Introduction
Burn some energy in the land of waterfalls. Largely rural, uncrowded and unspoiled, Dominica touts itself as a 'non-tourist destination' for divers, hikers and naturalists - partly because it trades the lazy white-sand beaches so predominant elsewhere in the Caribbean for verdant peaks, killer hikes and breathtaking underwater scenery.
Destination Facts
Capital: Roseau
President: Nicholas Liverpool
Prime Minister: Roosevelt Skerrit
Government: independent state and parliamentary democracy within the British Commonwealth
Time zone: GMT -4
Area: 751
Population: 71540
Languages: Roman Catholic (77%), Methodist (5%), Pentecostal (3%),Seventh Day Adventist (3%), Baptist (2%), other (2%), none
Currency: East Caribbean Dollar (EC$)
Weight System: Imperial
Country Dialing Code: 767
Getting There
Dominica is balmy, rarely getting below 29 ° C (85 ° F) on the coast, though the mountains are cooler and wetter, especially during the rainy season (July to October). Peak-season winter (December to February) rates are similar to off-season summer (June to August) rates, so the best time to visit Dominica is definitely in winter.
Getting there and away
Dominica has two airports - Canefield Airport just outside Roseau and the smaller Melville Hall Airport on the northeast side of the island. There are no international flights into Dominica, so you must get to a gateway island first. American Airlines, Continental, British Airways and Air France all have direct flights to several nearby Caribbean islands. Local carriers fly between Dominica and Antigua, Barbados, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Puerto Rico, St Lucia and St Martin. If you're island hopping, LIAT - the major inter-island carrier in the Caribbean - has through fares that allow free stopovers on Dominica. Visitors pay a EC$45 airport departure tax when leaving Dominica. A growing number of cruise ships call on Dominica, most docking at Roseau. To encourage cruise ship visitors to spend more time in the northern part of the island, a smaller cruise ship berth has opened at Cabrits National Park. A catamaran ferry service, L'Express des Iles, connects Roseau with Pointe- à -Pitre on Guadeloupe, Fort-de-France on Martinique and Castries on St Lucia. . The trip to Guadeloupe and Martinique takes about two hours; it's about four hours to St Lucia. Yachts can clear immigration and customs at Roseau, Portsmouth or Anse Du M é.
Getting around
Renting a car is the best way to get around Dominica. Most of the car rental agencies are in Roseau. Visiting drivers must be between ages 25 and 65 and have a valid driver's license and at least two years' driving experience. For US$12 you can get the required local driver's license from immigration on arrival. Primary roads are well paved and clearly signposted; remember to drive on the left. If you don't want to drive, taxis are available and can be hired for sightseeing tours. Local buses are cheap and run regularly along the coastal routes between Roseau and both Scotts Head and Portsmouth, although the farther north you go past Canefield the less frequent they become. There are few buses in the evening and none on Sunday on most routes. Car rental agencies provide free pick-up at Canefield Airport and taxis are also available. If you're planning to base yourself in Roseau, try to avoid arriving at Melville Hall; there are no car rentals at this airport, so you'll need to catch a share taxi for the 75-minute haul to the capital.
Visa:
Most visitors to Dominica must have a valid passport, but US and Canadian citizens still get away with just proof of citizenship, such as a photo ID and an official birth certificate. French nationals may visit for up to two weeks with a Carte d'Indentit é . Citizens of former Eastern Bloc countries may require visas. A round trip or onward ticket is officially required of all visitors.
Places of interest
Largely rural, uncrowded and unspoiled, Dominica touts itself as a 'non-tourist destination' for divers, hikers and naturalists - partly because it trades the lazy white-sand beaches so predominant elsewhere in the Caribbean for verdant peaks, killer hikes and breathtaking underwater scenery.
Weather
The sexy and sultry months between February and May are the best time to visit, providing bearable rainfall and decadently hot highs, usually in the 30-33 ° C (87-91 ° F) range. April is the driest month with about 10 days of rainfall in Roseau, as opposed to the wettest month, August, when rainfall more than doubles. Other months can get quite wet and, unless you have a penchant for storms, the hurricane season of July to November might be a good time to dodge Dominica.
Burn some energy in the land of waterfalls. Largely rural, uncrowded and unspoiled, Dominica touts itself as a 'non-tourist destination' for divers, hikers and naturalists - partly because it trades the lazy white-sand beaches so predominant elsewhere in the Caribbean for verdant peaks, killer hikes and breathtaking underwater scenery.
Destination Facts
Capital: Roseau
President: Nicholas Liverpool
Prime Minister: Roosevelt Skerrit
Government: independent state and parliamentary democracy within the British Commonwealth
Time zone: GMT -4
Area: 751
Population: 71540
Languages: Roman Catholic (77%), Methodist (5%), Pentecostal (3%),Seventh Day Adventist (3%), Baptist (2%), other (2%), none
Currency: East Caribbean Dollar (EC$)
Weight System: Imperial
Country Dialing Code: 767
Getting There
Dominica is balmy, rarely getting below 29 ° C (85 ° F) on the coast, though the mountains are cooler and wetter, especially during the rainy season (July to October). Peak-season winter (December to February) rates are similar to off-season summer (June to August) rates, so the best time to visit Dominica is definitely in winter.
Getting there and away
Dominica has two airports - Canefield Airport just outside Roseau and the smaller Melville Hall Airport on the northeast side of the island. There are no international flights into Dominica, so you must get to a gateway island first. American Airlines, Continental, British Airways and Air France all have direct flights to several nearby Caribbean islands. Local carriers fly between Dominica and Antigua, Barbados, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Puerto Rico, St Lucia and St Martin. If you're island hopping, LIAT - the major inter-island carrier in the Caribbean - has through fares that allow free stopovers on Dominica. Visitors pay a EC$45 airport departure tax when leaving Dominica. A growing number of cruise ships call on Dominica, most docking at Roseau. To encourage cruise ship visitors to spend more time in the northern part of the island, a smaller cruise ship berth has opened at Cabrits National Park. A catamaran ferry service, L'Express des Iles, connects Roseau with Pointe- à -Pitre on Guadeloupe, Fort-de-France on Martinique and Castries on St Lucia. . The trip to Guadeloupe and Martinique takes about two hours; it's about four hours to St Lucia. Yachts can clear immigration and customs at Roseau, Portsmouth or Anse Du M é.
Getting around
Renting a car is the best way to get around Dominica. Most of the car rental agencies are in Roseau. Visiting drivers must be between ages 25 and 65 and have a valid driver's license and at least two years' driving experience. For US$12 you can get the required local driver's license from immigration on arrival. Primary roads are well paved and clearly signposted; remember to drive on the left. If you don't want to drive, taxis are available and can be hired for sightseeing tours. Local buses are cheap and run regularly along the coastal routes between Roseau and both Scotts Head and Portsmouth, although the farther north you go past Canefield the less frequent they become. There are few buses in the evening and none on Sunday on most routes. Car rental agencies provide free pick-up at Canefield Airport and taxis are also available. If you're planning to base yourself in Roseau, try to avoid arriving at Melville Hall; there are no car rentals at this airport, so you'll need to catch a share taxi for the 75-minute haul to the capital.
Visa:
Most visitors to Dominica must have a valid passport, but US and Canadian citizens still get away with just proof of citizenship, such as a photo ID and an official birth certificate. French nationals may visit for up to two weeks with a Carte d'Indentit é . Citizens of former Eastern Bloc countries may require visas. A round trip or onward ticket is officially required of all visitors.
Places of interest
Largely rural, uncrowded and unspoiled, Dominica touts itself as a 'non-tourist destination' for divers, hikers and naturalists - partly because it trades the lazy white-sand beaches so predominant elsewhere in the Caribbean for verdant peaks, killer hikes and breathtaking underwater scenery.
Weather
The sexy and sultry months between February and May are the best time to visit, providing bearable rainfall and decadently hot highs, usually in the 30-33 ° C (87-91 ° F) range. April is the driest month with about 10 days of rainfall in Roseau, as opposed to the wettest month, August, when rainfall more than doubles. Other months can get quite wet and, unless you have a penchant for storms, the hurricane season of July to November might be a good time to dodge Dominica.
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