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Islands
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It is said: "If Columbus came back today, Dominica is the only island he would recognize" This is because Dominica is the region’s most unspoiled country and its most exciting destination for spectacular natural beauty. When Christopher Columbus was before King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain, trying to describe the awe-inspiring mountains of Dominica, he had to resort to crumpling up a sheet of paper to illustrate the dramatic form of the land, with its valleys, gorges, and pinnacles. This gives an idea of its topography, but tells nothing of its amazingly lush vegetation. Greenery erupts everywhere, thrusting upwards, curling, stretching, climbing, and falling, till the whole land is covered in a verdant tangle of trees, vines, shrubs, and ferns. Add to this a plethora of birds, butterflies, and brightly-colored flowers, and you can begin to imagine its almost magical nature. In addition, there are such unusual natural phenomena as a boiling lake and hot waterfalls, to say nothing of the more usual sulfur springs and crater lakes. The high mountains attract clouds, creating frequent showers interspersed with sunshine, as a result the island is known as the land of many rivers. It could equally be known as the land of many rainbows. You are sure to see some, and, around the full moon, you might see a moonbow. Dominica also has some lovely beaches, but not in the profusion of the islands to the north and south, so tourism is low-key. Dominica has 70,000 inhabitants who have a natural curiosity about outsiders and enjoy meeting visitors. Nature lovers and free spirits will likely rate this majestic land their favorite. Some of the island can be seen from the boat, but the best times are found walking inland. Light rain gear is advisable, as the island attracts frequent showers, which alternate with bursts of bright sunshine. Exploring inland should be a priority. It should be noted that many of Dominica’s hikes, including the one to Trafalgar Falls, can cover slippery and muddy terrain and should only be undertaken by those who are reasonably agile and fit. The Dominica Forestry Department has laid out many hiking trails in the extensive area included in the island's national parks. They have done an amazing job, sometimes laying out miles of log walkways. These trails are a delight. You can get trail maps from the Forestry Department in the botanical gardens in Roseau. There are charges for visiting park sites and tickets can be bought by the visit ($2 US single site), or all sites by the day ($5 US), week ($10 US). All the money goes towards park maintenance and is well spent. It should be noted that just about all of Dominica is spectacular, and there are numerous lovely hikes on small roads and paths that are not part of the park. Dominica has seven potentially active volcanos (most other Caribbean islands only have one). There is no expectation of an eruption anytime soon, but it helps explain the dramatic scenery. An undersea fault to the north of Dominica has been active recently with a few earthquakes. This equally effects the Saintes and Marie Galant.
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Dominica
