Dominica is about discovery. Much of its 360 rivers, tropical forests and mountains are still unexplored. Tourism, hiking, trekking, diving are among the best in the Caribbean. But the true nature of Dominica is a soft peace; quiet in a land of towering mountains and cascading rivers. Going back in time, you are miles away from the modern world and its fast pace, time moves slowly in Dominica and that is how Dominicans like it.

The Dominicans are generous and very hospitable. They respect the land that gives them so much, and are quick to point out that you can get by on very little in Dominica; grow your own vegetables, keep your own chickens and fish off the banks. Vegetables and fruits grow everywhere. Two large avocados cost me less than one US dollar.

Not driven by profit, Dominicans are inventive; they experiment and do things just for the fun of it. This small town of 70,000 people in 290 square miles makes its own beer, rum and coffee, was famous for Dominican straw rugs, and exported grapefruit and bananas to the world. In the valleys, sugar cane is grown, crushed, and transformed into a high-quality Dominican rum.

Dominica’s unique quality of life draws people to it. Gilles, a French businessman, escaped to paradise, as he puts it, and opens the Sea Lounge with the “Best French Cuisine in the Caribbean,” says Gilles. “I got to the point where I had taken over my responsibilities, I made my daughter think about her education and now it was time for me. Dominica appealed because she wanted to get away from the rat race and do something worthwhile where it matters. … I like the spirit of the people and the place. ” Dinner in the Sea Lounge was a highlight. The food was excellent and at the end of the meal Gilles served complementary spiced rum. He says he likes to exceed your expectations!

I came to Dominica to meet with tourism officials and see how we could work with the tourism authority and supply technology and marketing services to the island. The first night we met Etta Deschamps by accident, she was sitting next to us at La Maison while we ate blackened fish and Creole shrimp. She and her husband established their film company ZoomFilmCompany.com, in Dominica. “It is alternative and authentic,” he said of Dominica. It has clearly inspired his work.

Travel writer Paul Crask also fell in love with him. American executives are discovering it for the right reasons and escaping to their homes in the mountains, “it will not be overdeveloped,” says Colin Piper, director of the Dominica Tourism Board, “we prefer to keep things simple and preserve the unique experience. which is Dominica “. .

I hope that Dominica does not become another Antigua, Barbados and Saint Lucia where hotels and condos are everywhere. It is not your typical Caribbean beach vacation destination. There are several white sand beaches in the north, but the land is private and developers are not flocking because there is no international airport and no one wants to tear down a mountain to build one.

The roads are narrow and often steep with many curves. It takes an hour and a half to get from the airport to Roseau, the capital, 27 miles. You are not driving on the highway, you are driving through the jungle, sometimes a rain forest or a banana plantation, on the edge of a mountain with a panoramic view of the ocean coastline.

You come to Dominica to escape and rejuvenate in nature. Paddling down the Indian River takes you to a new place of peace, tranquility and character. It’s Dominica, the island of nature, a brief moment to escape, step on the gas and enjoy the calm of nature while paddling down the river. The constant rhythm of the oars plunging into the water is almost hypnotic, it is very relaxing. On this island, you will sleep in the comfort of a boutique hotel, elegant without being over the top, or climb into your treetop cabana at the Jungle Bay resort.

Sitting on your oceanfront balcony at Calibishie Cove with the wind blowing in your face is the essence of relaxation. I felt my mind physically release a mountain of thoughts, and for the first time in weeks, I began to relax. Hazel the caretaker was the perfect hostess and cooked great peas and coconut chicken rice using the supplies we had brought. Calibishe Cove has apartments with kitchens and suites without kitchens. We had booked a deluxe suite with adjoining rooms and wraparound balconies. She had no kitchen, which was great, Hazel’s cooking was so much better. Breakfast was delivered by van, with wide smiles and freshly squeezed orange juice, courtesy of Helen.

We took the opportunity to walk down the 200 steps to the river estuary and the beach below our suite. Trevor and his son joined us on the beach. Trevor, a boxing champion from the United Kingdom, moved to Dominica a few years ago. The steps, the river, the sea and the natural obstacles of logs and low trees have become the perfect gym. He came to Dominica to get away from the rush, he had wanted to start a boxing association but now he plans to train boxers on the island. “I had the best training of my life right here,” he said, “you know it is the conditioning of your mind that makes the difference, Dominica unplugs you.” His agent landed him a fight in the UK with a nice cash prize. “I shouldn’t have taken it since I was completely out of training,” he tells us. But the magic of Dominica had sharpened his mind; beach runs and shadow boxing had toned him up. He scored a knockout in the first round.

We traveled around the island by taxi. It seemed like the best so that we could concentrate on taking pictures and notes, but in hindsight I would rent a car. A 4×4 companion rents for $ 40.25 a day. A taxi is so much more and you don’t have the freedom to go your own direction or stop for a snack on a whim, to just sit back and stare and enjoy the scene. Our taxi driver was a 27-year-old Dominican with a family of two girls and a baby. I was looking forward to Titiwi’s picnic and barbecue on Sunday. We took a trip around the island in two days, starting from Roseau, driving south to Scots Head, then over the mountain to Jungle Bay and the Carib territories, stopping for the night in Calibishie.

We arranged to be picked up at 11am on Sunday and headed to Fort Shirley in Portsmoth. The fort has been beautifully restored by a project led by Dr. Lennox Honeychurch. Lennox is a poet and historian. I read your prose on the ocean a few years ago and I still remember its essence. It inspired something I wrote. “March, oh! Undulating sea, with your messages of the time.”

On the way back to Roseau we stopped at the Titiwi festival in Layou. Titiwi are a species of tiny eel. They are fried, baked, steamed, smoked or cooked in the style of Creole cuisine, very fishy like anchovies, a tasty delicacy with boiled breadfruit, spicy Bello sauce and Kabuli beer. What impressed me the most was the friendly people and their warm hospitality.

Dominica Fish Festival and Dominican Fish Bake & Island Creole Cuisine

What you will notice in Dominica is the color, bright and vibrant but never flashy. Nature abounds with its color. Along the pathways, wildflowers spread a red, blue, white and yellow carpet on a green tapestry. Towns and villages are full of bright greens, yellows, reds, and every shade of blue, and in fishing villages well-kept fishing boats are painted with character.

Pink fishing boats say as much about the owner as they do about the boat! This is an island of individuals, about personal choice and the determination to be different. It is for demanding travelers who are not the typical tourist. It is, and I hope it always will be, an undiscovered treasure hidden in time, where old-fashioned values ​​endure.