Monday, December 1, 2008

Fun Things To Do When Holidaying in Dominica

Many families go on a self catering holiday to Dominica and rent holiday villas and holiday apartments as holiday homes. A small island nation in the Caribbean islands, Dominica is a favorite spot for tourists from around the world. They come here, to soak in the sun, and take in all the beautiful sights around the island.

Even though it is not a big island, people from across the globe throng here to enjoy the lakes, and mountains, relax and rejuvenate. When you go on holiday to Dominica you are assured of a fun relaxing holiday. Sun lovers flock to Dominica from all over the world to enjoy its great climate.

Many holiday makers like to visit the Boiling Lake when staying in a holiday villa in Dominica. It is situated in the world heritage site of Morne Trois Pitons National Park. The Boiling Lake is a key attraction for all visitors with many coming back year after year to visit this wonderful sight.

However, it could take you a whole day to get to the lake, going along the trails of forests, highlands, the Titou Gorge, and valley of desolation. You are able to watch the steam rise high from the lake, and see the hot boiling water flowing from various openings.

It is more fun to go as a group, and it is advisable to wear comfortable gear to complete the trail. The highlight of the trip is the Titou Gorge is where the hot and cold streams come together.

Scuba diving and whale watching are also popular tourist pastimes. You can take a boat ride on the crystal blue waters and then go scuba diving or whale watching.

Set in the middle of nowhere, the Islands of Windward and Leeward are the ideal place for you to spot the whales. You will marvel at the beauty of these magnificent animals as they play around in this natural environment.

Sperm whales are the most common here, and you have a good chance of seeing one of these magnificent creatures. For those of you who do not like boat rides, it is possible to do whale watching from the neighboring island of St Lucia.

For those of you who like swimming and want to get up close to the natural sea life you can take a trip scuba diving. Put on your scuba gear, get a few lessons from the guide and dive into the deep blue sea. Watch the sea come alive with colours and myriad of animals moving around. If you are very lucky you may see the dolphins and whales swim right past you.

After a day spent scuba diving you can then further unwind by visiting the Cabrits National Park. It is located to the north of Portsmouth and Cabrits National park is also home to Fort Shirley.

When here, you can walk around the fort trails, weaving through the war ruins and canons, enjoying this beautiful nature reserve. Apart from this one fort, there are several other trails going to Douglas Bay Battery, and East Cabrits, which are in the park.

Since Dominica has nearly 300 lakes, and water bodies, it is not a surprise to find one more at Soufriere. Tiny bubbles of hot water spring from the ocean near the church on the sea front, making way for the beautiful hot springs hidden under the forest canopy a couple of yards away. These bubbles are what gave them the "Champagne" title and made them so popular amidst visitors.

Finally no trip is complete without visiting the Gallion Viewpoint. It is set high above the mountains and this is the perfect place to sit and watch the sunset. It has a 360 view of the Caribbean islands and the bay surrounding it. The sun sets right into the ocean, making it an unforgettable moment for all those who witness this amazing sight.

With all of these exciting things to see and do it is no wonder that families return to Dominica year after year and rent holiday villas or self catering apartments. In the last few years holiday rentals have grown greatly in choice and price and many families choose to stay in self catering holiday accommodation.

Andrew Gibson is MD of http://www.Directholidaybookings.co.uk.They are one of the largest holiday home websites with a selection of holiday villas and self catering holiday apartments to rent all over the world.

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