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Dreaming of a Caribbean getaway as of late, however Cancun, Punta Cana and the like––and their jam-packed resorts and lack of authenticity––simply don’t do it for you anymore?
Worry not: there’s a lesser-known sunny spot within the Eastern finish of the turquoise sea the place the coastal views are simply as stunning, the character way more plentiful, and most significantly, there aren’t any surging crowds to spoil your excellent seashore day.
Oh, and have we talked about they’re actively encouraging Americans to go to?
This winter, the laid-back island of Dominica is the place to be. Read once more, Dominica. Not the Dominican Republic.
Here’s how they differ:
Wait, So This Is Not Punta Cana We’re Talking About?
Not even remotely.
For starters, Dominica is a separate nation altogether.
Though it shares an uncannily related identify, it has no substantial historic hyperlinks to the Dominican Republic (DR), residence to popular resort towns like Punta Cana and Puerto Plata.
It was colonized in several durations by the French and the British, earlier than acquiring its independence as a sovereign nation, whereas the Dominican Republic is culturally Hispanic.
Additionally, the official language is English––with some French inflections––not Spanish, and Dominica is a single-island nation, in contrast to the DR, which shares Hispaniola Island with Haiti.
Finally, whereas the extra well-known Dominican Republic is characterised by its sprawling espresso plantations and sandy shoreline, Dominica is volcanic in nature:
What Makes Dominica Special?
It’s generally known as the ‘Nature Island of the Caribbean‘, because it performs host to distinctive geological formations and a wealthy wildlife, attracting journey seekers and nature fans alike.
Despite being tiny, being barely smaller than New York City, at solely 29 miles in size and 18 miles in width, with a inhabitants of simply over 73,000 folks, Dominica suffers from no shortage of natural wonders:
Its most well-known park is Morne Trois Pitons National Park, boasting a variety of verdant ecosystems, dense rainforests, volcanic peaks, and even dotted with thermal swimming pools.
It can simply be visited from Roseau, the island’s capital, with guided visits costing $140 per particular person on GetYourGuide.
Other must-see points of interest embrace the Valley of Desolation, a partially-challenging hike resulting in a mist-covered Boiling Lake, one of many largest on this planet, Titou Gorge, stuffed with emerald water flowing in from mountain creeks, and the landmark twin Trafalgar Falls, cascading over verdant slopes.
As the Convention of Biological Diversity notes, over 65% of Dominica is roofed by pure vegetation, so there’s actually an infinity of gorgeous preserves to find.
Look At All These Amazing Crowd-Free Beaches
It’s not a Caribbean vacay with out some high quality seashore time, and we’re glad to report seashores in Dominica are nowhere close to as crowded as Cancun’s, or Tulum’s, or Montego Bay’s, or any other Caribbean destination you’ll be able to presumably identify.
From the distinctive Champagne Beach, which will get its identify after the volcanic bubbles rising from heat water hugging the shoreline, to the stylish Mero, one in every of a handful of swimming websites on Dominica with eating places and different vacationer facilities, it all the time feels prefer it’s ‘low’ season.
The entire island sees a median 200,000 guests per 12 months, of whom solely 75,000 will not be cruise ship guests: in different phrases, it is nearly undiscovered, and it is no surprise they’re now launching a winter campaign to draw Americans.
There at the moment are a variety of beachfront motels providing ‘Pay for 4, Stay for five’ or ‘Pay for six, Stay for 7′ séjour offers, and even tour operators and automobile rental corporations have joined in, slashing costs by between 10 to twenty%.
Feel enticed to remain in Dominica for greater than only a stopover?
Check out Portsmouth Beach Hotel, with room charges beginning at $108, Coco Mango Suites, the place a non-public studio will set you again by $94-a-night, or in case you do not thoughts slightly little bit of splurging, the luxurious Rosalie Bay Eco Resort & Spa, $242 with breakfast included.
Roseau Is Incredible For Culture!
If you are searching for a cultural immersion in your free time in between seashore time and jungle excursions, Roseau is a superb place to be based mostly.
Dominica’s small, compact capital is situated on the island’s southwest coast. It has well-preserved 18th-century colonial structure, full of life road markets the place you could find all the things from freshly caught fish and fruit to meticulously carved handicraft objects, and unique Botanic Gardens.
The cobblestone-covered Old Market was previously a slave public sale website, and regardless of its darkish previous, it now homes a fruit market, and it is proper subsequent to the Dominica Museum, a supply of nationwide delight, chronicling the island’s advanced History, from its settlement to the slave interval to independence.
If you are hoping to pattern the native delicacies whereas in Dominica, Roseau is then undoubtedly the place to go:
Lacou Melrose serves scrumptious ceviche and refreshing passionfruit-based drinks, Ruins Rock Cafe is known for its value-for-money and signature mountain hen (not constructed from precise hen, however a sort of native Dominican frog), and Ocean’s Edge is nice for seafood with a view.
How Safe Is Dominica?
If you are involved about security going to the Caribbean this 12 months, you must know that nothing units Dominica fairly other than the Dominican Republic than security ranges.
Don’t get us flawed, the DR’s resort zones are pretty safe for Americans, however undoubtedly do not go about dando papaya as a gringo in a suburban district of Santo Domingo in case you do not wish to get robbed blind.
Dominica is taken into account to be a very low-risk destination in accordance with U.S. authorities, being listed as a Level 1 nation, in the identical class as locations like Iceland, Switzerland, Finland and Japan, with low to negligible crime, and no journey warnings in place.
In the State Department’s own words, you are free to train ‘regular precaution’ when visiting Dominica:
This means watching out for pickpockets, as unusual as pickpocketing could also be, even, maintaining a tally of private belongings when going to the seashore, and avoiding climbing in unmapped areas alone.
This winter, you’ll be able to fly nonstop to Dominica (DOM) from Miami (MIA), 7 occasions every week with American Airlines, at a complete flight period of 3h25, and the bottom one-way fare in December being $401.73, as seen on their official website.
From February 2025, United may also be launching nonstop flights from Newark (EWR) once-a-week each Saturday.
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This article initially appeared on TravelOffPath.com
Opinions expressed listed below are the creator’s alone, not these of any financial institution, bank card issuer, lodge, airline, or different entity. This content material has not been reviewed, accepted or in any other case endorsed by any of the entities included inside the put up.
