Roseau

Roseau is the capital of Dominica, a small Caribbean island that skipped the resort development path and kept most of its forest intact. The pier is downtown, and the town is small enough to walk in 20 minutes. The Botanical Gardens, a few blocks from the waterfront, still have a school bus crushed by a tree during Hurricane David in 1979, left in place as a memorial. The Old Market near the pier sells spices, hot sauces, and local crafts. The island's interior is the real draw. Trafalgar Falls, a pair of waterfalls in the Roseau Valley, is about 20 minutes by taxi. Morne Trois Pitons National Park, a UNESCO site, has the Boiling Lake hike (a full-day commitment), the Emerald Pool (an easier walk), and Titou Gorge, where you swim through a narrow volcanic canyon. Champagne Beach, south of town, has underwater volcanic vents that produce streams of warm bubbles. English is the official language, and the currency is the Eastern Caribbean dollar.