Any info. on Dominaca
Oct 1st, 2003, 10:12 AM
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Any info. on Dominaca
I've recently heard of an island called Dominica that some friends visited from a cruise ship. They raved about it's beauty and unspoiled charm. I'd like to hear from people that have been there if it may be appropriate for a month or two visit in Jan to March. We'd like to rent a villa or beach house with another couple. Can anyone give me a location, costs, activities, etc.
Oct 1st, 2003, 10:23 AM
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Acrivities - diving
There are virtually no beaches. (One very small one that vanishes at high tide.)
No offense, but unless you REALLY like natural beauty, hiking and diving are pretty much the only choices.
Very mountainous.
Costs are some of the lowest in the Caribbean.
I would say it might be tough to find many villas to choose from.
I've been all over the area, and Dominica - though stunningly beautiful and home of my CCF child - would make me lose my mind with boredom if I stayed there 1 or 2 months.
If I may suggest the USVI's/BVI's for what you are thinking of doing?
LOTS of things to and see, and many villas to check into.
There are virtually no beaches. (One very small one that vanishes at high tide.)
No offense, but unless you REALLY like natural beauty, hiking and diving are pretty much the only choices.
Very mountainous.
Costs are some of the lowest in the Caribbean.
I would say it might be tough to find many villas to choose from.
I've been all over the area, and Dominica - though stunningly beautiful and home of my CCF child - would make me lose my mind with boredom if I stayed there 1 or 2 months.
If I may suggest the USVI's/BVI's for what you are thinking of doing?
LOTS of things to and see, and many villas to check into.
Oct 4th, 2003, 03:10 PM
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We went to Dominica in 1997 and it was a bit of a challenge. It wasn't really ready for tourism; hard to find restaurants, we didn't feel safe walking around town at night. No great beaches, but a rain forest (with a small resort), mountains, waterfalls, hot pots and lots of natural beauty. We rented a nice little apartment in the hills above Rosseau called Itassi Cottages, don't know about anything on the beach. Good luck.
Oct 5th, 2003, 02:45 PM
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Please check this link for pictures of Dominica:
http://community.webshots.com/user/dimitrisokolenko
http://community.webshots.com/user/dimitrisokolenko
Dec 22nd, 2003, 05:36 AM
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We just got back from Dominica and I cannot imagine a better Caribbean island to visit! The scenery is absolutely breathtaking, the people are friendly and helpful and the food is delicious!
There are some simple, "rustic" guest houses and lodges all over, but I would suggest something on the north end of the island, say between Marigot and Portsmouth, if I were going to stay for several weeks or even months.
I hope you enjoy your visit as much as we did!
There are some simple, "rustic" guest houses and lodges all over, but I would suggest something on the north end of the island, say between Marigot and Portsmouth, if I were going to stay for several weeks or even months.
I hope you enjoy your visit as much as we did!
Dec 23rd, 2003, 12:43 PM
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If you want a beach resort vacation then Dominica isn't for you. But if you like to hike and want to see a relatively untouched island then go. I went about 2 years ago and loved it (but then I like to hike and don't like being in cities for vacations).
I stayed at Zandoli Inn and can't say enough about it! The owners were great and their property was wonderful. They used to have a website with some great photos.
I stayed at Zandoli Inn and can't say enough about it! The owners were great and their property was wonderful. They used to have a website with some great photos.
Jan 5th, 2004, 10:50 AM
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I was in Dominica for a week last April, and I'm going again in a few weeks, so I obviously liked it!
However, it isn't for everyone, or even for every vacation. If I was planning a vacation where I wanted to laze on the beach and get a great tan, go shopping, dancing, etc. I wouldn't choose Dominica. If you want to hike, explore, scuba dive, mountain bike, etc. while sort of "roughing it" and experiencing a new culture, then Dominica is perfect.
Pros-
The natural beauty is stunning- soaring peaks covered in lush foliage, waterfalls, etc. A photographer's dream.
The market in town is full of the most amazing tropical flowers and fabulous produce for VERY cheap prices.
The coral reefs are some of the healthiest and most colorful I've ever seen. (I recommend Nature island Dive for any adventure type stuff- they are very professional and NICE. A mix of English and local owners. Here's their website: http://www.natureislanddive.com/)
The people were almost all extremely friendly.
The little "rum shacks" everywhere are great places to have a Kubuli (their wonderful locally-brewed lager- from pure mountain spring water) and a fried chicken leg (trust me- these are the best chicken legs you will ever eat. They sell them everywhere) and meet the locals.
There aren't many rentals right on the water (which is usually where the locals live), but cottages up in the hills have stunning views and get breezes to keep you cool-ish at night.
Driving in the mountains is quite an adventure!
Some great local foods, like Callaloo.
OVerall, prices are very low. I got a huge armful of flowers at the market for about 3 bucks. Some of the resorts and the few high-end restaurants are priced much higher. Basically, local stuff is cheap. We ended up going to the market every morning to get produce, and cooking at home a lot of the time. Beers are about 80 cents. The local flavored rums are fun.
On the flip side-
The island is very poor and the infrastructure isn't great. If you are the type of person who wants to vacation in a sparkly, Disney-style resort, never seeing poverty, then Dominica will be upsetting. If you look beyond those things, the people are so friendly everywhere. We talked to some locals involved in the government and tourism, who were worried about the fact that many restaurants had to close because they just didn't have enough customers.
There really aren't any beaches, just dark stones at the water's edge.
Most places don't have screens or AC. Out cottage (Itassi Cottages) was wide open. We thought it was cute that little birds flew into our kitchen everyday to peck chunks out of the fruit we had in a bowl on the counter, but we didn't like the mosquitos that also came in. They even got through the de riguer mosquito netting around the bed. Take mosquito coils with you because you will want to sit outside to enjoy the sunsets and the view.
The standards for cleanliness aren't the same as in the US, so choose a rental carefully, and be prepared for bugs, lizards, etc. in your rooms.
The driving is an adventure not for the faint of heart, but you need a car to really explore.
So...think about what you want out of your vacation. I could certainly spend a few weeks quite happily in Dominica, but for a month or two, I might start to miss my creature comforts. I have seen some pretty-fancy looking villas in the hills. One with a pool would be ideal, and would offset the lack of beaches problem.
If you are a diver, I encourage you to try Dominica, at least for a week. The diving is excellent. We met some divers on the plane who never really left their resort (there are a few fairly nice all-inclusive dive resorts on the island) and they loved their vacations, but didn't really see the rest of Dominica.
I hope this helps!
However, it isn't for everyone, or even for every vacation. If I was planning a vacation where I wanted to laze on the beach and get a great tan, go shopping, dancing, etc. I wouldn't choose Dominica. If you want to hike, explore, scuba dive, mountain bike, etc. while sort of "roughing it" and experiencing a new culture, then Dominica is perfect.
Pros-
The natural beauty is stunning- soaring peaks covered in lush foliage, waterfalls, etc. A photographer's dream.
The market in town is full of the most amazing tropical flowers and fabulous produce for VERY cheap prices.
The coral reefs are some of the healthiest and most colorful I've ever seen. (I recommend Nature island Dive for any adventure type stuff- they are very professional and NICE. A mix of English and local owners. Here's their website: http://www.natureislanddive.com/)
The people were almost all extremely friendly.
The little "rum shacks" everywhere are great places to have a Kubuli (their wonderful locally-brewed lager- from pure mountain spring water) and a fried chicken leg (trust me- these are the best chicken legs you will ever eat. They sell them everywhere) and meet the locals.
There aren't many rentals right on the water (which is usually where the locals live), but cottages up in the hills have stunning views and get breezes to keep you cool-ish at night.
Driving in the mountains is quite an adventure!
Some great local foods, like Callaloo.
OVerall, prices are very low. I got a huge armful of flowers at the market for about 3 bucks. Some of the resorts and the few high-end restaurants are priced much higher. Basically, local stuff is cheap. We ended up going to the market every morning to get produce, and cooking at home a lot of the time. Beers are about 80 cents. The local flavored rums are fun.
On the flip side-
The island is very poor and the infrastructure isn't great. If you are the type of person who wants to vacation in a sparkly, Disney-style resort, never seeing poverty, then Dominica will be upsetting. If you look beyond those things, the people are so friendly everywhere. We talked to some locals involved in the government and tourism, who were worried about the fact that many restaurants had to close because they just didn't have enough customers.
There really aren't any beaches, just dark stones at the water's edge.
Most places don't have screens or AC. Out cottage (Itassi Cottages) was wide open. We thought it was cute that little birds flew into our kitchen everyday to peck chunks out of the fruit we had in a bowl on the counter, but we didn't like the mosquitos that also came in. They even got through the de riguer mosquito netting around the bed. Take mosquito coils with you because you will want to sit outside to enjoy the sunsets and the view.
The standards for cleanliness aren't the same as in the US, so choose a rental carefully, and be prepared for bugs, lizards, etc. in your rooms.
The driving is an adventure not for the faint of heart, but you need a car to really explore.
So...think about what you want out of your vacation. I could certainly spend a few weeks quite happily in Dominica, but for a month or two, I might start to miss my creature comforts. I have seen some pretty-fancy looking villas in the hills. One with a pool would be ideal, and would offset the lack of beaches problem.
If you are a diver, I encourage you to try Dominica, at least for a week. The diving is excellent. We met some divers on the plane who never really left their resort (there are a few fairly nice all-inclusive dive resorts on the island) and they loved their vacations, but didn't really see the rest of Dominica.
I hope this helps!
Mar 3rd, 2004, 07:59 AM
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My fiance and I spent over a week on Dominica over Christmas/New Year's and had the trip of a lifetime. It is beautiful and unspoiled, but a beach villa getaway will be hard to find. We are putting together a travelogue, which has some info on the places we stayed and activities, which you can feel free to check out http://www.ronrothman.com/public/dominica_2003.shtml
(this is a work in progress, by the way)
Also, we did find a beautiful beach on the Calibishie Coast, but yes, they are few and far between and not easy to get to (we had to enlist the help of a local teenager to show us the overgrown path to the shore)
(this is a work in progress, by the way)
Also, we did find a beautiful beach on the Calibishie Coast, but yes, they are few and far between and not easy to get to (we had to enlist the help of a local teenager to show us the overgrown path to the shore)
Mar 3rd, 2004, 08:59 AM
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The Washington Post travel section just ran an article on Dominica. I think it's here (but registration required)--
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...2004Feb27.html
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...2004Feb27.html
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