Dominica is a independent republic member of the Commonwealth, the last reserve of the Carib Indians who gave it the name of " Wai'tikubuli " (great is his body). Mountainous and covered by the rainforest, she is nicknamed "Nature Island".
Dominica is located in the heart of the Lesser Antilles, between Guadeloupe (to the north) and Martinique (to the south). The island is made up of a chain of high peaks from its northern tip to its southern tip; the highest, Morne Diablotins, peaks at 1,447 m.
Dominica has a tropical climate with abundant rainfall that feeds waterfalls. There are about thirty waterfalls forming natural pools, hot springs, 365 rivers and six types of rainforests. Morne Trois Pitons National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is home to the second largest boiling lake on the planet. The island has recent volcanism, with intense activity, as evidenced by the sites of "Boiling Lake" and the "Valley of Desolation". The latter consists of hot springs that prevent the development of any plant life, thus contrasting with the surrounding rainforests.
The ecological wealth of the island has been affected by the development of agriculture and banana plantations, as well as by the introduction of numerous exogenous species, sometimes becoming invasive.
After an economy based on agriculture and banana exports, which made the island vulnerable to climate disasters and market crises, Dominica wanted to develop an ecotourism program, rewarded by the Green Globe 21 certification validating the ecotourism quality of this destination, for the first time awarded to a Caribbean island. Dominica wants to go further with, since 2007, a ten-year program aimed at transforming the island into an "organic island" by combining ecotourism, agrotourism and health tourism, with the conversion of agriculture to organic production, an ethical and fair trade that does not require excessive consumption of natural resources.
Among the Dominicans is the Kalinago population, numbering about 3,000 people, and one of the last indigenous presences in the Antilles. They now live in a reserve created especially for them in 1903, the Kalinago territory.
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The island was originally populated by Arawak Indians, then by Kalinago.
On Sunday, November 3, 1493, during his infamous voyage to the Americas, Christopher Columbus sailed along the shores of the island he named "Domingo" - Sunday in Spanish - from which its current names come, Dominique in French and "Dominica" in English.
The Carib Indians owe their survival to Dominica's rugged terrain and its dense, wild forests. Coming from northern Venezuela, they had settled on the island long before Christopher Columbus stopped there. But it was only here, hidden in the wilderness, that they escaped extermination.
In 1625, during the Thirty Years' War, the Spanish gave way to the French, and during the 17th century, the French and the English fought to govern the island. Twice their cannonades completely destroyed Roseau. In 1660, the French and the English abandoned the island to the Caribbean and declared it a neutral zone; to end the conflicts, a peace treaty was signed between the French, the English and the Caribs.
Already established in Martinique and Guadeloupe, the French gradually established themselves in Dominica by introducing coffee cultivation. They imported African slaves to fill the workforce they needed. But the British took over the island in 1759. At the end of the Seven Years' War, by the Treaty of Paris of 1763, France ceded Dominica to Great Britain.
Slavery was abolished in Dominica in 1833. As it was not abolished until 1848 in the neighbouring islands of Martinique and Guadeloupe, many slaves escaped from these islands during this period, using makeshift means, to try to find refuge in Dominica.
In 1898, the island was granted the status of a British Crown Colony. In 1956, it gained independence within the short-lived Federation of the British West Indies and, in 1967, it became an Associated State of the Commonwealth and began the establishment of a democratic regime. Dominica's independence was declared on 3 November 1978.
You have chosen to visit Dominica, but you would like to to inform on the transportation, there life on site and the budget to expect? Here is the basic information to know.
The cheapest way to travel to Dominica from Europe (France, Belgium) is to go via Martinique or Guadeloupe, and then take the ferry that lands directly in Roseau, the capital. The average price of a round-trip plane ticket to Martinique and Guadeloupe, departing from France, is €684.
The return ferry ticket costs €119.
The average price of a night in Airbnb type accommodations, very comfortable and modern is 55€ per night (based on accommodation for 2-3 people). You can find all prices and all standards.
PUBLIC TRANSPORT
A minibus system with regular rotations serves the island to very remote areas. Fares are affordable and start at ECD1.50. You only have to reach out to flag one down. Taxi services are also available from the port and can be arranged throughout the island. They are easily identifiable by the letters H, HA or HB preceding the registration numbers on the number plates.
CONDUCT
In Dominica, we drive on the left (for convenience, prefer an automatic car). To drive in Dominica, you will need to buy a Dominican driving license (ECD30 or about €10). It can be purchased at all car rental offices. Rental companies will also be present when you get off the boat.
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