Dominica

Is Dominica safe to visit?

Yes, for most travellers. The US State Department rates Dominica Level 1, "exercise normal precautions", and the FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary describes the crime rate as low. Visitors come for rainforest hikes, hot springs, diving and whale watching, and the dangers that matter most are the island's own: hurricanes, landslides, rivers that rise after rain and steep, broken roads. We score Dominica 63, just ahead of the Bahamas and below Barbados.

Why the homicide rate looks high

Dominica's homicide figures need care. With about 66,000 people, each killing adds about 1.5 per 100,000 to the rate. UNODC rates swung between 14.9 and 28.4 from 2019 to 2023 and averaged 22.4, which is high by world standards. The police counted 10 homicides in 2024, a 44% fall from the year before, and 14 by 21 September 2025, six of them with firearms.

So the island records somewhere between about 10 and 19 killings a year. They rarely involve visitors, and neither the US nor the UK reports a pattern of attacks on tourists. That is why the violent crime score (42) is lower than the feel of the place, while petty crime scores well (78). Use normal sense: do not walk alone on empty roads or beaches after dark, and take care at street parties and around carnival.

Hurricanes, floods and landslides

This is the risk that should shape your plans. On the night of 18 September 2017, Hurricane Maria hit Dominica with winds of about 145 knots, a category 5 storm and the strongest on record for the island. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) records 31 direct deaths and 34 people missing, rain of up to 22.8 inches, the majority of structures seriously damaged or destroyed, and damage of at least US$1.31 billion. The agricultural sector was all but wiped out.

Two years earlier, Tropical Storm Erika, not even a hurricane, dropped enough rain to trigger floods and mudslides that killed 30 people, all in Dominica, according to the NHC. The lesson from Erika is that heavy rain alone is dangerous on an island this steep. Rivers rise fast, and trails and roads can wash out within hours.

The hurricane season runs from June to November. The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary adds that earthquake tremors are frequently felt, and that wildfires can start in hot, dry spells. If a storm is forecast, follow the Government Information Service and your host's instructions, and do not hike or cross rivers during heavy rain.

Roads and hiking

WHO estimatedWHO road-death estimateThe World Health Organization's estimate of road traffic deaths per 100,000 people in a country, adjusted for deaths that police statistics miss.More in the glossary 11.0 road deaths per 100,000 in 2021, about 8 deaths, and the government reported the same number. The World Bank series that we use for most countries has no 2019 value for Dominica, so we score on WHO's 2021 figure. The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary warns of narrow roads in poor condition, potholes that make drivers swerve, pedestrians in the road, few signs and drivers who pull out without signalling. The main road from Douglas-Charles Airport, the arrival point for most visitors, is prone to landslides after bad weather and has sheer drops where the edge has fallen away; avoid it at night.

Taxis are not metered but have standard fares. Registered taxis carry a numbered windscreen sticker reading "Nature Island's Standard of Excellence". Minibuses tend to speed, so a private taxi is the safer choice for the airport run.

Hiking is the main draw, and the hardest trails deserve respect. The FCDO advises checking with guides before going to the Boiling Lake. Hire a licensed guide for the longer routes, set off early and turn back if rain sets in.

Health care

The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary says the Dominica China Friendship Hospital in Roseau can deal with many problems, but serious cases may need evacuation, and private clinics may ask for payment upfront. Buy insurance that covers an air ambulance. Mosquitoes spread dengue, Zika and chikungunya, so use repellent.

How to stay safe in Dominica

• Travel outside the June to November hurricane season if your dates are flexible.
• Hike with a licensed guide and check conditions before the Boiling Lake trail.
• Do not cross swollen rivers or drive mountain roads in heavy rain.
• Use registered taxis and agree the fare first.
• Camouflage clothing is illegal, including for children.
• Emergency number: 999.

How we scored it

Conflict (88) and petty crime (78) are the strongest factors: no terrorism, no unrest of note and little theft. Violent crime (42) and natural hazards (45) are the weakest; the homicide rateHomicide rateThe number of people killed on purpose each year for every 100,000 residents. It is the most comparable crime figure between countries.More in the glossary hovers around 20 per 100,000 because of a small population, and Maria and Erika show how much damage a single storm can do. Road safety (63) and health (66) are middling.