Roseau

Ships dock at Roseau Cruise Ship Berth in the center of the capital near shops, restaurants and transportation.

Market stalls line the street adjacent to the pier.

Taxis, minibuses, and tour operators are available at the berths.

Roseau is laid out in an easy to navigate grid system with many of the tourist facilities clustered around the cruise ship dock; the tourist office and Old Market are close by. Roseau is the most used cruise dock in Dominica.

Printable map to take along.

Roseau is a colorful West Indian capital, its streets lined with old stone-and-wood buildings. Reggae music is sounding everywhere during the day.

Within walking distance is the Dominican Botanical Gardens where you can catch a glimpse of the rare Sisserou parrot.

Dominica It is often known as "The Nature Island of the Caribbean" due to its spectacular, lush, and varied flora and fauna, which are protected by an extensive natural park system. The most mountainous island of the Lesser Antilles, its volcanic peaks are cones of lava craters and include Boiling Lake, the second-largest, thermally active lake in the world.

Morne Trois Pitons National Park. The National Park is named after its highest mountain, Morne Trois Pitons, meaning mountain of three peaks. The park is a significant area of volcanic activity. Features within the part include the Valley of Desolation, a region of boiling mud ponds and small geysers; the Boiling Lake, Titou Gorge, and Emerald Pool.

It is easy to get around Dominica. Taxi service is readily available, as are small buses or vans that travel the highways, picking up and dropping off passengers on request. Official taxi fares are posted; keep in mind that figures are listed in Eastern Caribbean dollars.

Taxis are about $30 an hour. Be very specific about the itinerary and what's included etc. Make sure they are certified.

Nearly 300 miles of footpaths open up to some of Dominica's most spectacular sceneries and make this island a haven for hikers and nature-lovers. In almost every part of the country, trails weave their way into gorges and across valleys, climbing up to 4,000 foot mountains.

Whatever your level of fitness there is a trail just right for you, each with a spectacular attraction at its conclusion.

Novice hikers will discover that a relaxing fifteen minute stroll to the Trafalgar Falls reveals photographic vistas of a dense rain forest, twin cascades, warm pools, and rushing streams.

Dominica offers many choices when it comes to water sports and scuba diving. Kayak on cool mountain lakes, swim in secluded river pools in the rain forest, river-tube down the river into the calm waters on the West Coast, or snorkel on pristine reefs... there really is something for everyone in Dominica.

A couple of miles south of Roseau, just past the town of Pointe Michel, you reach a thin pebbly beach backed by a wooden boardwalk called Champagne Beach. If the sea is calm, the water will be crystal clear, and the snorkeling excellent. Champagne beach gets its name thanks to ocean floor volcanic vents which you'll find a short distance offshore. These spew bubbles into the water, so swimming here is just like swimming through a glass of champagne

Within easy walking distance of the cruise pier there are numerous shops and markets selling a wide variety of local goods like rum, baskets, batiks, wood carvings, scented soaps and postcards. For a taste of the real Dominica, explore the old market (once a slave-trading market), a colorful riot of fruit, vegetable and flower stalls.

The local currency is the Eastern Caribbean dollar (EC$), which trades at EC$2.67 to US$1.00. Everywhere on the island businesses accept United States Dollars, British Pounds, and Euros.

Language English (official), French patois

The emergency contact for the Police, Ambulance, and Fire Department is 999.

Businesses open from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. from Monday to Friday with a lunch break from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. On Saturdays, the banks are closed but merchants open their enterprises from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.