TRAVEL
From Issue #16
Tobago: Jewel of the Caribbean
Our Own Paradise Island
By Maya Chendke and Lori Saunders
Photos by James White
Fierce battles raged between the French, Dutch,
English and Spanish — with one encounter with the
U.S. thrown in as well — all fighting for ownership of
this small fish-shaped Caribbean island only 10km
wide and 42km long. Since Christopher Columbus
first came upon it in 1498, Tobago has changed
hands 33 times! And for what? Read on and it
becomes obvious.
The Reefs
Below the water’s surface is one of the island’s
not-so-secret treasures. After Jacques Cousteau
declared it as one of the “most spectacular reefs in
the world,” Tobago’s reefs have become a must-see
wonder of the Caribbean.
A four-acre zone of shallow patch reef located on
the Caribbean side of the island’s southern tip,
Buccoo Reef is a natural aquarium of corals and
technicolor tropical fish. Boats designed with glass
bottoms are ideal for viewing the underwater world
as you hover mere feet above gardens of pillar coral,
finger coral and the infamous “fire coral” (which isn’t
really a coral but looks like one, and is equipped with
structures to deliver a painful sting).
Snorkeling is the most popular way to get up-close
and personal, however, if you’re willing to gear up to
SCUBA dive you’ve got to hit another famous site
named Kelleston Drain, near Speyside, where you’ll
find an amazing brain coral colony that has been
growing for centuries. This single colony is an
awesome three metres high and over five metres
wide, making it the largest single brain coral colony in
the world! Next to the drain is another reef where you
might be fortunate enough to catch a glimpse of
some nurse sharks, barracudas, moray eels, dolphins
or perhaps one of Tobago’s famous giant manta rays.
After a long afternoon of reef watching you must
visit The Nylon Pool (named by Princess Margaret in
1962 after she commented that the water was as
clear and sheer as her nylon stockings), where
folklore says you’ll look five years younger if you
swim in its warm, aquamarine water. An anomaly, it
seems to exist in the middle of the ocean, and yet
you can comfortably stand, as it’s only about four
feet deep.
The waters of
the Nylon Pool
are said to have
rejuvenating
powers.
Water World
A warm breeze, waving palm
trees, soft white sand and
translucent turquoise water
welcomes you to Pigeon Point,
Tobago’s most popular and
arguably most beautiful beach.
It is now fully equipped with
washrooms, showers, food stalls,
gift huts, thatched picnic areas,
and even a stage for local talent
like Michael Baker, a resident
cultural ambassador who sings
saucy island songs while cracking
jokes and entertaining the
tourists.
If you’re not interested
in the tourist scene, or paying the
$18TT ($4.50CAD) entrance fee
(used to finance the upkeep of
the beach), you can venture out
to the many 
other picturesque
sunspots that surround the
island. There’s Store Bay where
you can hang with the locals, or
you can keep going until you find
what you’re looking for, whether
it’s diving, snorkeling, windsurfing
or maybe a secluded spot
where you won’t see another
being for hours. If you plan your
visit between March and June
you might catch a glimpse of
giant Leatherback turtles on the
north shore beaches where they
come to lay their eggs.
But if you’re into surfing, you’ve
got to check out Mt. Irvine where
there is a right break that ranges
from waist high to double
overhead and there’s almost
always something to ride. You can
also hire a fisherman to take you
out to offshore reefs where you’ll
find glassy lefts and rights if you
head out early. And if you’re lucky
you may run into some of the
Quiksilver Pro Surfers who will
oooh and aaah you with their
wave supremacy (we did!)
A popular lunch
destination while
visiting the reef is
No Man’s Land where
you’re treated to steel
pan music and perhaps
a few rounds of the
limbo!
Surf lessons and board
rentals for the day will run
you about $70 CAD,
although locals are happy to
show you how it’s done.
The Rainforest
The small island of Tobago not only
overflows with lush rainforests and
greenery, but it is home to the
oldest reserve in the Western
Hemisphere. Despite the devastation
caused by Hurricane Flora in 1963,
the forests have replenished their
growth, and today, Tobago’s
rainforests are the primary fresh
water source for the island, while
providing well-protected homes for
hundreds of birds, butterflies and
exotic creatures like agoutis,
armadillos, caimans and wild hogs.
Rainy season in Tobago is from
June to December, but the increase
in water flow make sights like Argyle
Waterfall, a 3-tier fall that stands 54
meters high, even more spectacular.
To get to the falls you’ll have to trek
along a scenic trail that winds past
a cocoa field, at which point your
guide will often voluntarily pluck a
pod from an overhanging branch to
offer you a taste of the sweet fruit
that once drove the country’s
economy. At the end of the hike
you’re rewarded with an opportunity
to continue your trek to the top of
the falls for a breathtaking view of
the scenery, or you can bathe in the
cool pool of water at its base where
you can pretend to be on the set of
a shampoo commercial with the
tumbling water rushing over your
head and shoulders.
Eco-tourism is a developing
industry, with resorts like the Cuffie
River Nature Retreat, which is
delicately tucked into the hills of the
rainforest, where the founder and
owner, Regina Sanchez is happy to
explain how man can co-exist with
nature while preserving and
protecting her natural resources.
The People
The attitude on the island is reflective of
the casual pace of life. There is no hustle
and bustle, or rigid scheduling for that
matter, as everyone on the island is
easygoing and relaxed. The locals are
friendly and will often start conversations,
so be prepared to answer questions about
where you’re from and what you do.
If you’ve chosen a local bed and breakfast
for your accommodations, like
Doris’ Guest House in Crown Point, you’ll
often be included in family meals where
the friendly owner, Jean, might excite
your taste buds with Curry Chicken and
Roti (a Pita-like bread) with sponge cake
for dessert and perhaps some cold
coconut water to wash it all down. The
local food is a blend of Indian and
Caribbean flavours, so zings of spice and
zest fill every bite. And, you can’t leave
the island without first trying the local
favourites of Crab and Dumplings or
Shark and Bake.
“Liming” (what they call hanging out or
chilling) is the pastime of choice in
Tobago. Talking about cricket (their
national sport) makes the conversation
much sweeter for Tobagonians. Liming
on the beach or at local watering holes is
where the scene is at.
For a truly authentic Tobagonian event,
the goat (yes goat) races in Buccoo
Village are a sight to see. Every Easter
jockeys run behind their ‘rides’,
encouraging them to pick up the pace.
Steel pan bands, calypso and soca jams
are the sounds of the island. Every
February Tobago revels in elaborate
costumes, pulsating sounds that make
you want to ‘shake ya waist’, and 
festive
abandon as it mirrors the famous Carnival
of its larger sister island of Trinidad.
School means donning a uniform, which
denotes what school you attend, and
taking classes that are universal
standards like math, geography and
social studies. High school grads will
often attend the well-respected
University of the West Indies.
Faze girl Maya Chendke about to taste raw cocao beans from a freshly picked pod.
Tobago Stats
Capital: Scarborough
Population: 45,000
Size: 300 sq km
Nationality: Tobagonian
Average temperature: 29 °C
Official Language: English
Type of Government: Parliamentary
Democracy
Currency: Trinidad and Tobago dollar
(TT$). $1CDN is roughly $6TT
Major Spectator Sport: Cricket
National Bird: Cocrico
(a tropical pheasant)
Motto: Together we aspire.
Together we achieve.
Thank you to
Trinidad &
Tobago’s national
airline BWIA.
Accommodations
provided by:
Coco Reef Hotel, Tobago’s premiere
beachfront hotel.
Winner of Best Caribbean Hotel at the Caribbean World Travel Awards
Kariwak Village, a holistic haven
and hotel.
Doris’ Guesthouse, a home away
from home.
1-868-660-8428.
A special thanks to The Tobago
House of Assembly,
Joan Applewhite, Darren Friday and
the rest of the team.
Congratulations to
the lucky winners of the Faze Ultimate Island Adventure contest, affectionately
known as
‘The Gonser Girls’.
For more info on Tobago visit:
www.visittnt.com
www.discovertrinidad.com
