Tobago is very much a typical picture-postcard Caribbean island with white sand beaches, palm fringed, bordering turquoise blue waters. Quite laid-back, relaxed and friendly, Tobago offers beautiful beaches, rainforest interiors like much of the Windward Islands, good water sports, some of the best diving in the Caribbean and an easy-going environment for a luxury beach holiday. If you venture away from the wonderful beaches you will still see the signs of the plantation island Tobago once was at places such as Moriah and Les Coteaux. Tobago still has traditional Caribbean fishing villages at Castara and Parlatuvier towards the north east of the island. Tobago is an excellent island for a relaxing beach holiday but also worthwhile combining with a livelier and more sophisticated island such as Barbados.
Facts
Capital
Scarborough is the capital of Tobago
Airport
About 10 minutes by taxi
Size
26 miles by 9 miles
Currency
Trinidad and Tobago Dollar (TT$), US$1 = TT$10 approx
Population
45,000 on Tobago (total of about 1.3 million between Trinidad and Tobago)
Temperature
About 26 degrees Centigrade
Local highlights
Carnival culminating with Mardi Gras, Carrington Street in Scarborough with its rum shops and roti stands, The fishing villages of Castara and Parlatuvier, Jemma’s classic West Indian kitchen on the waterfront in Speyside (no alcohol served), Pigeon Point beach and sunset-watching from the quay, Buccoo Reef for snorkellers and scuba divers, Mauby is a local drink like ginger beer, Carib and Stag are the local beers, Roti - often spicy due to the Indian origins of many Trinidadians and filled with vegetable, chicken or shrimp curry, Handicrafts such as batik and paintings at the Cotton House, Bacolet Street.
Getting out and about
The roads in the south and west of the island are fine but become less well maintained in the north and east and there are parts of the island that are only accessible in the dry season and only then by 4-wheel drive vehicles. You can hire cars and jeeps as well as mountain bikes. The island is well worth exploring but take a good map and check locally before you venture into more remote parts about the quality of the roads.
Travel arrangements
Flying time London to Tobago is approximately 8.5 hours. British Airways has direct flights from London Gatwick to Tobago. Virgin Atlantic has direct flights from London Gatwick to Tobago.