First up is a boat trip on the Indian River. The "river" is only about 15 km long, but just the first 1.5 km are navigable. Its banks are lined with mangroves, palms, and wild hibiscus, and the rare Sisserou Parrot calls this place home. A slightly stoned captain rows us upstream. Unfortunately, we arrived a bit too late, so apart from various fish, crabs, and a boa constrictor, we didn't get to see many more animals. By the way, at the end of the navigable stretch you'll find a wonderfully laid-back jungle bar that you can even rent for parties. If the Indian River looks familiar, here's why: alongside four other locations on Dominica, it served as a filming location for Pirates of the Caribbean.

Our next stop is Cabrits National Park on the north coast of Dominica. This park combines three distinct attractions:
· the Cabrit Peninsula with its tall trees, tree ferns, wetlands, and abundant wildlife
· the fish-rich coastal waters with underwater ridges and several shipwrecks — casualties of the wars between the French and British, or victims of the reefs
· Fort Shirley, perched above Douglas Bay on one side and Prince Rupert Bay on the other. We explore part of the historic ruins and visit Fort Shirley with its views over Portsmouth. Admission: EC$12.50.

We make a short detour to the far north of Dominica. The so-called Drive-through Volcano beneath Morne aux Diables (861 m) harbors cold sulfur springs. It hisses like boiling water and bubbles up from the rock — only it's cold. The area is called Cold Soufriere.

At 2:30 PM, after a quick bite, we head out with Bertrand Ino Baptiste, aka Mr. Birdy, for a bird watching and eco tour. Mr. Birdy is the author of Dominica's bird guide and knows the local birdlife inside out. To set the mood, we first head into Morne Diablotins National Park, passing various gardens on our way to a stunning waterfall — Syndicate Waterfalls. We walk through all kinds of plantations, learning plenty about the local plants and fruits along the way. After filling half the car with fresh fruit, it's time for the bird watching tour.

At the entrance of Morne Diablotins National Park, we begin our walk through the rainforest, passing a steep jungle gorge and admiring many old, massive, and spectacular trees. Sadly, some of these shallow-rooted giants have been toppled by hurricanes.

We actually spot quite a few parrots foraging and observe the rare Imperial Amazon parrot through a telescope. Unfortunately, it's a bit too far away for a decent photo.