Travelers Are Starting to Discover the Island of Dominica, With New Flights, Hiking Trails and Luxury Hotels 

For years, the self-styled “Nature Island” has been a well-kept secret. Lush, verdant, adventure-filled, the island in the Eastern Caribbean has largely been a hotspot for divers, hikers (drawn to the Caribbean’s longest hiking trail) and those in search of an ultra-laid back, pristine natural environment. 

But in recent years, the island has started to pick up steam — and now it’s coming off a banner year for tourism, according to new data from the Caribbean Tourism Organization. 

Last year, the island reported 83,976 stayover visitors, a very strong 12.5 percent growth rate that was one of the highest for any destination in the Caribbean last year. 

And that’s a trend that should continue, with the launch in the first quarter of United Airlines’ first-ever flights to the island, just the second flight to Dominica from the United States (along with the American Airlines Miami route that launched back in 2021) and one that connects the island’s rare blend of adventure and luxury with a Tri-State area teeming with travelers looking for precisely that. 

So where do you stay in Dominica? Really a trio of top hotels. 

That includes, Secret Bay, the six-star villa resort in Portsmouth, the one that singlehandedly turned Dominica into a luxury destination (with villas starting at $1,143 right now that come with private plunge pools) and the InterContinental Dominica, the latter the only InterContinental in the English-speaking Caribbean and a large, complete resort adjacent to the island’s Cabrits national park. 

While Dominica is not an all-inclusive destination, it does have one very unique all-inclusive option: the Fort Young, the premier place to stay in the south of the island (and in the capital, Roseau) and one where you get a special tour or excursion with every day of your stay. Rooms from $265. 

What about those flights? You can fly nonstop from Miami on American Airlines for about $491 right now. 

The United flight from Newark (which takes about four and a half hours) has fares at $536.