A Dominica honeymoon: Secluded natural beauty meets authentic Caribbean culture

What Dominica lacks in sandy beaches, it makes up for in natural beauty. (Photo courtesy of madmack66; some rights reserved.

Dominica may not have the white sand beaches that other Caribbean islands boast, but what it does have—extensive tropical forest, volcanic peaks, waterfalls, a thriving native population, and a lack of crowds—make a Dominica honeymoon an intriguing option.

Dominica (not to be confused with the Dominican Republic) is known as “The Nature Island” for its stunning natural beauty. The most mountainous island of the Lesser Antilles (about halfway between Puerto Rico and Trinidad), two-thirds of Dominica is covered by rain forest—much of it protected by an extensive system of nature preserves, including Morne Trois Pitons National Park,  the first UNESCO World Heritage Site in the eastern Caribbean. Its volcanic natural heritage is evidenced by bubbling underwater vents (Champagne Lake), steaming volcanic cones, and even a lake of boiling water (named, aptly, Boiling Lake). Visitors enjoy hiking the island’s extensive trails, scuba diving and snorkeling the coral reefs, dolphin watching, kayaking, and zip lining through the jungle.

Just 70,000 people live on the island’s 289.5 square miles, including about 3,000 Carib Indians—one of the only remaining populations of pre-Columbian Carib Indians in the Caribbean. Dominica may not feature upscale shopping, but its population centers hold plenty of delights. In Roseau, the capital, you can explore the picturesque French Quarter, or browse fresh produce being sold by vendors in the Food Market, or catch a game of cricket on the local pitch. Other interesting attractions include the botanical gardens and the Roseau Cathedral, built of black stone in the Gothic style.

Here are some other Dominica highlights:

• The Calibishie Coast, near the picturesque fishing village of Calibishie, is one of the few areas in the world where you can travel from the seashore to the littoral forest to the rain forest in little more than a mile. Experience palm-fringed beaches, freshwater rivers with secluded bathing pools, tumbling waterfalls, and the exotic birds and lush vegetation of the rainforest, all in a day’s walk.
• Dominica is well known for its music: jazz, reggae-dancehall, calypso and soca, Cadence-lypso and Bouyon are among the genres you’ll find locally. Visit during the last weekend of October to catch the World Creole Music Festival.
• Other festivals include Carnival (February or March), Dive Fest (July), Independence (October-November), and the Dominica Festival of Arts (April-June). “Throughout the year, villages remember patron saints by holding feasts,” according to the Dominica website.
• Despite being off the beaten path, tourism (especially ecotourism) is one of the primary industries, so you’ll find plenty of comfortable accommodations. Papillote Wilderness Retreat, for instance, is located deep in the jungle—there are two waterfalls, wild fauna, four beautifully set hot spring pools, resident chickens and peacocks on the inn’s four acres—and yet the “small, secluded inn” also features a spa as well as excellent food: “fresh caught fish, exotic fruits and abundant vegetables from the endless bounty of Dominica’s organic gardens,” according to the Papillote website.
• You can find deals at the Dominica website (click on the “Travel Offers” link). At the time of this writing, for instance, the Hibiscus Valley Inn was offering a 10-day honeymoon package that included a “romantic nature bungalow,” tours and boat rides to local destinations, meals, airport transfers, and site passes for $1,000 per person.
• Visitors from the United States, Canada and European Union nations are granted automatic visas on entry for up to 21 days. The primary language on Dominica is English.

For more information, see this video guide to Dominica:

Much of this article was adapted from the following Wikitravel articles under a Creative Commons 3.0 license: | Dominica | Roseau | Additional information was adapted from the Dominica tourism website.