Dominica Is the Caribbean’s Best-Kept Secret for Nature Lovers

Tucked away between Guadeloupe and Martinique is unadulterated Dominica (pronounced dom-ah-nee-ka). Because it’s often confused with the Dominican Republic and lacks direct long-haul flights, the destination has predominantly remained under the radar. But with few places left in this world that feel unspoiled, the country truly stands out. A favorite of Vogue’s Fashion News Director, Chioma Nnadi—who used to live on Martinique and brought her family and friends to Dominica twice because she loved it so much—she blissfully sighs when I tell her I’ve just returned from the verdant island. “Everything about Dominica is kind of magical. The fact that it feels like a small village, but has so many natural and unexpected wonders packed into one island, is beyond anything I have ever seen before. If you’re expecting a picture-postcard Caribbean beach scene with powdery white sand, then you won’t find it [there], but that’s also what makes it special,” she raves. With two-thirds of Dominica covered in rain forest, 365 rivers weaving their way around the land, and a number of volcanoes and waterfalls, you’ll wonder whether or not you’ve been transported back to the Jurassic period. Don’t expect to come here for white-glove service the way you would in [St. Barth's](http://www.vogue.com/article/st-barths-beginner-travel-guide) or Grand Cayman, but rather to get a taste of what local, unsullied life is like. “Seeing how the indigenous Carib communities, which still build very traditional wooden houses literally on stilts, live was super-memorable,” recalls Nnadi. Now, who’s ready to pack their bags for the Caribbean’s “Nature Island”?