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Dominica: Things To Do

If you’re looking for a lazy Caribbean beach vacation, Dominica is not for you. Action-seekers, on the other hand, will be easily seduced by Dominica’s combination of unique cultural heritage and pristine natural environment – it's the perfect place for scaling 4,000-foot peaks, traversing the treetops in a gondola, or diving in sheltered bays.

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Cabrits National Park and Fort Shirley The centerpiece of this 1,300-acre national park is Fort Shirley, a volcanic stone construction perched on a bluff overlooking Prince Rupert Bay. The 18th-century British fort is comprised of 50 structures ranging from storehouses, barracks, and gun batteries. There’s a small site museum covering the history of the fort and a few miles of trails to explore too. Portsmouth; 2 miles north of Portsmouth
family | history

Carib Indian Reservation The once cannibalistic tribe that used to dominate the entire Caribbean now survives on a mere 282.3 acres of land on the east coast of Dominica. Head straight to Kalinago Barana Auté, a thatched roof village built on one acre along the banks of the Crayfish-River near Isukulati Falls. Here, visitors enjoy watching canoe carving, basket weaving, and cassava processing demonstrations. East Coast; Carib Indian Reservation; 767-445-7979; www.kalinagobaranaaute.com
culture | traditional | great value

Morne Trois Pitons National Park Created in 1975 and named a UNESCO world heritage site in 1997, Dominica’s first national park contains some of the rarest species (the Sisserou parrot, for example) and most diverse landscapes in the Caribbean. Numerous hiking trails dissect the 17,000+ lush, rugged acres which include some of the island’s top attractions including boiling mud ponds, geysers, and the Boiling Lake. Southern Highlands; 6.75 miles east of Rouseau
family | national park | outdoors

Rainforest Aerial Tram Gondolas transport visitors across approximately one mile of protected tropical rainforest canopy in Morne Trois Pitons National Park. The ride lasts 90 minutes and lets you get up close and personal with waterfalls, diverse plant life, and 172 species of birds like the endangered Sisserou parrot, purple throated hummingbird, and the mountain whistler. Closed June-November. Southern Highlands; Morne Trois Pitons National Park; 767-448-8775; www.rfat.com
tour | wildlife | smart splurge | outdoors

Scuba and Snorkeling While Dominica’s beaches are rocky, the island makes up for it underwater where you can see seahorses, garden eels, and reef sharks. Some of the best diving and snorkeling in the Caribbean takes place off the leeward and north coasts. Dive Dominica offers PADI certification courses and trips to the Soufriere-Scotts Head Marine Reserve, other parts of the reef, and to numerous shipwrecks. Leeward and Southern Coasts; Dive Dominica; 767-448-2188; www.divedominica.com
snorkeling | smart splurge

World Creole Music Festival For three days every year (either in late October or early November – check the website for exact dates) musicians from across the West Indies descend upon Rouseau to perform cadence, compass, zouk, zydeco, soukous, and other Creole jams, along with a few big names in reggae. Rouseau; www.festivalmusiquecreoledominique.com
trendy | live music | festival