Dominica & St. Lucia Alive! (Hunter Travel Guides)

309 Pages·2002·1.37 MB·English

by  Lynne M. Sullivan

DDOOMMIINNIICCAA
&& SSTT.. LLUUCCIIAA
!!
EE
VV
II
LL
AA
LynneM.Sullivan
HUNTER
HUNTERPUBLISHING,INC.
130CampusDrive,Edison,NJ08818
(cid:1)732-225-1900;800-255-0343;fax[phone]
[email protected]
UlyssesTravelPublications
4176Saint-Denis,Montréal,Québec
CanadaH2W2M5
(cid:1)514-843-9882ext2232;fax[phone]
TheBoundary,WheatleyRoad,Garsington
Oxford,OX449EJEngland
(cid:1)01865-361122;fax[phone]
ISBN1-58843-262-9
©2001LynneM.Sullivan
Allrightsreserved.Nopartofthispublicationmayberepro-
duced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any
form, or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy-
ing,recording,orotherwise,withoutthewrittenpermission
ofthepublisher.
This guide focuses on recreational activities. As all such
activities contain elements of risk, the publisher, author,
affiliatedindividualsandcompaniesdisclaimanyresponsi-
bilityforanyinjury,harm,orillnessthatmayoccurtoany-
one through, or by use of, the information in this book.
Everyeffortwasmadetoinsuretheaccuracyofinformation
in this book, but the publisher and author do not assume
and hereby disclaim, any liability for any loss or damage
caused by errors, omissions, misleading information or
potentialtravelproblemscausedbythisguide,evenifsuch
errorsoromissionsaretheresultofnegligence,accidentor
anyothercause.
MapsbyK.André©2001HunterPublishing,Inc.
Apart from any fair dealing for the purposes of research or private study, or criticism or review, as permitted under the relevant copyright,
designs and patents acts, this publication may only be reproduced, stored or transmitted, in any form or by any means, with the prior
permission in writing of the publisher. eBooks Corporation
(cid:2)
From The Author iii
From The Author
SinceIliveinDallas,ontheflat,landlockedplains
ofNorthTexas,Itakeeveryopportunitytotravel
to places with water, sand, mountains, and trees.
Now, after several years as a staff and freelance
writer for general-interest newspapers and maga-
zines,I'mabletodevoteallmytimetowritingabout
theplacesIvisit.
WhenIbegineacharticleandbook,mygoalistogive
readers something extra to make a destination real
andexciting,sotheywillwanttovisitthere,too.I'm
an avid walker and hiker who always wants to see
what'saroundthenextcornerandoveronemorehill.
SomedaysIprowlarounddressedincutoffsandaT-
shirt peeking into windows, following the locals to
out-of-the-way spots, eating in comfy family-run
joints, and checking out quaint little inns. At other
times, I dress up to fit in at the best resorts, restau-
rants, and shops. By the end of my trip, I've discov-
ered the best places to eat, sleep, and hang out on a
stingybudgetaswellasonunlimitedfunds.I'veseen
sitesandvisitedplacesthataren'tusuallymentioned
in travel guides, and talked to experts and average
citizenswhoknowthedestinationswell.
But the trip is only half the fun for me. Sharing my
discoveries is the other. By giving readers tips, help,
andsuggestionsonhowtomaketheirownvacations
exciting, unique, and worry-free, I get to experience
thevacationalloveragain.
(cid:2)
iv HunterPublishing.com
www.hunterpublishing.com
Hunter’sfullrangeoftravelguidestoallcorners
of the globe is featured on our exciting website.
You’ll find guidebooks to suit every type of trav-
eler, no matter what their budget, lifestyle, or
idea of fun. Full descriptions are given for each
book,alongwithreviewers’commentsandacover
image. Books may be purchased on-line using a
creditcardviaoursecuretransactionsystem.
Alive Guides featured include: Aruba, Bonaire &
Curaçao, Buenos Aires & The Best of Argentina,
Venezuela, The Cayman Islands, Cancún &
CozumelandTheVirginIslands.
Check out our Adventure Guides, a series aimed
at the independent traveler who enjoys outdoor
activities (rafting, hiking, biking, skiing, canoe-
ing, etc.). All books in this signature series cover
places to stay and eat, sightseeing, in-town
attractions,transportationandmore!
Hunter’sRomanticWeekendsseriesoffersmyriad
things to do for couples of all ages and lifestyles.
Quaint places to stay and restaurants where the
ambiance will take your breath away are
included, along with fun activities that you and
yourpartnerwillrememberforever.
(cid:2)
About the Alive Guides v
About the Alive Guides
Reliable, detailed and personally researched by
knowledgeable authors, the Alive! series was
foundedbyHarrietandArnoldGreenberg.
This accomplished travel-writing team also operates
arenownedbookstore,TheCompleteTraveller,at
199MadisonAvenueinNewYorkCity.
We Love to Get Mail
This book has been carefully researched to bring
youcurrent,accurateinformation.Butnoplaceis
unchanging. We welcome your comments for future
editions. Please write us at: The Alive Guides, c/o
Hunter Publishing, 130 Campus Drive, Edison, NJ
08818, or e-mail your comments to hunterp@
bellsouth.net.

C
Contents o
n
t
e
Introduction 1 n
t
TheIslands 2 s
BestAttractionsandActivities 2
Location 3
Language 3
ASharedPast 6
LifeoftheArawaks&Caribs 7
EuropeansArrive 9
Climate 9
TheLand 11
PlantLife 12
Birds 13
Mammals,Reptiles&Amphibians 15
Food&Drink 17
CommonMenuItems 17
MoneyMatters 20
Cash&ExchangeRates 20
CreditCards 21
ATMs&InstantCash 22
EntryRequirements 22
OtherDocuments 23
DepartureTax 23
Health&Safety 24
GoingMetric-Quick&Painless 26
Temperature 26
Poundsvs.Kilos 26
OntheRoad 26
CustomsRegulations 27
Electricity 30
TimeZones 30
Dominica 31
Overview 31
ABriefHistory 34
EarlyResidents 35
(cid:2)
viii Contents
ChristopherColumbus 35
Europeans 36
Slavery&TheMaroons 37
Independence 37
GettingtoDominica 38
Documentation 38
ArrivalByAir 39
ArrivalBySea 41
GettingAround 42
CarRentals 42
Boats 43
Buses 44
Taxis 44
Festivals,Events&Holidays 45
MajorAnnualEvents 46
CarnivalorMasDominik 46
IndependenceDay 47
DOMFESTA 48
DiveFest 49
WorldCréoleMusicFestival 49
CréoleMusicDefined 50
PublicHolidays 52
ExploringtheIsland 53
Roseau 53
OldMarketSquare 53
Bayfront 53
OldMarket,NewMarket 55
DominicaMuseum 55
FortYoung 55
SaintGeorgeAnglicanChurch 56
BotanicalGardens 56
Churches 58
MorneBruceHill 59
TouringtheSouthernTip 59
SoufrièreBay 60
SulphurSprings 60
ScottsHead 60
(cid:2)
Contents ix
GrandBay 62
C
WestCoastTour 63 o
OldMillCulturalCentre 64 n
t
Massacre 64 e
n
Rodney’sRock 65 t
s
LayouRiver&Valley 66
Estates 66
NorthernForestReserve 67
PointeRonde 68
IndianRiver 69
Portsmouth 70
CabritsNationalPark 71
Capucin 73
EastCoastTour 73
VieilleCase&Pennville 74
SouthAlongtheAtlantic 74
Marigot 75
CaribTerritory 76
L’EscalierTêteChien 77
CastleBruce 78
PetiteSoufrière 78
InlandTours 78
TrafalgarFalls 79
MorneTroisPitonsNationalPark 81
FreshwaterLake 81
TitouGorge 82
EmeraldPool 82
OrganizedTours 83
SunuptoSundown 84
Beaches 85
WestCoastBeaches 86
NorthernBeaches 87
Rivers&NaturalPools 88
Diving&Snorkeling 90
SouthernDiveSites 90
NorthernDiveSites 91
DiveCenters&Certification 91