Travel by Air

Dominica has two airports: the Canefield Airport and the Melville Hall Airport. The Canefield Airport, which is 15 minutes from Roseau, is only 3,100ft long and accommodates small aircrafts offering intra-regional flights. Although Melville Hall, which is one and a half hours from the city, is much bigger, it is not an international airport. International flights from US and Europe are connected to the island through hubs in Antigua, Barbados, St. Maarten, Guadeloupe and Martinique. Leeward Island Air Transport (LIAT) usually completes the Dominican leg of these flights. LIAT and American Eagle also provide connecting flights to the island out of Puerto Rico.

Travel by Sea

A 300-seat catamaran operated by L'Express des Îles ferries passengers between Dominica, Guadeloupe, Martinique and St. Lucia. Every year, hundreds of thousands of visitors arrive on the island from Cruise Ships berthed at the Bayfront, Woodbridge Bay, and Cabrits. Captains of Yachts and Sailboats can also anchor their private yacht at any of the island's official ports, but they should check in with customs and immigration on arrival.

Passport & Immigration

Immigration officials require most visitors to Dominica to present a valid passport on arrival. All need to show a return ticket and some need to have a visa. Canadian citizens can show documents certifying proof of citizenship that also bears a photograph, and French nationals can stay for up to two weeks by presenting a valid identification card. Visitors coming from a specified list of countries, who intend to stay for 21 days or less, do not require a visa. Click here for a list of these countries.

Taxi

Taxis are available all over the island. They are easily identified by the letters, H, HA or HB preceding the registration numbers on the number plates. There are standard fees from the city to both airports. The fare from Melville Hall to Roseau is EC$50 and from Canefield to Roseau EC$25.

Car Rentals

There are a number of car rental agencies on the island offering vehicles for rent. But before you get on the road, you will need to obtain a driver's license which cost $30 (US$12). You must be between 25 and 65 years old, with two years' driving experience to qualify for a driver's permit. Traffic use the left side of the road, most of which are well maintained.  Click here for a list of car rental companies

Bus Service

Dominica has a reliable public transportation system consisting of primarily private minibus operators. Bus stops can be found at designated points throughout the city depending on your destination. The bus fares are standardized and ranges from EC$1.50 to EC$10.25 according the specific route. Bus rotation is fairly frequent throughout the day, but this method of transportation is not suitable for night travel.

Language

English is the official language of Dominica; however a large portion of the population speaks Kwéyòl, which is based primarily on French and Carib vocabularies and a syntax burrowed from a variety of West African indigenous languages. A few Northern villages use a distinctive English dialect called Kokoy.

Currency

The local currency is the Eastern Caribbean dollar (EC$), which trades at EC$2.67 to US$1.00. Banks will offer EC$2.68 for a US$1.00 traveller's cheque. Everywhere on the island businesses accept United States Dollars, British Pounds, and Euros.

Credit Cards

Most tourism related business, such as hotels, restaurants, tour operators, and car rental agencies accept Master Card, Visa and American Express credit cards, including Traveller's Cheques.

Business Hours

Businesses open from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. from Monday to Friday with a lunch break from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. Banking hours are from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. from Mondays to Thursdays and 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Fridays. On Saturdays, the banks are closed but merchants open their enterprises from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Banks

The following are a list of the banks found in Dominica:

•       Dominica Agricultural Industrial & Development Bank

•       The Bank of Nova Scotia

•       The Eastern Caribbean Central Bank

•       First Caribbean International Bank

•       Griffon Bank

•       National Bank of Dominica

•       Royal Bank of Canada

Telecommunications

Dominica has a modern and reliable telecommunications system. It is easy to find public phones in the city and in most communities. Hotels offer International Direct Dialing from their rooms, and there are three major mobile service providers on the island: Cable & Wireless, Digicel, and Orange Cariabe. The island's area code is 767. 

Electrical

Dominica's electrical services use 220/240 volts. American appliances are quite popular, but their users utilize transformers for voltage conversion. Many accommodations offer both outlets, but it would be wise to receive confirmation from the specific establishment.

Medical Facilities

There are three public hospitals on the island: the Marigot Hospital, the Portsmouth Hospital, and the premier Princess Margaret Hospital. Intensive care units are available at the Portsmouth Hospital and the Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH). The PMH also has a Hyperbaric Chamber. Several specialists and general practitioners operate private clinics.

Emergency

The emergency contact for the Police, Ambulance, and Fire Department is 999.

Personal Safety

Dominica enjoys one of the lowest crime rates in the entire Caribbean; however visitors are encouraged to practice common sense in their deportment and the protection of their property.

Time Zone

Dominica Time is 4 hours behind Greenwich Mean Time (GMT-4), which is one hour ahead of Eastern Standard Time and the same as eastern Daylight Time.

Climate

Visitors to Dominica should expect plenty of sunshine interjected by intermittent rainfall. The island's annual temperature averages at 27 C. Frequent rainfall cools the tropical heat, nourishes the island's extensive rainforest, and feeds its rivers, lakes, and waterfalls. On the coast, average rainfall registers 1,780 mm, but in the interior that figure is triple.

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