t A diver exploring the stunning coral reefs off the shore of Soufrière
t A diver exploring the stunning coral reefs off the shore of Soufrière
Experience Dominica
The Caribbean’s so-called Nature Island is the most mountainous of the Lesser Antilles. Its peaks reach over 4,600 ft (1,402 m), and tropical forests blanket over two-thirds of the interior. Geologically, the island is one of the youngest in the Caribbean and volcanic in origin, hence the presence of the world’s second largest thermally active lake (The Boiling Lake) and bubbling mud pools. The island’s soil is incredibly fertile; coffee, cocoa, bananas, and tropical fruits are grown.
Like many Caribbean islands, Dominica was inhabited by the Caribs when the Europeans arrived. They called the island Waitukubuli – meaning “tall is her body.” The island still has a pre-Columbian population, most of whom live in the Kalinago Territory. The French and British tussled over Dominica during the 1600s and 1700s, but from the early 1800s the island remained in British hands until it gained independence in 1978. While English is the official language, many people speak a French-based creole dialect. Following the rapid decline of its once all-important banana trade in the 1990s, Dominica began to turn to eco-tourism. In September 2017, Hurricane Maria hit the island, damaging thousands of homes and stripping the landscape bare. Though natural and man-made regeneration continues, the forests are green again, and most trails and sights are open.