Things to know before visiting Dominica
We all grow up dreaming of visiting the Caribbean one day, right? For me, I thought I knew what to expect, but from the moment I landed in Dominica I knew this island was greener, more exciting and wilder than I ever could have hoped for. Here are some helpful things to know before visiting Dominica, travel tips and a few fun things to do.
How to get to Dominica?
Dominica is an island country in the Caribbean. And getting there is a little fun adventure in itself. You will have to book a flight to Antigua and then book a flight to Dominica. You can try and look at connecting flights, but my tip is to book them individually and pick up your luggage in Antigua before checking it back in and boarding your final flight to Dominica. This might be much cheaper so make sure you check out both options!
The airlines I have had good experiences with are Virgin from London to Antigua and LIAT from Antigua to Dominica.
Alternatively you can book a Ferry leaving Antigua - you just need to bring a little more time of course.
Things to know before visiting Dominica:
Dominica aka the Nature Island has 9 active volcanoes. This means the roads bend a lot and are small so sit in the front during your transfer to the hotel if you get as queasy as I do! :)
Dominicans love to party and listen to music in the streets. This is even more intense during Carnival but in general don’t be surprised if you bump into occasional street parties. The locals will love it if you start dancing with them and they will happily turn up the music even more!
The currency in Dominica is the Eastern Caribbean Dollar or ECB.
Dominica is hugely aware of eco tourism and sustainability, so if this is something you are focussing on when travelling, you’ll feel right at home.
The best time to visit Dominica is February - April. After that rain is very likely so try and book your trip for the first half of the year.
The language spoken in Dominica is mainly English.
Where to stay in Dominica?
We stayed at Jungle Bay Dominica - an incredible eco hotel. It has a focus on yoga, healthy living and relaxation which is perfectly combined with the sustainability promise of the hotel. Locally sourced food and materials, no plastic policies and refill eco friendly toiletries made my trip even more special. Oh and did I mention the infinity pool?
Things to do in Dominica:
Go whale watching - There is no discussion. Do it :) Seeing sperm whales in Dominica is about 85% guaranteed as many whale families live there all year round. It’s a once in a live time bucket list experience (see my vlog below).
Take a sulphur spring bath - When we visited the island we took a natural hot tub dip at a place called Ti Kwen Glo Cho which translates into ‘little corner of water’ in Creole. Anything else I need to add? :)
Go snorkelling at the champagne reef - Did I mention Dominica has 9 active volcanoes? ;) These have natural underwater vents which feel and look like champagne bubbles. Not only will you be snorkelling through hot and cold and bubbles (!), you might also get lucky and meet unique underwater wildlife. All harmless of course. Except for sea ants, one of them bit me and it stung like stinging nettles for about 2 minutes :)
Dominica is called The Nature Island for a reason. Expect tropical untouched beauty, friendly and incredibly relaxed people and wildlife that will take your breath away:
Thanks for reading and for any additional questions, message me on Instagram or leave a comment below :)
x Sandy