Compared to the majority of Caribbean islands, we found Dominica to be a much more budget-friendly destination. Still, as always, that heavily depends on your style of travel. Stefanie and I backpacked around the country and managed to find plenty of ways to cut our costs.
If you, too, have to pinch your pennies, check out our personal guide on how to travel Dominica on a budget while still getting the most of this tropical paradise.
This post may contain affiliate links, and I might earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. For more info, click here.
Getting to Dominica on a Budget
At the moment, the only direct mainland flight to Dominica is from Miami, so if travelling from anywhere else in North America, you’re going to have to connect either there or on another Caribbean island, which might significantly raise the price of your flight.
Travelling from Europe, we found it a much cheaper alternative to fly to Pointe-à-Pitre on Guadeloupe from Paris and then take the ferry to Dominica.
As Guadeloupe is a French Overseas Department, the flights there from Europe are significantly cheaper than going to Dominica directly (we paid about 500€ return per Person). Same goes for Martinique, if you travel from (or connect in) Paris.
Apart from cutting your costs, taking the ferry also is a pretty atmospheric way of reaching Dominica. Check out everything you need to know about taking the ferry here.
Cheap Transport on Dominica
While there are a couple of car rental companies in Roseau, Portsmouth and at the airports, renting a car is never the cheapest way to explore a place, and we managed perfectly well without our own set of wheels.
Minibuses are certainly the easiest and cheapest way of getting around the island without your own transport. They serve most places of touristic interest (like Roseau, Portsmouth, Trafalgar and the Kalinago Territory), and only cost about 1 to 10 ECD (1 to 4€ or 1 to 5$) per trip, depending on the distance, plus they are a good way of meeting locals.
The minibuses don’t run on a schedule, though (they usually start when they’re full), and especially if you’re travelling through the interior of the island, it’s sometimes much more convenient to simply hitch a ride.
In our experience, it’s super easy and more often than not, the first car that passed us (and had some space) stopped to take us along.
Cheap Accommodation on Dominica
There are plenty of places offering budget and midrange cabins in most towns and villages across the island. We usually just asked the people running the place we stayed at, if they had a recommendation for our next destination, and that worked out really well.
It’s a small island, and everybody running a lodge or hostel seems to know everybody else. We always went for the most basic cabins, which usually set us back about 100 ECD (35€ / 40$) for two people per night.
A nice feature is that most places outside of Roseau also offer the possibility to pitch a tent or hang a hammock, making staying there even more affordable (usually about 25 ECD / 8€ / 10$ per Person per night) and allowing you to get a little closer to nature.
We brought some camping hammocks and found that to be the best option, as basically all the places around the island will let you set it up on their premises, and you won’t have to worry about that one painful stone under your tent poking you all night long.
Some of our favourite affordable places to stay on the island were D’Auchamps Cottages in Trafalgar, D-Smart Farm in Pont Cassé and 3 Rivers Eco Lodge near Rosalie. If you’re spending a night in Roseau, we found Ma Bass’ Guesthouse to be a good cheapish option (another one would be St. James’ Guesthouse), while Douglas Guest House is a good budget choice in Portsmouth.
More recommendations for budget accommodation can be found in my guide on where to stay in Dominica, or you can browse for options in the map below.
Finding Cheap Food on Dominica
While not as cheap as in some backpacker-friendly countries, you can get a decent meal including drinks for about 30 to 40 ECD (10 – 13€ /12 – 15$) in most places. Many of the lodges offer tasty set meals, while renting a cabin gives you the option of doing some self-catering, further saving you some money.
How to Save on Experiences on Dominica
The most important natural attractions on the island are included in an Ecotourism Program and require a day pass for 5$ (EC $13.25) or a week pass for 12$ (EC $32.04). Unless you’re on the island for only one or two days, I’d recommend getting the week pass. You can visit as many sites as you manage in the allotted time.
The sites included in the pass are: Morne Trois Pitons, The Emerald Pool, Boiling Lake, Freshwater Lake, Boeri Lake, Middleham Falls, Trafalgar Falls, Cabrits National Park/Fort Shirley, The Indian River, Syndicate Nature Trail, Morne Diablotin as well as the Sulphur Springs in Soufrière.
Considering how many spectacular sites are included, the passes really are tremendous value. Plus, the proceeds go to natural conservation efforts, so you should definitely get one. You can get the passes at the Emerald Pool, Trafalgar Falls, Cabrits National Park and the Indian River as well as from the Forestry Division on Roseau’s Valley Road.
Check this site for current information about the program.
Daily Dominica Budget
Altogether we managed to get by on a daily budget of about 100 to 120 ECD (about 35 to 40€ / 35 to 45$) per Person, travelling as a couple mostly camping and eating out, sometimes renting a cabin and doing self-catering. That way, we managed to stay within our budget without feeling we were missing out in any way.
See Also:
Everything you need to know about visiting Dominica
The 10 best things to do on Dominica
The perfect one-week Dominica itinerary