Dominica

Dominica is the Caribbean's most dramatic natural destination — an island so mountainous and volcanic that it was the last to be colonized by Europeans, with a volcanic interior of boiling lakes, sulphur vents, hot springs and 365 rivers that make it the most watered island in the Caribbean. It is not a beach destination — it is a nature destination of the first order, and those who come seeking wilderness find something extraordinary.

The Boiling Lake, accessible only by a challenging hike through the Valley of Desolation, is the second largest boiling lake in the world — a crater filled with grey-blue water that bubbles and churns at the center, surrounded by fumaroles and sulphur deposits. The hike to reach it is one of the most dramatic natural experiences in the Caribbean.

Dominica's underwater world matches its terrestrial drama — the island sits on active volcanic geology that creates warm water vents, dramatic walls and a marine biodiversity of extraordinary richness. The sperm whale population that lives in the waters off Dominica's west coast is one of the most studied in the world, and whale watching here offers encounters of remarkable intimacy.