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Before
you go, you can contact:
Dominica Tourist Office
110-64 Queen Blvd. (Box 427)
Forest Hills, NY 11375
Tel 888/645-5637 or 212/949-1711
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.
National
Day
National
Day celebrations on November 3 commemorate both
Columbus's 1493 discovery of the island and
its independence, in 1978. Cultural celebrations
of Dominica's traditional dance, music, song,
and storytelling begin in mid-October and continue
to Community Day, November 4, when people undertake
community-based projects.
Currency
The
local currency is the Eastern Caribbean dollar
(EC$). 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.
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
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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. |
Departure
Tax
Visitors
will need to pay a departure tax when exiting
the island.
Tourist
Office
On
the island, the Dominica Tourist Information
Office is on the Old Market Plaza, Roseau, with
administrative offices at the National Development
Corporation offices, Valley Road (tel. 767/448-2045);
it's open Tuesday through Friday from 8am to
4pm, Monday from 8am to 5pm.
There
are also information bureaus at Melville Hall
Airport (tel. 767/445-7051) and Canefield Airport
(tel. 767/449-1242)
Links
& Sources:
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