Travel Recap: A Slow Birthday Escape in Dominica

A simple need – to get away. I started a tradition of traveling each year for my birthday but I haven’t yet mastered the trip planning. Choosing a country, flights, activities, accommodations, just thinking about it all is already overwhelming. With no plans but a desire to travel, Dominica arose as an option. In this blog post I’m sharing a few things I did while on island. Unfortunately, it was a rather short trip without the proper logistics, but I’m still happy I got to see some parts of the island.

Getting There

Given it was a spur of the moment trip, we needed the most economical way of getting to Dominica. This turned out to be Sunrise Airways which had a flight from Antigua with a stopover in St. Kitts. Despite not leaving on our scheduled day (with no explanation for the changes), the flight was pretty good and we arrived at our destination safely. However, based on that initial hiccup, lack of customer service and just the state of the plane I wouldn’t be using them again or recommending to anyone traveling through the Caribbean.

Where We stayed

The InterContinental Dominica Cabrits Resort & Spa by IHG was our home for a few days. I came across this resort from following another Caribbean creator, just from the looks of it I knew I wanted to stay there. Thankfully, I could afford it and almost two years later it remains one of the best resorts I’ve ever stayed at. My only wish is that it was an all-inclusive. However, the rooms were perfect along with the overall design of the property. I wish I had a longer stay. Read more about my experience here.

InterContinental Dominica Cabrits Resort & Spa by IHG

What we did in Dominica

Dominica is known as the Nature Isle, land of 365 rivers, one for each day of the year. The country is absolutely breathtaking from the moment you land. Imagine a river right by the airport. Furthermore, everything is simply green and lush serving as a beautiful backdrop as your journey across the island. A journey it was as the hotel is more than one hour away, so be prepared for the travel distances while on island.

Syndicate Falls

Our first adventure took us to Syndicate Falls, not too far from where we were staying. The roads however got a bit narrow so it was a bit frightening at first but once we made it I was definitely in awe. It’s about a 10-15 min walk from the parking area; fairly easy but wear comfortable shoes as there’s a shallow river crossing. The falls were amazing and the water was definitely refreshing.

I can’t recall if we paid an entrance fee. There’s also a small bar if you want to purchase drinks.

Syndicate Falls, Dominica

Indian River

A popular tourist attraction once in Dominica, and also one located near the area we were staying. We visited after the falls and definitely bargained with a boat caption for a good price. The guide was knowledgeable about the history of the river and took us through the various channels. We passed the some of the scenes where Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s chest were filmed. With a quick stop at Bush Bar to taste some locally made rum, then it was back to sailing along the river. It was a relaxing journey and you got to witness nature in all its beauty from the plants to various animal species along the way.

Lunch at Kweyol Restaurant

Kwéyòl Restaurant invites you to savor Dominica’s vibrant essence through a culinary journey of soulful Creole flavors and sophisticated simplicity

Had to enjoy the hotel as much as possible so we had lunch on property at Kwéyòl Restaurant. It was probably our first time having a full meal. I opted to try the goat meat which was served with rice and vegetables. It was a three course special being served on this day so I also got ceviche for an appetiser and bread pudding for dessert.

A Walk Through Roseau

Although more than an hour away, we felt it necessary to at least visit the country’s capital city of Roseau while in Dominica. This was an adventure in of itself as we used public transportation (the cheapest option) to get there. We had a bit of a walk from the hotel to where the busses meet in the town. After that it was about an hour’s journey into town which was an experience. Simply being around the locals and seeing a different part of the island.

We had no strict itinerary once we got to town so we walked around a bit, through the market, to the Botanical Gardens, a rest at Sutton Place Cafe and lunch from Ruins Rock Cafe. Given the time it took to get here, we decided to head back to the hotel so it wouldn’t be too late. Also, we’d be back that evening for the music festival.

Purple Turtle Beach

A quick passing stop while walking back to the resort. It’s a spacious beach and there are bars and restaurants nearby to grab a drink and chill on the sand.

World Creole Music Festival

World Creole Music Festival is Dominica’s premier festival held annually the last weekend in October. The focus is mainly creole music, bouyon, zouk etc but the festival showcases a range of artists from across the region and internationally.

We knew we’d be there during the festival weekend but wasn’t sure which night would be best given we didn’t buy tickets in advance or got a rental for ease of transport. With a bit of luck coming our way with logistics we decided to attend the Saturday night but honestly I should have went when we knew more artist on the lineup. Also, given the journey intro Roseau earlier in the day we were beat! It was about 2am and we still didn’t see any of the major performances, tired from standing all night, hungry and anticipating our hour bus ride home. So if you choose to attend this festival, ensure you’re staying in Roseau or nearby and plan your day accordingly to make it through. After see the snaps the next day they made it to 6/7am with lots of energy still pumping through the crowd.