Must See

Cabrits National Park

Created in 1987, Cabrits National Park is 1,313 acres of protected tropical forests and volcanic-sand beaches located on a peninsula just north of Portsmouth.

Contained within the park is Fort Shirley, a large 18th century British fort that could house 600 soldiers. Some of the fort's stone ruins have been partially reconstructed, whilst others are half-hidden in the jungle and can be explored. The section that was formerly the officer's quarters affords wonderful views down over Prince Rupert Bay. The park also encompasses the surrounding coast and coral reefs, and Dominica's largest swamp.

Carib Territory

Dominica has the only remaining tribe of Carib Indians in the Caribbean. After their numbers dwindled dramatically in the seventeenth-century when disease arrived from Europe, there are now only around 3,000 on the island. They live on a 3,700 acre reserve on the north-east coast of the island, where traditional wooden buildings and tin and tar-paper shanties are found amid breadfruit and banana trees. The Caribs survive through agriculture, fishing and the crafts they sell to visitors. The traditional manufacturing of dugout canoes is an interesting sight.

Morne Trois Pitons National Park

This impressive rainforest reserve, encompassing much of Dominica's mountainous volcanic interior, was recognised by UNESCO in 1998 as a World Heritage Site. The park, which covers 17,000 acres and is located in the south-central part of Dominica, is primordial rainforest, which varies from thick jungle to cloud forest cover on the upper slopes of Morne Trois Pitons itself.

Places of interest in the park include the eerie-looking Boiling Lake, the second-largest actively boiling lake in the world, which can be reached after a strenuous four-hour walk. It is believed that the 63m-wide lake is a flooded fumarole - a crack in the earth that allows hot gases to vent from the molten lava below. The water temperature at the edge of the lake ranges from 82-91.5°C, whilst in the centre it reaches boiling point.

Another impressive sight is the Victoria Waterfall, which is formed by the White River pouring over a cliff into a warm pool below, where minerals give the water a milky white colour.

Portsmouth

Dominica's second-largest town is situated in the north-west of the island, on Prince Rupert Bay, and is where Columbus entered Dominica during his fourth voyage to the New World in 1504.

There is a small colourful monument dedicated to Lord Cathcart and a market is held here twice a week with local fruits and spices. A line of shipwrecks piled up in the shallow waters behind the police station.

Roseau

One of the Caribbean's poorest capitals, Roseau (pronounced roze-o) is situated in a scenic setting backed by verdant mountains. The main centre for visitors, Roseau has been recently restored after hurricane damage and the city now boasts a new promenade and a cruise ship dock. The Old Market Plaza with its open-air stalls and museum has been made a pedestrian area. Strolling through the quieter back streets can feel like stepping back in time.

Jeep safaris can be made from here into the hinterland. Canoe trips up the island's rivers can also be organised.

Trafalgar

Trafalgar is a village in the Roseau Valley and takes its name from an estate in the area, which was named after the Battle of Trafalgar. A path through the village leads to the nearby Trafalgar waterfalls - one of Dominica's most famous sites - reached after a hike through a forest of ginger plants and vanilla orchids. The twin falls (known as Mother and Father) are joined by a hot mineral spring, and visitors may swim in the hot and cold pools at the falls' base.

Watersports

Dominica is one of the top five dive destinations in the world, and its hard and soft coral reefs are home to an abundance of marine life. The island's diverse underwater terrain provides dive sites suitable for all skill levels, from beginner to the experienced. Snorkelling is particularly popular in the Soufrière area, south of the capital Roseau, with visibility reaching 80 m (263 ft). Divers are prohibited from taking any living organism from the seabed or removing any artefacts from sunken wrecks.

There are also facilities for windsurfing, parasailing and water-skiing at coastal hotels. Sailing boats and motor boats can be chartered along the coast and fishing charters can be arranged for larger groups. Whale and dolphin watching is also on offer.

Although there are a few white-sand beaches on the northeast of the island, the beaches are mainly of black volcanic sand. Swimming is possible in the sea or in the island's secluded rock pools, notably at Emerald Pool, Trafalgar Falls and Titou Gorge, where two hot springs filter into a rock pool.