/Dominica

Think Hollywood film set. Here is a fantasy island of rain forest greenery and bloomery nestling alongside rugged mountain peaks, sometimes obscured by clouds and fog. There is a boiling-hot sulfuric spring, some 365 rushing streams and an Emerald Pool grotto with a waterfall and jungly "tarzanic" surroundings. It's more "reel" than real. Bring plenty film. Three peaks, one rising to 4,747 feet, reign over a 17,000-acre ecological treasure that has earned Dominica the pet name: Nature Island of the Caribbean.

Bird fans will go bananas. There are more than 160 bird species, including the Dominica trademark imperial parrot and the purple-throated carib hummingbird. It is little wonder the aborigine Caribs battled the hardest to possess Dominica. Brits and French fought for the island but subsequently turned it over to the Caribs in 1748.

Today, about 3,000 descendants of this once-fierce warrior tribe live in historic Dominica, one of the islands "discovered" by Columbus. Carib handicrafts make wonderful gifts and mementos of your stay on Dominica. Incidentally, Carib comes from Cariba or Caniba, as in Cannibal. Strictly speaking, Caribbean means Cannibal Country. But not to worry. Current "Today's Special" is crapaud, pronounced crop-OH. That may not sound appetizing in Creole French, but neither is the English translation: large frog. Locals call it "mountain chicken." If you pass on the "poultry," try the manicou. It means small opossum.

Dominica takes its cooking to heart. Aside from the aforementioned, there is no dearth of fresh seafood, pumpkin soup, conch dishes and Creole cuisine to tantalize every taste. Do yourself a flavour and sample such Dominica staples as breadfruit, sweet green bananas, guavas, kushkush yams and dasheen.

Nightlife is low key. Las Vegas Dominica is not. The island's underworld of black coral, enormous sponges and sunken mountains makes Dominica a world-class dive spot. Near the capital, sleepy Anglo-French Roseau, lies a 40-acre Botanical Garden with all manner of Caribbean plants, including many orchids. During the summer, savour the splendour of orchid-shaped, red-orange Royal Poinciana blossoms.

English is the official language in this independent Commonwealth within the Commonwealth of Nations, formerly British colonies. A French-based patois is also spoken. The population is only about 82,000. Coin of the realm is the Eastern Caribbean Dollar but locals don't mind "working for the Yankee dollah," as a popular Calypso goes.

Dominica is located in the true tropics. Daytime temperatures range from 70 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit.

For island-based information, contact:
National Development Corporation
PO Box 293
Roseau, Commonwealth of Dominica

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