3 Best Sights in Dominica

Along with Brimstone Hill in St. Kitts, Shirley Heights in Antigua, Ft. George in Grenada, and Ft. Charlotte in St. Vincent, the Cabrits National Park's Ft. Shirley ruins are among the most significant historic sites in the Caribbean. Just north of the town of Portsmouth, this 1,300-acre park includes a marine park and herbaceous swamps, which are home to several species of rare birds and plants. At the heart of the park is the Ft. Shirley military complex. Built by the British between 1770 and 1815, the fort once comprised 50 major structures—including storehouses that were also quarters for 600 men. With the help of the British Royal Navy (which continues to send sailors ashore to work on the site each time a ship is in port) and local volunteers, historian Dr. Lennox Honychurch led the restoration of the fort and its surroundings, incorporating a small museum that highlights the natural and historic aspects of the park and an open-air, canteen-style Prince Rupert Tavern. The park has two short hiking trails (easy-to-moderate), along with a visitor center, interpretation panels, washrooms, and a picnic area.

Translated to "Devil's Peak," this dormant volcano dominates the northern end of the island, rising 2,826 feet above sea level and sloping down to Toucari Bay and Douglas Bay just north of Portsmouth. A trail—a strenuous four-hour hike—starts at Tanetane, near Portsmouth, and ends at Vielle Case on the northeast coast. The access road, which is long and rough, twists by coconut, cocoa, and banana groves; passes by fern-festooned embankments and bubbling sulphur springs. It continues over rivers and through villages with brightly painted wooden houses that are almost as colorful as all the flora and fauna.

This UNESCO Heritage Site covers 8,242 acres in the northwest and is home to 4,747-foot Morne Diablotin—the highest peak in the Eastern Caribbean—which takes its name from a bird known in English as the black-capped petrel. Now extinct on the island, the bird was prized by hunters in the 18th century. Dominica is still a major birding destination, with many exotic (and endangered) species such as the green-and-purple Sisserou parrot (Amazona imperialis)—the National Bird of Dominica—and the smaller Jacquot, or red-neck, parrot (Amazona arausiaca). Before this national park was established, its Syndicate Nature Trail was aided by some 6,000 schoolchildren—each donating 25¢ to protect the area's habitat. The west-coast road (at the bend near Dublanc) runs through three types of forest and leads to the park. The trail offers a casual walk—just bring a sweater and binoculars—but the five- to eight-hour hike up Morne Diablotin is no walk in the park. You will definitely need a guide, sturdy hiking shoes, warm clothing, and a backpack with refreshments and a change of clothes (including socks). Wrap all in plastic to keep them dry.