The Caribbean at its quietest: Welcome to Dominica, the island of rainforest and empty shores where even Jagger is unrecognised

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Pronounced dom-in-eeka, and not to be confused with the Dominican Republic, Dominica is promoted as the 'nature island'.

And with good reason. Its volcanic peaks reach above 4,700ft - and with its valleys and gorges, rainforest and the cloud forest above, the island is extraordinarily beautiful.

Its lushness is on account of it being the wettest island in the Caribbean, with more than 275 inches of rain falling a year in the interior — though this figure is far smaller on the coast.

Sailboats and serenity: Scenes from the Pirates of the Caribbean movies have been filmed on Dominica

It has 365 rivers, one for every day of the year; and even in the drier season its waterfalls are magnificent.

We were entranced by this compact Amazon, and found it hard to believe that so much of what you see today has grown up or been rebuilt since 1979 when Hurricane David stripped the coastal hillsides, decapitated trees in the central highlands and devastated homes and businesses.

We based ourselves first at Beau Rive, a delightfully civilised and comfortable small hotel overlooking the rugged Atlantic coast.

Owner-manager, Mark Steele, who grew up on a farm near Cambridge and later travelled widely, fell in love with Dominica and opened for business more than ten years ago.

Delightfully deserted: The beaches in the north-east of the island, around Calibishie, are simply splendid

He is now building a retirement home in an even more lovely location - now there's an idea.

Dominica is one of the few islands that still has descendants of the indigenous Kalinago (Carib) people, and you can visit a modest re-creation of a Kalinago settlement. We followed that with an easy stroll along Horseback Ridge.

No one should go to Dominica without doing at least one hike that also involves swimming in a river or pool.

The Waitukubuli Trail stretches for 115 miles along its winding route from the top to the bottom of the island, passing through the Morne Trois Pitons National Park, a World Heritage Site.

There are helpful classifications of the various hikes in tourist literature and the indispensable Bradt Guide, which grades them by length, elevation, terrain and river crossings.

Signposted timings are sometimes given, though in our experience they proved optimistic.

Easy come, easy go: Woodford Hill Beach, on the east coast of Dominica, sums up the island's quiet charm

My wife and I, who are freedom-pass-age holiday hikers, found the well-trodden hike to the dramatic Middleham Falls enchanting and manageable.

On another, more arduous, one to Sari Sari Falls from the east coast, there was the added entertainment of an encounter with a group of furtive Rastafarians skipping through the forest with trays of marijuana plants to be replanted somewhere discreet.

Of the more challenging, longer hikes, the best known is the one across the hot streams and bubbling mud of the Valley of Desolation to the steaming and simmering Boiling Lake. It is clearly quite something to experience.

The rainforest is always dripping and when it rains it is no less enjoyable - though cooler and slippier.

Sensible shoes that can wade through rivers are a must and, unless you are a confident hiker, take a guide.

Both the guides organised by our hotels were great fun, extremely knowledgeable and supportive when we were having a bit of difficulty; one of them, the wonderfully deep-voiced Alfred Rolls, had recently been guide to a National Geographic team exploring the highest parts of the Park.

Sunday best: The island gained its name because Christopher Columbus 'discovered' it on a Sunday (Domingo)

For thrill-seekers, there is river tubing or more adventurous river canyoning or whale-watching (90 per cent chance of seeing a whale, according to Rolls).

In the north-east, around Calibishie, are beaches to rival the most beautiful and unspoilt in the Caribbean, with added stardust - they were used for filming Pirates Of The Caribbean.

On the calmer west coast, we greatly enjoyed our couple of hours in lively Roseau, the capital, and in its small museum were intrigued to discover that in the 1890s limes replaced sugar as the main export crop, with much supplied to Britain for the production of Rose's Lime Juice.

Dominicans care greatly about their natural heritage and their country's politics. Debate can become as hot as Boiling Lake, with issues ranging from the selling of citizenship and the influence of the Chinese to the state of the roads.

Their independence of spirit is matched by the independent-minded travellers Dominica attracts.

Stormy skies, bright horizons: A dark afternoon only amplifies the prettiness of the west-coast capital Roseau

Most accommodation is modest, though 'resort' hotels such as Rosalie Bay and Jungle Bay offer more in the way of facilities, and for those with deep pockets, there is the exclusive Secret Bay.

After Beau Rive we stayed in one of the island's longest-established hotels, the charming and simple Papillote Wilderness Retreat.

Anne Jno Baptiste is an American who came to Dominica in the early 60s.

She and Dominican husband Cuthbert have created an exotic garden which attracts visitors who come to see the nearby Trafalgar Falls.

Mick Jagger stayed here when he visited Dominica a few years ago (room 12 if you want to sleep in the same large and comfortable bed).

That not many people recognised him, nor paid him special attention when he was there, just goes to show what an unspoilt, unpretentious place Dominica is.