Footprint St Lucia & Dominica n Extensive coverage of the most famous and lesser-known sites, from the forested mountains of St Lucia to the marine parks of Dominica. Also includes Fort-de-France in Martinque. & Lucia Dominica St 1 W I I n Expert author S N Sarah Cameron has L D A W N travelled throughout the Caribbean for DOMINICA A D R S MARTINIQUE D over two decades ST LUCIA n Inspirational colour section and detailed maps to help you plan your trip n Authoritative advice and recommendations to ensure you find the best accommodation, restaurant or tour operator n Comprehensive information to immerse you in St Lucia’s colonial history and Dominica’s traditional culture n Footprint have built on years of experience to become the experts on the Caribbean ‘Footprint is the best – engagingly written, comprehensive, honest and bang on the ball.’ THE SUNDAY TIMES Footprint Handbook Travel: Caribbean UK £7.99 2nd edition USA $12.99 St Lucia & ISBN 978 1 910120 56 9 Dominica footprinttravelguides.com SARAH CAMERON Planning your trip. .2 St Lucia . 30 Castries. 31 North of Castries . 39 Rodney Bay. 40 Pigeon Island . 42 North coast . 43 East coast to Vieux Fort . 44 Vieux Fort . 48 West coast to Soufrière . 48 Soufrière . 50 South of Soufrière. 51 The southwest . 56 Listings. 58 Martinique Fort-de-France . 80 Dominica . 86 Roseau . 87 Trafalgar Falls. 91 Morne Trois Pitons National Park . 92 South coast. 94 Leeward coast . 95 The north. 98 Transinsular road. 98 Atlantic coast . 99 Listings. .101 Background . 116 Practicalities . 130 Index . 141 Footprint Handbook St Lucia & Dominica SARAH CAMERON St Lucia & Dominica St Lucia, Dominica and Martinique are part of the Windward Island chain, a series of volcanic peaks jutting out of the sea. They form a barrier between the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea and all have a wild, blustery east coast and a calm, sheltered west coast with lovely natural harbours and picturesque fishing villages. Sulphur fumaroles and hot springs are evidence of the dormant, but not dead, volcanoes, while the volcanic soil provides immense fertility. There are large areas of lush rainforest with national parks protecting places of biodiversity or natural beauty on land and underwater. The islands are a haven for birds with lots of endemic species, while the sea is teeming with fish and other marine life including whales and dolphins. Hikers and birdwatchers are spoilt for choice, with many rewarding trails through forested mountains, following rivers and along beaches. There is always something to do and an action-packed holiday can include any number of watersports, such as canyoning, kayaking, diving and snorkelling. These islands were all at one time colonized by the French and share a cultural heritage even though St Lucia and Dominica eventually became British before getting their independence. Martinique has remained French and is a part of France: a Département. Imported African slaves brought to work on plantations have added to the rich ethnic mix. This Caribbean melting pot of races and cultures has produced a language known as Kwéyòl, which is widely spoken, with regional differences. St Lucia and Dominica have retained French names for many of their towns and villages, where the older colonial buildings are decorated with gingerbread fretwork and jalousie shutters. They share a Créole cuisine, Roman Catholicism, and music, with Cadence, Zouk, Compas, Bouyou and Soukous heard at Créole festivals and fêtes around the islands. However, the official language is English, cars drive on the left and cricket is the most popular sport. Sarah Cameron To Guadeloupe Dominica Passage Pennville Miami Cabrits National Park Calibishie Fort Shirley (Ruins) Larieu Dos Wesley 7 D'Âne 10 Marigot Cuba Dublanc Waitukubuli Carib Crayfish National TrailTerritory River Dominican Coulibistrie Central Forest Reserve Sineku Haiti Republic Salisbury Bells Castle Bruce Puerto Layou Pont Petite Rico Layou Cassé Soufrière Dominica Valley Dominica Sylvania 8 Rosalie Martinique Trafalgar Titou St Lucia Roseau Gorge Boiling Lake Loubiere 8 Savane Mahaut Soufrière Berekua Scotts Head 9 Martinique Passage Atlantic Ocean W i Basse-Pointe n Pelée d Morne Rouge Martinique w St-Pierre La Trinité a Le Robert r d Fort-de-France Les Trois-Ilets I Rivière-Salée Caribbean Sea s Ste-Luce Le Marin l a n d St Lucia Channel s Fort Rodney Pointe Hardy Gros Islet Port Rat Island Dauphin Castries 2 Paix Grande Anse 1 Bouche Marigot Bay Bexon La Sorcière Massacré Grande Rivière Morne Dennery Canaries Beaujolais Morne Gimie Praslin St Lucia N Soufrière Edmond Soufrière Bay Petit Forest Reser ve 4 Piton 5 Micoud Gros Piton Etangs Belle Vue Choiseul Laborie 3 20 km Piaye Maria Islands Vieux Fort Nature Reserve 20 miles St Vincent Passage To Guadeloupe Dominica Passage Pennville Miami Cabrits National Park Calibishie Fort Shirley (Ruins) Larieu Dos Wesley 7 D'Âne 10 Marigot Cuba Dublanc Waitukubuli Carib Crayfish National TrailTerritory River Dominican Coulibistrie Central Forest Reserve Sineku Haiti Republic Salisbury Bells Castle Bruce Puerto Layou Pont Petite Rico Layou Cassé Soufrière Dominica Valley Dominica Sylvania 8 Rosalie Martinique Trafalgar Titou St Lucia Roseau Gorge Boiling Lake Loubiere 8 Savane Mahaut Soufrière Berekua Scotts Head 9 Martinique Passage Atlantic Ocean W i Basse-Pointe n Pelée historic site. The 18th-century British d Martinique Morne Rouge garrison once housed more than 600 w St-Pierre La Trinité soldiers. Some of the ruins have been a rebuilt, while others lie half-buried in the Le Robert r jungle and are fun to explore. Page 96. d Fort-de-France 0 Waitukubuli National Trail Les Trois-Ilets I Rivière-Salée This coast-to-coast hiking trail winds its Caribbean Sea s way for 115 miles through lush virgin Ste-Luce Le Marin 8 l Soufrière and Scotts rainforest, over steep mountainous a Head ridges, past waterfalls, coastal villages and n down to the sea again. It’s a showcase This marine reserve off the south coast of Dominica’s rich cultural and natural d of Dominica is the most picturesque bay St Lucia Channel heritage and can be completed as a series s on the island both above and below the of day hikes. Page 112. water. Characterized by warm underwater Fort sulphur vents and abrupt coral reef Rodney Pointe Hardy drop-offs, it’s a site for pelagic fish and Gros Islet Port cetaceans including spinner dolphins and Rat Island Dauphin Castries 2 sperm whales. Page 94. Paix Grande Anse 1 Bouche Marigot Bay Bexon La Sorcière 9 Massacré Grande Rivière Fort Shirley, Cabrits Morne Dennery Canaries Beaujolais Morne Peninsula Gimie Praslin St Lucia N Soufrière Edmond Soufrière Bay Petit Forest Reser ve A former military outpost on a scenic 4 Piton 5 Micoud Gros Piton Etangs Belle Vue peninsula in the north of the island, Fort Choiseul Laborie 3 Shirley is Dominica’s most important 20 km Piaye Maria Islands Vieux Fort Nature Reserve 20 miles St Vincent Passage • 7 When to go to be missed: the views are spectacular, with majestic mountains, steep valleys and endless shades of green, where you will be serenaded by a huge variety of birds, frogs and other creatures of the forest. A tour to see the leatherback turtles laying their eggs on Grand Anse Beach on St Lucia or Rosalie Bay on When Dominica is a must, as is a whale-watching trip. There are about 20 species of whale and dolphin in the waters around both islands. Diving and snorkelling is rewarding off the leeward coasts, with the added attraction of underwater to go springs off the coast of Dominica. It is well worth making the ferry journey between the two islands, dividing your holiday between St Lucia and Dominica. International flight connections are better to St Lucia, so start and finish there. Martinique lies between the two and a stopover in Fort-de-France is required one way, but the return can be done in one go. There are flights if you prefer, but the scenic benefits of the ferry are well worth the extra time. For details of Express des Iles services, see page 132. ON THE ROAD Best activities § Birdwatching in the Edmund Forest, deep in the tropical nature reserve, page 55. § Canyoning in Titou Gorge where a narrow channel ends in a torrential waterfall, page 93. § Diving in the marine park at Soufrière; a pristine underworld adventure, page 51. § Diving or snorkelling off Soufrière and Scott’s Head, swimming through the bubbles of underwater hot springs at a site known as Champagne, page 94. § Hiking some or all of the Waitukubuli National Trail, taking in Dominica’s dense forests, volcanic hills, rivers and waterfalls, page 112. § Kiteboarding or windsurfing at Anse de Sables, where wind conditions are exciting but you won’t get carried out to the ocean, page 47. § Sailing from Rodney Bay down the west coast for a view of the cliffs, forests and majestic Pitons, page 76. § Turtle watching on Grand Anse, an overnight vigil of the leatherbacks hauling themselves up the sand to lay their eggs, page 42. § Watching a Test Match at St Lucia’s Beausejour Cricket Ground, one of the best pitches in the West Indies, page 73. § Whale watching in Soufrière Bay with playful dolphins leaping in and out of your wake, page 114. 10 ● Planning your trip Route planner When to go When to go … and when not to Climate The climate is tropical. The volcanic mountains and forests of St Lucia, Dominica and Martinique attract more rain than some other, more low-lying islands in the Caribbean. The driest and coolest time of year is usually December-April, coinciding with the winter peak in tourism as those from Europe and the US escape to the sun.