Dominica

Dominica defies the Caribbean cliché on many levels. No mass tourism, no white powdery beaches, no rum-fueled pool parties. Halfway between Guadaloupe and Martinique, Dominica is the only place in the Eastern Caribbean that’s still home to a sizeable population of indigenous people, the Kalinago, who've lived on the island since the 13th century. Nicknamed ‘nature island’ for a reason, the island lures largely individualists and eco-adventurers with its Boiling Lake, Champagne Reef, rainforest-shrouded volcano, sulfurous hot springs, superb diving and the Caribbean's first long-distance hiking trail. Dominica's topography is breathtaking both above and below the water.  Canyons, steep walls, volcanic craters, and pinnacles - it creates a very diverse layout. The underwater volcanoes are the cause of Dominica's unique landscape.  You can see warm bubbling water, and feel the rising water temperature, created by geothermal vents in the rocks below! Electric rays, seahorses, frogfish, gurnards, Caribbean reef squid, sea snakes, and batfish are just a few of the things to keep a look out for while diving Dominica.