Travel to Dominica

Dominica is known as the “Caribbean Nature Island”. Small rodents called agouti dart around the ground in search of nuts, in the trees green, red and blue parrots and butterflies as large as palms circle the flowering shrubs. The forests at the top of Dominica’s volcanoes are shrouded in constant fog, the lakes boil and sulfur rises from the ground with as much determination as the masses of waterfalls plunge towards the earth. Perhaps there is something in the claim that Dominica was the only Caribbean island Columbus learned to recognize.

See Dominica Travel

Population: 73000

Capital: Roseau

Language: English

Geography and nature in Dominica

Dominica is located approximately in the middle of the row of Lesser Antilles that divides the Caribbean Sea from the Atlantic Ocean. This scenic island is of volcanic origin and its landscape is characterized by jagged cliffs and lava peaks with Morne Diablatin at 1,447 meters as the highest point. Many of the cliff sides are covered with either banana plantations or tropical rainforest with several unusual plant, bird and animal species. Here is the island’s national bird, the green-purple emperor zone. The waters around Dominica are rich in whales and dolphins, and whale watching is a popular activity among Dominica visitors. The climate in Dominica is tropical with a heavy rainfall. The 757 km2 island receives 6,500 millimeters of rain every year, slightly less along the coasts. As a comparison, Sweden receives between 600 and 700 millimeters of rain per year. The rain on Dominica falls mainly between July and October when even the infamous Caribbean volcanoes can ravage the island. However, the temperature mostly stays at 25-32 °.

Dominica’s history

Dominica’s indigenous people were the Arawak Indians who in the 14th century had to leave room for the Caribbean Indians. Columbus landed on Sunday, November 3, 1493 and named the country after the day of the week – Dominica is the Latin word for Sunday. The unusually resilient Caribbean Indians made Dominica the last island in the Caribbean to be colonized. French missionaries made an attempt in the 17th century but gave up and left the island again. However, the inhospitable Caribbean Indians eventually had to give way to the Europeans. Both the British and the French were attracted to the island and its precious trees and fought intensively over the island until 1805 when it finally became a British colony. The colonial masters did not succeed in exterminating the Native American population, something that otherwise occurred in many other colonies. Today, Dominica’s approximately 3,000 Caribbean Indians are the only remaining representatives of the indigenous peoples of the Eastern Caribbean. The Caribbean is located in an area on the east coast of Dominica where they live in the same form of reserve as the Indians in the United States. In addition to this minority of 3,000 people, the majority of Dominica’s 72,000 inhabitants are descendants of African slaves. The British granted Dominica independence on November 3, 1978, exactly 485 years after the arrival of the first Europeans. Two years after independence, Dominica made history by electing the Caribbean’s first female prime minister, Mary Eugenia Charles, after years of corrupt and tyrannical rule. Charles’ resignation was followed by a number of turbulent years with very short periods of government. Now, however, Dominica has broken the world record by choosing the world’s youngest head of state,

Attractions in Dominica

In contrast to the beach-lined paradise islands that surround Dominica, there are only a few sandy beaches here. These also usually have a gray-black sand. Dominica is therefore instead trying to market itself as an ecotourism destination. This is therefore not a place to go to if you are looking for neat holiday areas, international hotel chains and classic white sandy beaches. Dominica’s coasts are characterized by rugged cliffs that plunge almost vertically into the sea and form beautiful and very dramatic coastal landscapes. The rest of the nature on the island is also very beautiful. Here the enormous amounts of rain gather in roaring rapids with large waterfalls, such as the 60 meter high Trafalgar Falls which is located in one of the island’s many national parks – Morne Trois Pitons National Park. This beautiful park has met UNESCO’s strict admission requirements and has been given a place on the World Heritage List. The park consists of a volcanic area covered by a lush and tropical rainforest with a large number of plants – a dense jumble of ferns, palm trees, pineapple plants, orchids and old trees with free-standing roots cover the steep volcanic slopes and surround waterfalls, lakes, hot springs and steam-spraying cracks. The national park is also home to a boiling lake which, with its 60 meters in diameter, is the world’s second largest after Rotorua in New Zealand, as well as a large number of birds and butterflies in brilliantly beautiful colors.

The lack of beaches does not mean that swimwear needs to be left at home. Here you can swim in a small lake below a waterfall surrounded by green-clad cliffs and moss-covered rock. One of the most beautiful places for this type of activity is the Emerald Lake, or Emerald Pool, at Canefield north of the capital Roseau. In addition to hiking on sparsely populated and beautiful trails, you can also enjoy diving. There are good opportunities for unusual diving experiences among Dominica’s fish-rich coral reefs and steep underwater cliffs.

Those who want to see something other than nature can visit the capital Roseau. With its old wooden and stone houses with winding wooden ornaments and beautiful balconies, the city looks almost like a remnant of a bygone era. Still, it has everything a Caribbean city should contain in terms of markets, colonial churches and nice family restaurants with exciting Creole food on the menu. The city’s botanical garden, built in 1890, is also well worth a visit.

Climate and weather Dominica

Below you can read about the weather and climate in Dominica – see among other things temperatures for the capital Roseau.

According to bridgat, Dominica has a tropical climate and is rich in rainfall. The 754 km2 island receives 6,500 millimeters of rain annually, and slightly less along the coasts. In comparison, the annual precipitation in Sweden is between 500 and 1,000 millimeters per year. Most of Dominica’s precipitation falls between July and October and this is when the infamous Caribbean hurricanes can ravage the island. During this period, the island can also be greeted by the infamous Caribbean hurricanes. On the other hand, the temperature is mostly between 25 and 32 ° C.