Dominica — the Nature Isle of the Caribbean — is the odd one out in the region. There are no white-sand resort beaches, no casino strips, no all-inclusive hotel zones. What there is: a staggering volcanic interior covered in rainforest, 365 rivers (one for every day of the year, locals say), the world's second-largest boiling lake, and some of the finest diving in the Caribbean. If you came looking for a beach holiday, you've landed in the wrong place. If you came to hike, dive, or simply disappear into jungle for a week, you've found it.
The island is small — 29 miles long, 16 miles wide — and mountainous enough to generate its own clouds. It lies in the eastern Caribbean between Guadeloupe to the north and Martinique to the south, and the French influence shows in the Creole patois you'll hear alongside English. The capital, Roseau, is a compact, genuinely lived-in town on the southwest coast.
Dominica is also home to the Kalinago, the last remaining indigenous Carib community in the Caribbean. Their territory in the northeast — now formally called Kalinago Territory — welcomes visitors and offers a window into a culture that has survived five centuries of colonialism.
The island was devastated by Hurricane Maria in September 2017, one of the most powerful storms ever to hit the Caribbean. Recovery has been substantial but ongoing. Most attractions and infrastructure are now fully operational, and the government has committed to making Dominica the world's first climate-resilient nation.
Note: Dominica is a different country from the Dominican Republic, its much larger Spanish-speaking neighbor that occupies the eastern half of Hispaniola. They share nothing but a similar name.
