Dominica: The Unspoiled Caribbean

Dominica, a volcanic island located between Guadeloupe and Martinique, is an independent nation. The island is still undergoing continual volcanic change. Banana exports have been the main source of income on the island. Recently, tourism has become a larger part of the economy. Although the primary language of the island is English, most of the islanders speak with a nice French accent.

I believe that being prepared and knowing what is offered on this beautiful island is the key to a wonderful visit. Because Dominica is a fairly poor island and has only recently started focusing on tourism, the roads are narrow and windy and a fair amount of walking will be involved if you want to see some of the natural wonders on this island. But, if you are prepared with drinking water and good walking shoes, you can see beautiful areas without overwhelming yourself.

We took a private tour of the island with Antours, a local tour company. They offer tours to both cruise passengers and those staying on the island for a longer stay. You can find more information about Antours at http://www.antours.dm/home.htm. When I initially wrote to Antours, I mentioned that I was not in the best of shape and could walk short, but not long distances. I also mentioned that we would like a private tour so that we could tour at our own pace. The tour that we were quoted was $45/person for 5 hours. We were to see the Watten Waven Sulphur Springs, Trafalgar Falls, Emerald Pool, and Mero Beach (a black sand beach). When we arrived, I asked if we could go to Morne Bruce, an overlook that I had seen pictures of if we were willing to shorten or skip our trip to the beach. Because this was a private tour, they were great about meeting our requests.