Brief information
The small island of Dominica, on which the state of the same name is located, is covered with dense tropical forests and volcanoes. The flora and fauna of Dominica has remained untouched for many thousands of years. Animals and plants that are not found anywhere else in the world have been preserved here. The shores of the island, bordered by volcanic dark gray, black, and sometimes yellow sand, are washed by the clear waters of the Caribbean Sea.
Geography of Dominica
Dominica (officially the Commonwealth of Dominica) is a state in the Caribbean Sea on the island of the same name, located southeast of Guadeloupe and northwest of Martinique. The total area of the country is 754 sq. km.
The entire island of Dominica is covered with mountains and forests. There are many rivers, lakes and waterfalls. The highest local peak is Mount Morne Diablotins, whose height reaches 1,447 meters. In the forests of Dominica, you can still find animals that have already become extinct in other parts of the world.
Dominica has the second largest hot spring in the world – Boiling Lake, located 10.5 kilometers from Roseau. The temperature of its water reaches +90C.
Capital of Dominica
According to simplyyellowpages.com, Roseau is the capital of the Commonwealth of Dominica. More than 20 thousand people now live in this city.
Official language
The official language of the people of Dominica is English.
Religion
About 77% of the inhabitants are Catholics and about 15% are Protestants.
State structure of Dominica
According to diseaseslearning.com, the Commonwealth of Dominica is a parliamentary republic, headed by the President, who is elected for 5 years by the deputies of the local Parliament. The head of government is the Prime Minister.
The unicameral parliament is called the House of Assembly, it consists of 32 deputies (including 9 senators appointed by the President).
The main political parties are the Dominica Labor Party and the United Labor Party.
Administratively, the Commonwealth of Dominica is divided into 10 parishes (districts).
Climate and weather
The climate is temperate tropical. The average air temperature in winter is +25C, and in summer – +28C. The average annual rainfall ranges from 191 cm on the coast and 508 cm in the mountains. Destructive hurricanes coming from the Atlantic Ocean, as well as rains, fall at the end of summer. The dry season is spring and the rainy season is from June to October.
The best time to visit Dominica is from December to May.
Sea of Dominica
The Commonwealth of Dominica is surrounded on all sides by the Caribbean Sea. The average annual water temperature near the shore is +25-26C.
Culture
In Dominica, as in other Caribbean countries, a lot of festivals are celebrated. Local festivals and holidays give tourists the opportunity to learn more about the culture and customs of this exotic country.
One of the brightest local holidays is the carnival Mas Domnik (“Spring Festival”), associated with the Christian Lent. During this festival, however, as during other holidays, the entire island is dominated by folk processions, music and food. Those. carnivals are a great opportunity to taste a variety of traditional Dominica dishes in one place.
Also worth highlighting is the World Festival of Creole Music, which attracts a lot of tourists from around the world.
Dominica Cuisine
Dominica cuisine is a unique fusion of American Indian, African and French culinary traditions. Be aware that most of the local dishes are very spicy.
Tourists are advised to try “tee-tee-ree” (fish dish), “lambi” (clams), “agouti” (meat dish from rodents of the same name), “manicou” (smoked pork or wild pigeon), “crabbacks” ( stuffed crabs).
Traditional non-alcoholic drinks – coconut water, fruit juices, tea, coffee.
Traditional alcoholic drinks are beer (“Kubulli”) and rum. The local rum is not as good as, for example, in Barbados, but there are some interesting recipes with herbs and spices.
Sights of Dominica
There are few historical sights in Dominica. Among them, it is necessary to highlight, first of all, the English Fort Shirley and the Catholic Cathedral in Roseau. But in this island state there are a lot of natural attractions.
We recommend visiting the Boiling Lake, although it is difficult to get to (3-4 hours of walking through the forest), as well as see the “Emerald Lake” (it is located deep in the middle of the forest), two Trafalgar Falls waterfalls, the village of Wotton Waven, and also the village of Gallio, which offers a magnificent view of the Caribbean Sea.
Of great interest to tourists is the local national park Morne-Trois-Pitons, located in the south of the island. This park is home to rare parrots, more than 50 species of exotic butterflies, more than two dozen species of lizards, tree frogs, even a boa constrictor.
Cities and resorts
Cities in Dominica are not very big. Only Roseau, the country’s capital, is considered a “densely populated” city, even though it has only over 20,000 inhabitants.
Much of Dominica’s coastline is lined with dark grey, black or yellow sand, which is not uncommon in the Caribbean. The fact is that the island of Dominica is of volcanic origin. Therefore, the sand there is of a “volcanic” color. However, in the northeast of the island there are several beaches with golden and white sand – Lastote Beach, Soufriere Bay and Woodford Hill.
It is believed that the best beaches of this country are located in the bays in the north-west of the island near the city of Portsmouth. But, of course, great beaches can be found throughout Dominica.
Pay attention to the Pointe Baptiste beach, it was once a vacation spot for pirates, but now tourists have chosen it.
There are two more very interesting beaches in the southwest of the island – Champagne and Soufriere. Tourists and locals choose them because there are hot springs.
Souvenirs/Shopping
Tourists in Dominica buy handicrafts, local clothes, hats, flip flops, shells, jewelry, cigars, coffee and rum as souvenirs.
Office Hours
Banks:
Mon-Thu: 08:00-14:00
Fri: 08:00-16:00
Shops:
Mon-Fri: 08:00-16:00/18:00
Sat: 08:00-13:00
Visa
A tourist visa is issued at the airport upon arrival in Dominica.
Currency of Dominica
The East Caribbean dollar is the official currency of the Commonwealth of Dominica (its international designation is XCD). However, you can also pay for purchases in US dollars, British pounds and euros. Most hotels, restaurants and shops accept credit cards and travelers checks.
Customs restrictions
You can import foreign currency without restrictions, but it must be declared. You can take out no more money than was declared at the entrance.
There are restrictions on the import of animals and plants. Pets (cats and dogs) are only allowed in Dominica with a permit from the local authorities. To do this, contact the Dominica Veterinary Service at 767-448-2401 (x3427).
Useful phone numbers and addresses
Embassy of Dominica in Belgium:
Address: Rue de Livourne 42, Brussels, Belgium, B-1000
T: (+32-2) 534-26-11
Email. Email: [email protected]
Emergency numbers
999 – All emergencies
Time
Behind Kyiv for 6 hours. Those. if, for example, in Kyiv 13:00, then in Roseau – 07:00.
Tips
Tips are 10-15% of the bill. Some hotels and restaurants already include a service charge on the bill. In hotels, a porter or porter is given a $1 tip for each bag.
The medicine
Before traveling to Dominica, it is recommended to get preventive vaccinations against hepatitis A, typhoid and polio.
Security
The crime rate in Dominica cannot be called high. However, in recent years, more and more crimes have been committed in this country. Most often, petty crimes are committed there (theft of credit cards, money, bags). Therefore, tourists need to be careful. Store your valuables in your hotel safe. Never leave valuables unattended on the beach or in other public places.
