From Wikitravel

This article is an itinerary.

[edit] Understand

This itinerary gives you some interesting ideas on what to do in Dominica. If you are in a hurry skip one or two destinations and it will fit into 2-3 days. Take it easy and it might take you forever.

[edit] Prepare

[edit] Get in

[edit] by air

The international airport is served by regional airlines. It is located on the opposite end of the island from Rosea.

[edit] by boat

[edit] Itinerary

All the travel legs between the destination can be done by bus, taxi or rental car. If you are on a low budget and have plenty of time then hitch-hiking or the bus will be fine (except on Sundays), although sitting in a bumpy bus for long trips on winding mountain roads is not the most comfortable thing to do. Taxi is more comfortable than the buses and may not be expensive, particuarly if the fare is shared with 2+ travellers. Whether you use the bus or taxi, make sure that you clearly agree to the destination and price before you start the trip.

[edit] Roseau

Roseau is the capital of Dominica and has many restaurants, small shops and wonderful views of the mountains (to the east) and the Caribbean Sea (to the west). The town is hums with the sounds of vehicles, Caribbean accents, and minor commerce (e.g. sidewalk BBQs, vendors selling clothing in street stalls).

Highlights for travellers in Roseau include the Saturday morning market near here the Roseau River meets the Caribbean Sea. The market vendors start setting up very early (before dawn) to ensure they get good stall locations and snacks can be had be revellers returning late from Friday night festivities. The market is a great place to buy frsh fruit, seafood, and spices. There is less variety but still good prices for vegetables, meat and goods.

The botanical garden is located just east of downtown (accessible via St George V Street) and is a great place to spend an hour or so wandering the landscaped green fields. It is open to the public and there is no charge. There is a nice hike from the botanical garden up the hill to the east, which offers a wonderful view of Roseau and the Caribbean Sea. The hike is of easy-to-moderate difficulty and will take a novice hiker perhaps 40 minutes one-way. The hike allows for up-close exploration of many native CAribbean plants, many of which are common house plants outside of the tropics. A small shrine is located at the top of the hill, near a look out.

The emerald pool is a definite do-not-miss. Most natives know where it is. It will feel cool at first but it takes only 2-3 minutes to get used to it. The water in the pool feels very pure and soft against your skin. You could relax in there for hours.

Soccer games in Roseau are played on the local field. They occur fairly often and are a great popular spectator sport. There is a small entrance fee.

Sundays in Roseau are very quiet and more store-fronts (and many restaurants) are closed. Best to plan for a nature-day on Sundays. However, make sure your transportation is planned because buses and taxis will either not be operating or at much less frequency.

[edit] Snorkeling

South of Roseau is an area known as Champagne, a clever name meant to attract visitors. That said, there is no charge to visit the area and it is quite nice. The name comes from the mild underwater geothermal activity, which produces gas bubbles that float from the bottom of the sand to the surface - producing a wonderful tickling sensation on the body. The beach in this area (like around most of Dominica) is fairly nice. Expect to comfortably spend about 1-3 hours at Champagne. You can access this area by taxi, bus or private car and you will need to walk down from the road to the water.

For additional snorkeling, see Scotts Head.

[edit] Hiking

Hiking is one of the best ways to see Dominica and there are many wonderful hikes around the island of easy to challenging.

Easy hikes

Moderate hikes

• Middle Ham Falls - the waterfall is a wonderful reward at the end of the hike. Be careful on the trail as it can be a bit challenging in parts. The start of the trail is a fair distance north-east of Roseau so expect to spend about an hour driving each way. The hike may take about an hour each way. You'll want to spend at least 30 minutes enjoying your reward for the hike at the Middle Ham falls and pool.

Adventurous hikes

• Valley of Desolation/ Boiling Lake - make sure to leave yourself time to travel to/ from this destination in addition to the lengthy/ challenging hike. Expect to take a at least 8 hours round trip (including driving) - but it's worth the effort. Stunning scenery.

[edit] Colonial Forts

An old British Fort is located on the north-west coast at Portsmouth. A small fee may be charged. Expect to spend 1-2 hours at the site.

[edit] Carib village

A Carib Indian village is located on the eastern side of the island (south of the airport). Please be respectful of the people and the community as this is not a museum. That said, there are several places to buy Carib arts and crafts, as well as a few small, informal restaurants and corner stores for snacks and drinks.

[edit] Scotts Head

Scotts Head is a small isthmus on the southern tip of the island. It is also the name of the small community located there. It takes about one hour to drive from Roseau each way. Scotts Head is a great place to hike up the steep outcrop, which offers a wonderful view of the south-west coast of Dominica and the Caribbean Sea (and even the island of Martinique to the south).

There is also great snokelling around this area, including lots of coral and seasonal jellyfish. To snorkel around the Scotts Head prominance would take perhaps an hour of casual swimming.

Several small restaurants along the (only) road to Roseau can offer an inexpensive and tasy meal after your hike/ snorkel/ sunbathing.

[edit] Get out