Dominica is largely rural, uncrowded and unspoiled. It has a lush mountainous interior of rainforests, waterfalls, lakes, hot springs and rivers, many of which cascade over steep cliff faces en route to the coast. Apart from its natural splendours, including the highest mountains in the Eastern Caribbean, the island has an interesting fusion of British. French and West lndian cultural traditions, and is home to the Eastern Caribbean’s largest Carib lndian community.

December to February

Enjoying scenic Roseau, with its colonial architecture and Creole food and culture Exploring Cabrits National Park, with fine views from the ruins of Fort Shirley Taking in the unsurpassed mountain and rainforest scenery Hiking to Boiling Lake, the world’s second-largest natural boiling lake Kicking around Shoreline of Soufriere Bay (the rim of a sunken volcanic crater) Diving Scotts Head Drop, a shallow coral ledge that drops abruptly to a depth of over 50m (160ft) and has a wall of tube sponges and soft corals

Read Voyage in the Dark by Dominica’s most celebrated author, Jean Rhys, or Dominica’s other noted novelist, Shand Allfrey, who is bet known for The Orchid House

Listen to African soukous, Louisiana zydeco and a variety of local bands at the World Creole Music Festival held in the last week October in Roseau

Watch Dominican filmmaker Pauline Marcelle’s animation films Burn, The Snake Steps or Paradogs

Eat callaloo soup (a creamy soup made with dasheen leaves) and mountains of delicious fresh fruit

Drink fruit punch made with fresh fruit and rum, or the locally brewed beer Kubuli

Lime about (lazing about).

Diving; Rasta colours; rainforests; cricket; Creole culture

Dominica’s national bird, the Sisserou parrot, is the largest of all the Amazon parrots; there are more than 200 rivers in Dominica

Dominica’s national dish is the mountain chicken, which is not a chicken at all but rather the of a giant frog called crapaud (Leptodactylus fallax), which is endemic to Dominica and Montserrat. Found at higher elevations, it’s a protected species and can only be caught between autumn and February. Crapaud meat is white and tastes like chicken.