusion of cultures and an incredible variety of fresh produce and provisions.
Dominican cuisine spans from street food to more elevated. We’ll experience some of the very best of both on our tour, including an experience at Lacou, located in the historic Melrose House in Dominica’s capital, Roseau. Lacou is run by a group of transplanted Montrealers, including Sutherland Haskell, formerly of Vin Mon Lupin, one of the best restaurants in Montreal. We also eat at amazing home cook-run restaurants and learn how to do it ourselves at Creole cooking classes.
Tour a regenerative organic farm
Farming and foraging have a unique place in Dominican culture. Because the island is so fertile, a huge variety of fruit and vegetables can be grown throughout the year. We visit the farm of a young couple who are using their land to demonstrate how permaculture and organic farming methods can be used to live sustainably and bolster climate resiliency.
They have planted more than 300 trees, including an assortment of unique fruit and medicinals, like Cacao, Mangosteen, Soursop, Moringa and Nem.
karibu tours include a healthy lunch at their farm in the rainforest, where we dine on all locally sourced papaya pad thai and salads made from fresh-cut wild hibiscus leaves.
View our full Island of Dominica itinerary.
There are plenty of amazing Dominica adventures, but here’s what we don’t do
Whale watching.
Dominica is known for being the only island in the Caribbean with a resident sperm whale population, and many — if not most — travel coverage of Dominica promotes swimming with these endangered whales. The government has recently announced it will create the world’s first marine protected area for sperm whales. This is welcome news for these endangered animals; however, regulations and wardens must still be put in place.
We’ve consulted with local conservationists who are concerned about disturbance from tours offering to swim with the whales. karibu has, therefore, opted not to offer this as part of our itinerary for now. We love animals, which is why we advise against this dangerous practice.
If you’re looking for incredible whale watching, consider visiting North Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. We take small groups there in August, and a few spots are still open for August 2024.
Dominica’s hot springs.
Dominica’s “hot springs” are talked up a lot on travel blogs. It’s important to know that most of these are hot sulphur springs, which means they smell like suphur. Also, Dominica is rainforest, which means it’s humid, and the average temperature is around 29 C (84 F), so it’s warm. After a day of hiking, we’d rather jump into a cool pool at Jungle Bay.
Also, the springs are a favourite stop-off for day-trippers from cruise ships because they are not too far from the cruise terminal. It’s common to see lots of cruisers lining up to get into the springs. That’s something we’d prefer to avoid. (Luckily for Dominica, the Island only receives one cruise ship per day.)
What to know before you go
Dominica is famous for adventure tours, not sitting on a beach.
Dominica’s hiking scene is unparalleled. Hiking through the rainforest on the Waitukubuli trail and stopping to admire the Boiling Lake is an adventurer’s dream. While there are a few beaches, that’s not what makes the Island truly special.
Accommodation is limited.
There’s either ultra high-end lux at thousands a night, or hippie-style cottages with no air conditioning, and not a lot in between. The karibu team spent weeks traversing Dominica Island to find the best place and that is Jungle Bay Dominica, where we stay — a 4-star, locally-owned ecolodge on beautiful grounds with spectacular views and comfortable rooms.
A light and airy guest room at Jungle Bay, a hotel resort accommodation where karibu adventurers stay during our group tour in Dominica.
It’s not the easiest place to get to.
One of the reasons Dominica is still so undeveloped is because it’s not easy to get to. American Airlines has direct flights from Miami, but otherwise, North Americans have to connect via another Caribbean island. A major new airport is in the works, expected to be completed by 2025, which will make it much easier to fly to Dominica. Of course, with it comes concerns about too much development and tourism changing what makes Dominica so special.
Dominica is a wild place, but there are concerns that could change.
Dominica Island is one of the most unspoiled places you will ever visit. There are some concerns that this will change with the new airport, which can bring even more development. I saw this happen with the Turks, but my hope is that Dominica can succeed where others have failed — and that is to thread the loop between protecting its unique nature and attracting sustainable tourism.
How to visit Dominica Island
How to get there
There are direct flights from Miami with American Airlines. There are also several airlines, including Silver Airlines, that fly to Dominica via Puerto Rico. Several regional airlines, including InterCaribbean and Caribbean Airlines, fly to Dominica from Barbados and other parts of the Caribbean. Alternatively, you can take a ferry from the island of Martinique or Guadeloupe.
The best time to visit Dominica
When to visit Dominica? Winter or spring. November through April is your best bet because the summer season in Dominica brings rain and hurricanes.
Because it’s a rainforest, and hiking is a main activity, we want the combo of lush greenery but avoid the slippiest and muddiest months. By May, the island starts drying out — especially in the south — and you start to lose the rich greenery.
You might hear recommendations to visit during the Mas Dominik Carnival Festival during the week of Ash Wednesday; it’s colourful, but because of the massive influx of tourists, especially from other Caribbean islands, accommodation can be very limited.
Is Dominica safe?
Dominica has a very low crime rate and is considered by many to be safer than other Caribbean islands.
On one of my first visits to Dominica, I was lost and had gotten the wheel of my rental car wedged into a deep concrete channel. The sun was setting, and I was getting nervous when two local men emerged from the forest. They spent two hours jimmying the wheel out, returning home to fetch various tools. They finally freed my vehicle but refused to accept any payment for their help. This is the spirit of Dominica.
Other considerations
Visitors from the U.S. and Canada do not need a visa to enter Dominica. You can enter Dominica with just your Canadian or American passport.
Small group and private Dominica vacations for couples, families, friends & solo travelers
Coral reefs and vibrant waters surround Dominica, the ‘Nature Island.’
Dominica may be getting the notice it deserves, but it’s still a road far less traveled in the Caribbean. It’s a truly unique destination to experience a nature-based vacation combined with the creature comforts of great food and a 4-star boutique ecolodge — the websites and lists aren’t wrong about that.
Where you go and how you go matters, and that’s where karibu shines. We have done the work to curate a Dominica adventure that’s not just a visit — it’s a more authentic experience you won’t get anywhere else.
As we are founded by a journalist, we dig below the surface to take you places on the Island you may not otherwise get to on your own and meet people you would not meet. We stay at the Jungle Bay of Dominica, but we have curated our own tour that goes beyond the weekly event calendar offered to all guests. We do this through relationships we have made and exploring to find the real stories of Dominica.
karibu offers both scheduled and private group trips to the Island. We have 8-day scheduled group (4–12 guests) departures in November and December 2024, as well as January to April 2025. We can also arrange private groups and customized itineraries. It’s an amazing adventure-packed trip for families, appropriate for kids 12+.