1.
Whale and dolphin
watching from Dominica - afternoon boat excursions from
Dive
Dominica and the Anchorage Hotel are twice weekly - 2.00pm till dusk,
all
year round. Along with the many species of whale which frequent our
waters
(located by sonar detector lowered from the boat) can be seen
dolphins
and frigatebirds, along with flying fish jumping alongside and in front
of the boat. Follow this link for
further
details.
2. Hike
to the
(world's second largest) Boiling Lake, situated in our
WorldHeritage
Site, the Morne Trois Pitons National
Park.
An all day guided hike through
forested
highlands, via Titou Gorge, Breakfast River, Panorama viewpoint and
theValley
of Desolation, where steam is emitted and boiling water trickles from
fumaroles
and small wells into a grey water stream. The outflow of water from the
lake itself flows eatward down the White River, which meets the
Atlantic
near the village of Delices. This is the only hike in Dominica on which
you MUST be accompanied by a qualified guide. See Boiling Lake
for further details
|
Boeri Lake
.
.
Titou
Gorge
Laudat
Freshwater Lake
|
3.
Other hikes in
Morne Trois Pitons National Park include the impressive
300ft
Middleham Falls, which takes approx. 1 hour to reach from either
Providence
(near to Laudat), beyond Cochrane via Tou Santi (stinking hole), or
from
Sylvania.
From the elevated village of Laudat, the visitor
centre at Feshwater Lake is about
a 10 minute drive,
from where a new trail encircles the lake and just beyond it a 45
minute hiking trail continues on to Boeri Lake. These may
also be reached via a hiking trail from the village of Grand Fond,
accessed
from the east coast at Rosalie.
Should you attempt any of
less well used
trails - around the peaks of Morne Trois Pitons, the summits of Morne
Micotrin
(4,006ft.) or Morne Watt (4,017ft.), you are also advised to take along
a qualified guide, as it is easy to loose the trail in places . Most
hikes
commence from or near to the village of Laudat, at a cool 2,000ft in
the
northern heights above the Roseau Valley.
In
the southern heights is
the village of
Woten Waven, from where there are short trails to hot springs, geysers
and fumaroles such as the Dragon's Mouth. You may soak in one of
several warm mineral pool spa's - TiKwenGlocho, Screws & at
Rainforest ShanGri-la.
4.
Field trip with
Forester and bird expert.
Favourite
locations are Colihaut Heights and the Syndicate Forest on the western
slopes of Morne Diablotin, were our two native parrot species are most
commonly observed from lookout points along the rim of the Picard River
gorge, along with other endemics such as Grey Kingbird, Mangrove
Cuckoo,
Blue-hooded Euphonia and four varieties of Hummingbird, and from where
a short hike will bring you to the river pool below Milton Falls on the
Dublanc River, a tranquil spot to enjoy a traditionally prepared picnic
lunch and take a refreshing bathe in the river. An all day outing may
also
include a visit to Cabritts or boatride up the Indian River. See Birdwatching in Dominica for further details.
5.
Cabrits National
Park. Just north of Portsmouth is a twin peaked peninsular
with
well tended nature trails through 'dry forest' to both summits, where
old
cannons remain and from where panoramic views can be enjoyed. Near to
the
park entrance and visitor centre are the well preserved remains of Fort
Shirley. Parts of this are currently undergoing restoration under the
supervision of island historian, Lennox Honychurch.
6. The
Indian River meanders slowy
though mangrove trees and marsh plains to its mouth on the south side
of
Portsmouth from where, for a small charge, a guide will row you up the
river as far as navigable to a bush bar in the forest, where you may
disembark
for refreshments before returning. Your guide will describe the
unique
vegetation to be seen along this tranquil stretch of river and you will
be unlucky not to spot the giant Ringed Kingfisher.
7.
Botany field
trip with Forester and flora expert.
Dominica's flora is very diverse, with numerous varieties of colourful
heliconia, orchids, bromeliads, anthurium, creepers, ferns and
mosses.
Commonly seen are beautiful pink anthuriums growing under the forest
canopy
and deep red ginger lilies. The wealth of indigenous primordial
rainforest
cloaking much of the island is also very diverse and interesting.
8.
Soufriere's
'Champagne' & forest hot springs. Soufriere is at the
south
of the island, on the north side of Scotts Head Bay, a marine reserve.
In the sea immediately in front of a historic old church on the shore,
and in several other nearby locations, streams of tiny bubbles rise
from
the sea bed, betraying undersea hot springs referred to locally as
'champagne'.
Following the unpaved road inland from Soufriere for about 1 1/2 miles
brings you to a hot springs bathing pool in the shade of the forest
canopy.
From there, a nature trail ascends to several sulphur deposits - large,
pale, cone shaped mounds with steam seeping from the odd crevice.
forest
mineral
pool, Soufriere |
9.
The twin Trafalgar
Falls are only a 20 minute forest walk from the village
of Trafalgar, at the head of the Roseau Valley - a generous and well
tended
trail leads through mature forest to a timber viewing platform. For the
young and fit, a narrow and rocky trail continues up to the pool at the
base of each of the falls, where a wind of fine spray rapidly cools you
down. Papillote's 4 acres of forest gardens and restaurant overlooking
the Roseau Valley is an ideal spot to take lunch.
10.
Scuba Diving and
Snorkelling - Dominica is rated among the top 5 dive
destinations
in the whole of the Caribbean and number 8 in the World. Diving
opportunities
off the 29 miles of sheltered west coast are exceptional and not to be
missed if you are divers. There are several dive centres scattered
along
this stretch - from north to south: Cabrits Dive
Centre, close to Picard Beach
Cottages, Anse-A-Liane Lodge, near to
Colihaut,
the East Carib Dive Club at Salisbury
beach, Dive
Castaways at Mero, Dive Dominica
and
the Anchorage Hotel, side by side at
Castle
Comfort just south of Roseau, and Nature Island
Dive
at Soufriere. The marine reserve at Scotts Head/Soufriere Bay is a
sumerged
volcano, renown for its 'champagne' bubbles and great diversity.
Douglas
Bay, north of the Cabritts peninsular is also a designated marine
reserve.
On the Atlantic side, the north facing stretch of coastline from
Blenheim
to Woodford Hill has many attractive inlets and coves which are
sheltered
from the strong currents and breakers of the Atlantic and where
snorkelling
is also possible. Visit our scuba page
for
further information.
some of the many
fish commonly seen
in Dominican waters
blackbar
soldierfish : harlequin bass : longsnout butterflyfish : spotted drum :
moray eel
|
11.
The South East
Coast has some breathtaking scenery. The road from Pond
Casse
in the island's centre first reaches the South Eeast coast at the
picturesque
mouth
of the Rosalie River. A further 20
min.
drive south brings you to the Sari-Sari River, below the bridge is a
long
deep river pool ideal for bathing and a great picnic spot. Turn left
and
drive through the village of Laplaine and you will come to a hiking
trail
along the river to Sari-Sari Falls. Driving south for a further 20 min.
brings you to the village of Delices, where the White River flowing
from
the Boiling Lake nears the sea. A 45 min. hike will bring you to the
Victoria
Falls. Downstream from the windy pool below are several smaller pools,
large and deep enough to enjoy a swim in the opaque, turquoise water
which
has by then lost much of its heat, but is nonetheless a very pleasant
temperature.
Along this whole stretch of coast, the palm, banana and forest clad
slopes
rise steeply and dramatically to some towering summits.
12. The
Carib Territory
in the east is home to the only surviving population
of Carib Indians in the whole of the Caribbean chain of islands,
originally
descended from South America. They inhabited most islands of the region
for a long period of time but most were wiped out during the time of
European
colonisation. Handicrafts such as basket weaving and carving can be
purchased
from roadside kiosks and a traditional Carib Village is open to
visitors where a veriety ot typical Carib construction can be observed
and local food sampled. A series of small waterfalls leading to the sea
at the mouth of the Crayfish River is very picturesque.
| coconut
bread
Carib
construction
Crayfish River |
13.
the popular
Emerald Pool and also the little known Twin
Falls are in the forested
highland in the centre of the island. Not far from the juntion leading
to Castle Bruce in the east is a visitor centre by the road, from where
a fairly short, gentle and well tended trail leads through the forest
to
the Emerald Pool below a small waterfall in the shade of the forest
canopy
- a beautiful spot if you are alone, but to be avoided on cruise ship
days!
Along the Imperial Road leading north-east from Pond Casse in the
direction
of Marigot is a small local bar, painted light blue and named Spanny's
Disco. After first requesting permission at the bar, follow the path
which
leads from the main road accross agricultural land to the edge of the
forest,
from where a trail leads down the valley side to a pool at the base of
the first falls. After crossing the river, the trail rises sharply over
a small ridge to a second falls of similar proportions. A idyllic spot
- both pools are suitable for a refreshing bathe.
14.
climb our highst
mountain peaks - Morne Trois Pitons (4,672ft) and Morne Diablotin
(4,747ft) but
only if you are fit and active and enjoy obstascle courses. These
trails
are seldom used and are not well maintained - watch out for Razorgrass,
which is a sedge with a triangular stem and can climb and grow very
long
- the dark green slender blades have a surface which sticks like velcro
to your skin and scratches if you pull away! The trail leading to the
summit
of Morne Trois Pitons starts at the
Rosalie
Road, close to the Pond Casse roundabout in the centre of the
island.
The Morne Diablotin trail commences close to Syndicate Forest, accessed
via road from the west coast highway, just north of Dublanc, where the
junction is signposted to Morne Diablotin. Allow a minimum of 3 hours
each
way for either hike and remember it is usually dark by about 7.00pm.
15.
The north facing
north-east coast has many attractive and secluded beaches,
often sheltered from the Atlantic by rocks and islets - Hodges Bay,
Grand
Babtiste Bay and Calibishie are favourites. Calibishi is a small and
very
pleasant village with a handful of shops, bars and restaurants. From
the
ridgetop road through and beyond the village of Bense, a trail leads
down
to the Hampstead River. After
crossing
the first part of the river, follow the second to where a deep diving
pool
can be found below a small waterfall.
16. New
Lake, Carholm In
November 1997, Dominica experienced several weeks of prolonged heavy
rain
which precipitated a massive landslide in the interior. This formed
three
dams blocking a northern tributary of the Layou River. The lower dam
burst
after about a week of continued heavy rain, the second burst a few days
later. These flooded the Layou River, depositing huge amounts of tarish
and sand, temporarily raising the level of the river bed by up to 30
feet
in places. The rear dam did not burst and has consolidated, leaving a
new
lake with a much largerv surface area than either the Freshwater or
Boeri
Lakes and reaching a maximum depth of 140 feet. This lake may be viewed
from the end of the road at the edge of the escarpment left by the
landslide,
reached via a feeder road just east of the Layou River Hotel. Though
officially
named the Mathia Dam, the local landowner has christened this area 'Miracle
Valley'. The rear shore of the lake by be reached via a
hiking
trail from the Cuba Road which loops up into the hills from Mero to
Salisbury
on the mid west coast.
17. The
Layou River
is the island's longest, originating on the south-east slopes of Morne
Diablotin, flowing first in a south easterly direction then, from the
village
of Belles, westwards to flow ultimately into the Caribbean Sea.
Approx.
3 miles from its estuary on the mid-west coast, by the first road
bridge,
a short trail leads to a shaded beach on its south bank, where a long
stretch
of river is slow and deep enough to enjoy a swim and where, on the far
bank, a small pool has been built around a hotspring. Another great
picnic
spot.
|
Layou River. central Dominica |
18.
Wild Life The
Agouti is a tailless forest rodent with dark fur and pink ears, not
unlike
a tallish guineapig. The Manicou is a species of opossum - it has a
tail,
lives mostly in the trees and is largely nocturnal. These are believed
to have been introduced by the early Amerindian settlers from the
Orinoco
delta region of South America, as a source of food. Wild boar were also
introduced into the forests for hunting, but are seldom seen. The only
indigenous mammal to Dominica is the bat, of which there are several
varieties,
commonly seen in numbers at dusk - favourite food, mosquitos. Mountain
Chicken or Crapaud is a very large smooth skinned frog native to
Dominica
and Monserrat - colour varies from brown to grey, depending on local
habitat.
The male is identified by a short black thumb claw, which aids holding
on whilst mating. It used to be abundant also in the neighbouring
French
islands of Martinique and Guadeloupe but, regarded as a delicacy, it
has
in recent years been hunted to extinction. There are also three
varieties
of tiny tree frog.
| mountain
chicken/
crapaud
tree
frog
iguana |
Vivid green Iguanas are
prevalent in coastal
areas, spending most of their time in trees, where they often go
unnoticed
due to their excellent camouflage. The predominant old males turn grey
and black and grow a frill under their chin. Most commonly seen
throughout
the island are tree lizards, local name zandoli. They have the ability
to lighten or darken their colour (though not rapidly) to suit their
surroundings.
The males are territorial and swing out a bright orange neck fan to
intimidate
rivals. The nocturnal gecko is also commonly seen, often around patio
lights,
which attract a good meal of insects. Ground lizards, local name abalo,
can grow almost as large as iguanas. They are carnivors and scavengers,
common but shy, and can run exceedingly fast. Males are tinged with
blue,
whilst females are brown with two yellow stripes down their back.
abalo
grass
snake
boa
skink
zandoli
gecko
|
As well as the tiny legged
skink, there are
several varieties of grass snake and the larger boa, which usually
keeps
well hidden in the forest and scrubland - none are poisonous. Soon
to come - flora and
fauna pages.
19.
Eating local
food Fresh
fish may be obtained locally from many of the coastal villages.
A conche being blown can usually be heard throughout the vicinity,
indicating
when fish are available for sale from the local fishermen. Red Snapper,
Balou, Dorade and Tuna are commonly available. Crabs, crayfish and
shrimps
can be found in the rivers and streams. Fresh
fruit
and vegetables are
of amazing quality and succulence; bananas, limes, grapefruit, oranges,
pawpaw, mangoes, avocado pears, starfruit (carambola), water melon,
pineapple,
guava, passion fruit, coconuts, soursop, sugar apples, custard apples,
golden apples (pome-cite), easter apples, mammee apples - often
referred
to as apricot, local cherries, tamarind, yellow goosberries, cocoa etc.
Vegetables include green bananas, plantains, cristophene, green pawpaw,
pumpkin, bredfruit, breadnuts, cucumber, spinach, zucchini, celery and
very full flavoured tomatoes. Root vegetables include beetroot,
dasheen,
tania, yam and several variety of sweet potato. The main outlet is
Roseau's
market place, located at the Riverside, close to the Bayfront. Dasheen
and Tania bear large 'elephant ear' leaves - from the young tender
shoots
is made thick, green Calaloo soup, a local delicacy. Floral Gardens
Hotel,
in the north east, grow sufficient Hibiscus to make a refreshing
and delicately flavoured cold drink from the red flower petals, served
daily in their riverside restaurant.
20.
Activities For
the hyperactive, bicycles and kayaks can be hired by the hour,
dayor
half day at Scotts Head and Soufriere. Snorkelling gear may also be
hired.
Sports
fishing
- charter a boat (half day US$350, full day US$600)
|
