A visit to Dominica, the Nature Island of the Caribbean.

A visit to Dominica, the nature island in the Caribbean, is a must. I love the beautiful Caribbean island; you will too when you visit. This was my second visit to Dominica. My first time was in my early 20s, just for an overnight. So, this visit was technically my first and was about exploring this beautiful island. The first thing you will notice during landing is the terrain, and it is spectacular. From the lush and varied flora and fauna, you can see why Dominica is the most mountainous island of the Lesser Antilles.

The island has a Boiling Lake, the second-largest thermally active lake in the world.  A Visit to the boiling lake is on my bucket list.

It is a volcanic island with 365 rivers, one for each day of the year, and I plan to visit a few. In addition, the island has an array of impressive waterfalls and one of the longest trails in the Caribbean, the Waitukubuli National Trail. The trail covers 114 miles, spanning and twisting the length of Dominica; the island is an absolute phenomenon.  

Once on the ground, you could smell the fresh and clean air. I was ready for the great rivers and crisp spring waters from the mountains.

Getting through customs and immigration was a breeze; the Douglas Charles DOM airport is relatively small and easy to navigate. Once out of the airport, it was a smooth 90-minute drive to the resort.

 

The driver stopped for fresh fruits and local snacks from the roadside vendors. Dominica has an abundance of fruits and vegetables, and getting fruits freshly picked from the trees, you can’t explain how different the fruit taste from store-bought you can taste it.

During the drive, my first observation was how clean the island was.  The island is more pristine and clean than others. There were flowers planted in nicely decorated old tires in many areas. There was also no trash on the streets. On arrival at the resort, I got served a welcome drink and had to ask for seconds. You could taste all the spices in the glass. So good. I checked in and was taken to my villa, and I immediately wanted to extend my stay; the room was beautifully decorated and spacious.

The room smelled so clean and fresh I had to ask what cleaning supplies were used. The Jungle Bay resort is literally in a garden and is called an edible resort. The resort garden is full of fruits, vegetables, and flowers. Even some of the flowers were edible.   Guests can walk around and pick fruits like papayas, guavas, and mangoes and enjoy everything. I was happy to collect a bowl of mangoes daily for breakfast. I picked guavas from my room and also a tiny soursop. I got fresh coconut water daily to keep me hydrated.   Now enough about the fruits. Let’s talk about the food.   Dominica practices “eat what we grow,” which was evident in the menu and meant the food was fresh and had many farm-to-table meals.

I enjoyed the provision of pies, which was different each time.  I’m ready to move to Dominica and be a nomad for a few months.

Dominica is a volcanic Mountainous Island with plenty of rivers and farms; if you are into diving, you will not be disappointed. Another popular item you could find in every area was the Bush rum. There is lots of bush-tasty rum, and everyone is proud of their version. However, it would be best to be wary of the tasty concoction once the bottles have no labels. My favorite bush rum locations were the Weefee bar in Soufriere and the Indian River bar. Those are must-visit places. And the India River was part of the Pirates of the Caribbean movie. So you have to visit for a photo op, if not just cruising on the river, enjoying the fresh breeze, and watching the wildlife, and yes, the Bush rum makes it worth the trip.

Exploring Dominica was terrific. My favorite of all things was the Titou Gorge waterfall. That was so refreshing and exciting,  and it was part of the Pirates of the Caribbean movie.

At first, I was hesitant because you had to swim to experience the waterfall, and I’m not the strongest swimmer, but when I saw the crisp sparkling water, the life jacket and tube were calling my name. I enjoyed every second of it and was so happy I did not chicken out.

Overall Dominica was a fantastic destination with so much to offer. American Airlines flies not stop out of Miami, which was a breeze and a short 3-hour flight. Other options are going via Puerto Rico or Barbados.  Accommodations include 5-star to smaller BnB. The Jungle Bay Resort and Cabrits Continental are some of the favorites.