Dominica - designed by Mother Nature

It’s not true to say that I’ve seen it all. By no means!

But it’s fair to say that, as an explorer who for forty years has trekked across the Amazon and Papua New Guinea, with camel teams plodded through the dusty ochre sands of the Namib and Gobi, and in bleakest Siberia slogged with loyal huskies through seemingly endless blizzards, I’ve seen quite a lot. And yet even I have rarely come across a place that is quite so idyllic.

That place is the little island of Dominica – not to be confused with the rather more standard ‘sun, sea and sand’ offering that is the Dominican Republic.

Dominica is sometimes talked of as the ‘Nature Island’ of the Caribbean – and that might in itself sound off-putting. After all, who wants mosquitos, venomous snakes and other jungle predators chasing them on their hols?

But the good news is that Domicia hosts none of these. Though a magnificent - and unrivalled – 60% of the island is shrouded in tropical forest, this happens to be the splendid, uplifting sort of jungle vegetation that comes complete with decorous tree ferns and cascading orchids. You may wander along well-maintained paths with ease, pausing to dip beneath refreshing waterfalls or to have a contemplative soak in one of the volcanic island’s natural hot baths.

That’s not to say there isn’t plenty of action available if you are the rough-n’-tough type of individual who wants to go off-track in search of rare birds – various interesting parrots, the Dominica forest thrush and Kalinago wren come to mind – or for that matter, there’s a challenging hike to the Boiling Lake, the second biggest such crater lake on the planet.

But for my wife Lenka and nine-year-old Beatrice, both of whom accompanied me, the island offered more than enough besides. There were trips out into the crystalline seas, where we snorkelled gently among the corals - and not far offshore, too, were the sperm whales, and also dolphins, frolicking by the hundred.

It was as if the whole place had been designed by Mother Nature to relax and restore you. I’ve mentioned the spa treatments available in the form of simmering volcanic pools, but there’s also the wonderfully relaxed atmosphere generated by the friendly locals. The island has an extraordinary number of centenarians – often attributed to the mineral-rich drinking water available on tap, but it might also emanate from the general sense of well-being that comes from living in a place of beauty. Or else… it could perhaps be the rather potent rum punches!

Of course, the only way to know for sure whether Dominica is your idea of a perfect retreat is to give the place a try yourself.

One thing, though: whether you chose to stay by the pool at the Jungle Bay Hotel – little villas nestled among the humming birds and blossom of a quasi-Garden of Eden - or at the Rosalie Bay Eco Resort – right on the coast, and featuring glorious giant leather back turtles that come ashore to lay their eggs in the black lava sands - you’ll find yourself in as near to Paradise as you are likely to find anywhere.

Benedict Allen

Writer and Explorer