Dominica

Before visiting, I’ll admit I didn’t know much about Dominica. After my direct flight from Saint Lucia was cancelled at the last minute, I managed to find a seat on a small propeller plane to Barbados the following day before continuing on to Dominica. Because of the flight cancellation, my time there was short, so I hired a local guide and set off before sunrise. It didn’t take long to understand why Dominica is known as the “Nature Island” of the Caribbean. Lush rainforests, dramatic mountains, and countless waterfalls covered the island at every turn.

I finished my visit by sharing a cup of coffee with a local businessman whom I’d been introduced to through the former Prime Minister of Saint Lucia, whom I’d met just a few days earlier. He welcomed me into his backyard beside his own private waterfall. It was a fitting end to a country where nature seemed to be woven into everyday life.