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A view of a colourful tropical village near the sea in Soufrière, Dominica

The Perfect One Week Dominica Itinerary – Including Hotel Tips for Every Budget

Posted on January 22, 2022January 27, 2023

Dominica truly is a hidden gem among Caribbean holiday destinations. Beautiful black sand beaches, impressive waterfalls, great hiking opportunities, unusual natural attractions and a fascinating traditional culture all combine to make this one of the most unique islands in the Lesser Antilles. Add to that the incredibly welcoming and laid-back locals and you’ll probably end up not wanting to leave this tropical paradise.

Thus, one week is the minimum amount you should spend on this beautiful and multifaceted island. Two weeks would be even better to really get a feel for the place and settle into its special groove. Read on to find out how to make the best of your stay in this tropical paradise!

A red plant in front of a mountainous backround on Dominica
Palmtrees near the sea on a sunny day on Dominica
Dominica offers some great hiking opportunities

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Contents hide
1 One-Week Itinerary
1.1 Day 1: Roseau
1.2 Day 2: Soufrière
1.3 Day 3-4: Trafalgar and surroundings
1.4 Day 5: Rosalie and the Southeast
1.5 Day 6: Calibishie
1.6 Day 7: Portsmouth
2 If you have more time
3 If you have less time
4 Accommodation
4.1 Related Posts

One-Week Itinerary

Day 1: Roseau

Roseau features many historic wooden buildings

Given Dominica’s natural attractions, Roseau might not be the most spectacular place on the island but it has a certain charm and deserves at least a few hours of your time. Check out the historical buildings on King-George-V-Street, spend some time in the pleasant Botanical Gardens or hike up to Morne Bruce for a nice view.

See also: The 5 best things to do in Roseau

  • Budget Accommodation Tip: St. James Guesthouse or Ma Bass’ Guesthouse (Tel. +1 767-448-2999)
  • Midrange Accommodation Tip: Sutton Place Hotel
  • Luxury Accommodation Tip: Fort Young Hotel

Day 2: Soufrière

Soufrière is one of Dominica’s prettiest villages

Check out one of the prettiest villages on the island and hike part of the Waitukubuli National Trail to get a taste of Dominica’s natural attractions. You could also go snorkelling at Champagne Reef and top it off with a relaxing soak in the warm sulphur springs.

See also: Hiking part of Dominica’s Waitukubuli Trail from Scott’s Head to Soufrière

  • Budget Accommodation Tip: Soufriere Guesthouse or Rodney’s Wellness Retreat (Camping)
  • Midrange Accommodation Tip: Rodney’s Wellness Retreat (Cabin) (Tel. +1 767-613-3417)
  • Luxury Accommodation Tip: Jungle Bay Dominica

Day 3-4: Trafalgar and surroundings

You shouldn’t miss the otherworldly Valley of Desolation

Trafalgar is the perfect place to linger for a couple of days. I suggest staying there for at least two nights and using the village as a base for hikes to the surrounding natural attractions, like the Boiling lake and the Valley of Desolation, Freshwater and Boeri Lake and Titou Gorge. The village itself also features a set of impressive waterfalls and is located in close proximity to Wotten Waven, where you can recover from a day of hiking by visiting some warm springs.

See also: What to do in Trafalgar, Wotten Waven and Morne Trois Pitons National Park, Dominica

  • Budget Accommodation Tip: Anthurium Apartment in Wotten Waven or D’Auchamps Cottages (Firefly Cottage) in Trafalagar
  • Midrange Accommodation Tip: Cocoa Cottage in Trafalgar
  • Luxury Accommodation Tip: Papillotte Wilderness Retreat in Trafalgar

Day 5: Rosalie and the Southeast

The landscape in southeastern Dominica

Make your way to the East Coast of the island but don’t forget to stop at the amazingly beautiful Emerald Pool on the way. Rosalie is a tiny village on the southeastern coast and a fantastic base to explore Wavine Cyrique, a magnificent waterfall going straight into the ocean. The impressive Victoria Falls can also be reached from here.

See also: What to do in southeastern Dominica

  • Budget Accommodation Tip: 3 Rivers Eco Lodge (Dormitory or Camping)
  • Luxury Accommodation Tip: Rosalie Bay Eco Resort

Day 6: Calibishie

Calibishie is a pretty village on Dominica’s Northern coast

Stop by the Kalinago Barana Aute in Crayfish River, were you can learn about the fascinating culture of the native Kalinago, before continuing to pretty Calibishie to check out the impressive Red Rocks as well as beautiful Hampstead beach.

See also: Hampstead Beach and other things to do in Calibishie, Dominica

  • Budget Accommodation Tip: Louislyn Apartments or Douglas Guest House (Tel. 767-445-5253) (both in Portsmouth).
  • Midrange Accommodation Tip: Seacliff Eco-Cottages

Day 7: Portsmouth

Explore the atmospheric Indian River during a boat tour

Dominica’s second city allows you a glimpse into colonial history at Fort Shirley as well as some great natural exploration by taking boat tour along the Indian River. From here it’s easy to return to Roseau in the happy knowledge to have seen the best attractions the island has to offer.

See also: The Indian River, Fort Shirley and other sights in Portsmouth, Dominica

  • Budget Accommodation Tip: Louislyn Apartments or Douglas Guest House (Tel. 767-445-5253)
  • Midrange Accommodation Tip: Riverside Hotel
  • Luxury Accommodation Tip: Secret Bay Dominica
All the destinations on the suggested Dominica itinerary: 1 – Roseau; 2 – Soufrière; 3/4 – Trafalgar and surroundings; 5 – Rosalie; 6 – Calibishie Territory; 7 – Portsmouth

If you have more time

Ten days or two weeks on Dominica allow you to take a slower approach. You could spend more time in some of the places mentioned above. Trafalgar and Rosalie both make good bases for exploring the respective surroundings and merit an extra day or two.

Otherwise you could add some additional destinations. Pont Cassé in the centre of the island is a great base for some more adventurous hikes, for example to the top of Morne Trois Pitons and to Jacko Steps, location of a former camp of escaped slaves.

You could also spend a night in Crayfish River instead of just stopping by on your way to Calibishie, giving you more time to get familiar with Kalinago Culture. Most importantly, a couple of additional days give you more time to soak up the unique, relaxed atmosphere of the island.

The Red Rocks near Calibishie are well worth visiting

If you have less time

If you’re island-hopping and can only afford a couple of days on Dominica, you can still see the essential sights the island has to offer.

For example, if you have three days, I would suggest that you move straight to Trafalgar and spend 2 days exploring the most important natural attractions of Morne Trois Pitons National Park (Boiling Lake, Freshwater and Boeri Lake, Titou Gorge, Middleham and Trafalgar Falls). On the third day, move up to Portsmouth to take a boat trip on the Indian River and explore historic Fort Shirley.

Accommodation

You can browse for more than the suggested hotels and cottages in the map below:

See also:

Everything you need to know about visiting Dominica

How to backpack Dominica on a budget

How to get to Dominica by boat from Guadeloupe and Martinique

Related Posts

A house set in tropical surroundings in Trafalgar, DominicaThe Best Things to Do in Trafalgar, Wotten Waven and Morne Trois Pitons National Park, Dominica Wooden boats on a tropical River on DominicaThe 10 Best Things to Do in Dominica – Sights You Shouldn’t Miss on the Nature Isle A reconstructed fort building near the ocean, at Fort Shirley near Portsmouth, DominicaThe Indian River, Fort Shirley and Other Cool Things to Do in Portsmouth, Dominica A statue in front of an Anglican Church in Roseau, DominicaThe 5 Best Things to Do in Roseau, Dominica’s Colourful Capital

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