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Tobago map
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Nature
Also see under Birdlife, Flora & Gardens, Hiking and Scuba Diving.
Tobago is also home to an interesting variety of wildlife, much more than most Caribbean islands, including, for instance, over a dozen types of bats, many lizards, among them the mammoth iguana, many species of frogs and tree frogs, untold numbers of butterflies and several snakes – nothing poisonous though. There is also the rather odd looking Agouti, which is not unlike a guinea pig with longer legs and can be found in the forest reserve, as can manicous (opossum) and tattoo (armadillo).
Hillsborough Dam, c/o Water and Sewerage Authority, t 639-5152
In addition to being a good spot for birding, Hillsborough Dam is also home to a number of the crocodile-like caymans. These can also be found in some of the islands rivers and even in the lakes on the Tobago Plantations Golf Course – one there is over 6ft long. Permission is required to visit the dam.
Turtle watching is another of Tobago’s great natural attractions, and its waters are home to three species of turtle, the green, hawksbill and the massive leatherback, all of which are on the endangered list. The turtle nesting season runs from March to August, during which time turtles come ashore at night lay their eggs.
The most awesome sight, due to the sheer size of the animal, is the nesting of the leatherback turtle, which will not enter an area where there are lights or any hint of noise. The largest sea turtle in the world, the leatherback is called so because it has no shell, instead its back is covered in a thick leathery carapace. These creatures can reach the size of a small car and weigh on average 800-1000lbs but can reach as much as 1800 – 2000 lbs and in excess of twelve feet from top to bottom, with a flipper span of up to ten feet. A female turtle will lay between 80-120 eggs at a time, and will do so as many as five times during the nesting season, with gaps of about 10-15 days between each nesting. Hatchlings usually emerge from their sandy nests between 60-65 days of being laid.
The principal nesting beaches for the Leatherbacks are Stonehaven Bay, Turtle Beach and Castara Beach. During the nesting season SOS Tobago patrol the beaches, to help protect the turtles from poachers.
SOS (Save Our Seaturtles), t 639 9669/0026, info@sos-tobago.org
For information on turtles, turtle laws and research
Trinidad & Tobago Field Naturalist’s Club, t 624 8017, ttfnc@wow.net
Founded in 1891 for the study of the island’s natural history |
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Nudity
This is against the law and is not acceptable to the Tobagonians so it is not a good idea to go topless or nude. |
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Passports & Visas
Europeans and Americans will need a full passport valid for at least 6 months from your entry date. Other nationalities, please check with the Trinidad and Tobago High Commission or with your travel organiser. |
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Places to Go/Activities
Adventure Eco Villas & Coco's Apartment, Arnos Vale Road, Plymouth, t 639 2839, adventur@tstt.net.tt
A 12-acre organic farm and nature reserve, three bedroom guesthouse, butterfly garden, good for bird watching especially hummingbirds. They recently won the Green Leaf Awards 2010 presented by The Environmental Management Authority in collaboration with the United Nations on the occasion of World Environment Day 2010 in recognition of their outstanding contribution to responsible environmental management and sustainable development in Trinidad and Tobago.
Admission fee US$5, guided tours available.
Argyle Falls, Roxborough
A popular attraction taking 15-20 minutes to reach on foot. This is a three tier fall, with plunge pools for swimming at the lower end of the falls, some steep parts of the trail to the highest spot, at around 175ft, accessible by foot only. Admission TT$40 and local guide is required (check that they are certified).
Arnos Vale Waterwheel Park, t 660 0815
Arnos Vale Estate - a former sugar estate dating back to the 1850s. The estate has been developed as a park, with nature trails, a small museum, craft shop and a restaurant located next to the old sugar factory, and the restored waterwheel. The remains of a slave village and an Amerindian site have been located on the estate. Good spot for leisurely strolls and bird watching, guides are available. Admission TT$10.
First Historical Café & Bar, Windward Road, nr Studley Park
An intriguing stopover for a drink when travelling the south coast road, built from brightly painted bamboo and wood and perched on the cliff edge overlooking the sea. And, as the name suggests, a lesson in Tobagonian history and life is thrown in. Forget the history books! Here you can browse Tobago’s history and culture, which is plastered up on carefully handwritten on boards and placards around the walls. Definitely worth a stop.
Note - currently closed.
Fort Bennett, Black Rock
Site dates back to the 1680s, good views along the coast.
Fort James, Plymouth
Site of the oldest settlement in Tobago. The partial ruins of the British built fort built in the early 1800s to replace the original dating back to the 1770s, now in a grassy expanse that faces into Great Courland Bay. A good spot for sunsets and to watch diving pelicans. Next to the fort is located the mystery tombstone of Betty Stiven, which reads:
“she was a mother without knowing it, and a wife without letting her husband know it, except by her kind indulgences to him”.
Fort King George, Scarborough
Built by the British around 1777-79, this is the largest military fort in Tobago. From its vantage point on the hillside above Scarborough, there are far reaching views across the south east coast and lowlands - on a clear day you can see Trinidad - and to the hills on the north east coast. There is a fine collection of cannons and a number of military buildings have been restored for use, one of which now houses the excellent Tobago Museum. A lighthouse was built within the grounds of the fort in 1843, and is still in operation.
Fort Milford, Crown Point
Ruins of an 18th century British fort overlooking the Caribbean Sea. Not much left, but a good spot for watching the sunset.
Kimme Museum, Mt Irvine/Bethel, t/f 639 0257, hoppingstick@tstt.net.tt or luise@kimme.de
Also known as “The Castle”, the museum is built around the workshop of German sculptor, Professor Luise Kimme and over 100 of her larger than life (some 14ft) wooden figures of Caribbean characters are on display. The studio and workshop is open on Sundays only from 10am - 2pm and by appointment on other days. Admission TT$20.
MUSEUM, Fort King George, Scarborough, t 639 3970
Located on the hilltop above Scarborough, within the grounds of the fort, the museum is housed in the old Barrack Guard House. Very nicely put together and illustrative of Tobago’s early history, with exhibits of Amerindian artefacts, military relics, historical maps, old colonial documents and more modern household items. Open Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm. Entrance fee TT$15.
Richmond Great House, Belle Garden, t 639 4467
A restored plantation house with foundations dating back to 1766, when a great house was built on the former sugar estate. Entrance fee TT$15.
SCARBOROUGH
Scarborough was not originally the capital of Tobago (that was actually George Town, located in Barbados Bay on the north shore of the island, which was set up by the British in 1768), but the lower area of what is now Scarborough was developed by the Dutch, who built a fort there in 1674 called Sterreschan. In 1769 the British government was moved to Scarborough, which was thought to be a better location.
The town straggles along the coast of Rockley Bay and up the hillside towards Fort King George. It is really a large town, with a market place, a quirky town square and a jumble of shops, and snack shops. Inland there is a botanical garden and at the top of the hill, in the grounds of the fort, you will find the Tobago Museum. This is worth a visit for a slice of history and the stunning views. |
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Places of Worship
There are many denominations in Tobago, including Anglicans and Roman Catholics, Baptists, Methodists, Pentecostalists and of course the Hindus and Muslims of Trinidad’s population of Indian extraction who have come to live in Tobago.
Anglican, in Bacolet Street, opposite the Fire Station, t 639 9132 for information.
Methodist, Cuyter Street, Scarbourough, t 639 2476
Services - Sundays 9am
Moravian Church 639 8760
There are a number of Moravian churches within the southern part of Tobago. Sunday services - generally either at 7am or 8am.
Roman Catholic, Bacolet Street, Scarborough, t 639 2136
Services - Tues, Wed, Fri - 6:25am, Thurs - 5:25pm, Sat - 6:30pm, Sun - 8am.
Please note that the times of church services are subject to change |
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Real Estate
Like many islands in the Caribbean, Tobago has seen a huge change in its real estate over the past few years. While it has always had a ‘Trinidadian’ effect, meaning that there have always been holiday homes there, it has all changed since 1990, when land-holding regulations were loosened up. Now foreigners are permitted to own land and to build.
The result has been a huge influx of investment, particularly since the late 1990s, and building has moved on apace. This is in both private villa construction on individual plots and villa developments, which range in size from projects such as Stonehaven Villas to vast multi-site developments like Tobago Plantations (where interestingly still three quarters of owners are Trinidadians). The construction is mostly at the western end of the island, the principal ‘tourist’ area, but development is also starting at the eastern and northwestern end of the island too.
In investment terms the figures have increased dramatically too as the interest has risen. Just before the turn of the millennium you could have bought a well located four-bedroom villa with swimming pool, fully furnished, for about US$350,000. Now you are looking at US$600-850,000. It is still possible to get Mt Irivne and Grafton villas for US$500,000 but there are gradually more and more high quality (and highly priced) villas being built and others coming onto the market. Many villas are now valued at over US$1,000,000. Some top $3,000,000 and are attracting interest from the international estate agents who market around the world. However, good deals are still to be had in the popular Bon Accord area. Villas range from US$300,000 to US$450,000 and less than this in the more local or out-of-the-way areas.
More recently some restrictions were put in place on the purchase of property by foreign nationals. Certain designated areas are available, so please enquire for further details. We believe that the people offering the best real estate on Tobago are:
| | Caribbean Estates, Lands & VillasCaribbean Estates, Lands and Villas is one of the leading real estate agencies in Tobago and is owned and operated by Natalie Mahabir, a Trinidadian who has been in Tobago since the late 1980s. The company deals in the sale and rental of all types of real estate including residential, commercial and agricultural properties as well as tourism investment properties. |
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Recommended Books
The most famous novel with connections to Tobago is Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe, which was published in 1719. |
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Restaurants
There are some surprisingly good places to eat out in Tobago. There is nothing of international renown, like the sort of restaurants that have appeared recently in Anguilla, St Barts or Barbados, but in places Tobago has escaped the studiedly international fare offered up in most Caribbean islands (and is also less expensive). Its tradition of food has developed independently, with a little influence from Trinidad of course. There are some lovely settings and imaginative, often highly spiced cuisine to go with the fresh, local ingredients.
Most of the best restaurants are at the western end of the island (also the location of most of the hotels) and it is worth investigating them during your stay. As you head further east the restaurants tend to be simpler and more West Indian affairs, though but they have the charm of the island and are equally fun to visit.
Prices are for a main course (excluding lobster and steak). Expensive: US$15 plus, Moderate: US$8-15 and Inexpensive: less than US$8. Taxes are included, but service is usually extra.
El Pescador, Buccoo, t 631 1266, www.leos_pescador.com, expensive
Above Miller Guest House facing the jetty at Buccoo is the newest restaurant on the island. Head chef Leonardo Larios gets his hands on the freshest seafood available outside his front door and creates wonderful fish, shrimp and lobster dishes. The perfect setting for sunrise or sunset, and the cocktails are pretty mean too. Free WiFi.
La Tartaruga, Buccoo, t 639 0940, expensive
Fine Italian food in on a very pretty streetfront terrace in Buccoo.
Melange, Shirvan Road, t 631 0121, expensive
Lovely setting in the courtyard and garden of a strangely decorated modern house, extremely imaginative cuisine using local ingredients.
Pavilion Clubhouse, the Villas at Stonehaven, t 639 0102, expensive
Set on a nice wooden deck open to the tropical night air, international cuisine.
Seahorse Inn, Stonehaven Bay, t 639 0686, expensive
Simply delightful setting on a terrace bordered with palms and tropical plants, with views of the moon reflected on the sea, excellent international cuisine.
Café Coco, off Pigeon Point Rd, t 639 0996, expensive
Set in a walled garden with tables on open-sided terraces overlooking classical balustrades, waterfalls and ponds with statuettes. International menu with plenty of Caribbean dishes including peppered fish salad and seafood linguini.
Shirvan Watermill, Shirvan Road, t 639 0000, expensive
International dining on an open-sided terrace in the shadow of a windmill.
Bonkers, Toucan Inn, t 639 7173, moderate
Ever-lively restaurant and bar on a wooden deck overlooking the pool within the Toucan Inn. International fare.
Pepe’s, off Pigeon Point Rd, t 639 7304, moderate
Set on a pretty upstairs veranda with criss-cross balustrades and cascading fairy lights. Trusty International fare, crepes, stuffed crab backs, shrimp creole and chicken in a red wine sauce.
Cat & Fiddle, Lambeau, Scarborough, moderate
Closed as part of the redevelopment of Inn on the Bay next door.
Jemma’s Sea View Kitchen, Speyside, moderate
Classic West Indian setting on the waterfront, on raised decks among the tree branches, classic West Indian fare.
Redman’s Restaurant, Speyside, moderate
Another classic waterfront stopover for hearty West Indian fare.
Ru-B-Lou’s, Shirvan Rd, t 630 8046, moderate
On a wooden veranda and inside a wooden house, trusty international fare.
Blue Crab, t 639 2737, inexpensive - moderate
West Indian setting on a terrace in town. Good honest Caribbean fare, callaloo soup and coal-pot chicken, great lunch. Reservations required for dinner.
The Backyard Café, near Pigeon Point turning, t 639 7264, inexpensive
A small interior with just a few tables and a very nice grassy courtyard with tables under bananas. Brightly decorated in orange and sky blue, with art on the walls. Excellent juices, croque madames, salads, pastas, flying fish sandwiches.
Block 22, Milford Road, inexpensive
Best takeaway chicken on the island, all times of the day and night.
Rena’s Shatack Roti Shop, Scarborough, inexpensive
Another contender for best roti on the island, in the TLH building behind the Promenade.
Salsa Kitchen, Pump Mill Road, Scarborough, t 639 1522, inexpensive
Excellent stopover for snacks and good West Indian fare. |
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Rum
Following the decline of the sugar industry in Tobago during the 1880s, rum is no longer produced on island, and so it is imported from Trinidad. One of the major makers of rum in Trinidad is Angostura, which produces the popular Old Oak and Royal Oak brands. The name Angostura should be familiar to anyone who enjoys a decent rum punch, as its world famous Aromatic Bitters are a vital ingredient. The bitters are still produced in Trinidad from a secret recipe dating back to the 1820s, when Dr JGB Siegert first started making his bitters in the Venezuelan town of Angostura, now known as Ciudad Bolivar. |
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Sailing
Tobago is not famous for its sailing, but it does see quite a few yachts in its fantastic north shore coves, many of which have good anchorages. The island is considered to be outside the hurricane belt and so many yachts come to sit out the hurricane season in the area, which brings a certain amount of traffic in the summer season before yachts head back north for the winter.
The best time for sailing in and around Tobago is during the dry season, in the early part of the year. During this time, aided by the swift currents from Guyana and steady trade winds of between 15-25 knots, the conditions are ideal for a more experienced sailor. The highlight of the social yachting calendar is the Tobago Carnival Regatta (former Angostora Tobago Sail Week), www.sailweek.com, which has been going since 1983 and was originally held in May - the 2010 regatta was held 18-21 February (2011 dates tba). The event is renowned not only for thrilling sailing but also for its friendly atmosphere, and serious partying. The event is centred around the ‘Regatta Village’, which is set up each year at Crown Point.
There are currently no permanent yachting facilities on Tobago and the only accessible jetty on the west coast is at Pigeon Point. Mooring and docking facilities are available in Batteaux Bay (north east coast) from Blue Waters Inn.
For more info see the Trinidad & Tobago Sailing Association www.ttsailing.org. |
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Scuba Diving
Tobago is one of the top dive destinations in the Caribbean and it offers a broad spectrum of diving. The nutrient rich waters, fed by the outflow from the Orinoco River and swept along by the strong Guyana currents, support an abundant marine life, with large corals and also plankton eaters such as manta rays and whale sharks (you are not guaranteed to see them on a dive, but they do appear from time to time). Visibility is generally around 60-80ft, sometimes to as much as 120ft, however during the rainy season some areas will experience a reduction in visibility. Forty feet is considered a bad day. It may be caused by the high levels of silt from river run-off and an increase in plankton from the warm waters of the Orinoco.
If you’re seeking an adrenaline rush, the North Equatorial Current (prelude to the Gulf Stream) and the Guyanese currents which converge around Tobago provide some pretty wild drift dives, with speeds reaching as much as 5 and 6 knots (enogh to make your mask wobble on your face). The strongest currents are found around Speyside, and on the Japanese Gardens dive with its beautiful sea whip corals and giant barrel sponges, a section known as the Kamikaze Cut sees divers hurtling along towards two huge rocks, only to be taken through an area of calm by way of a natural crevasse. Around Speyside the water is generally clearer than in the west, and the colour of the corals much brighter. The Kelliston Drain site is home to the largest known brain coral in the Caribbean (some say the world), which is a massive 16ft across and 10ft high.
The diving around Speyside is really only suitable for the intermediate to advanced diver. Other dives of note in the area are the Bookends, a drift dive along a sloping reef with hard and soft corals and two sets of black granite rocks that resemble bookends. Tarpon like to congregate there. Close by are the Alps, where there are some pretty stiff currents and huge mountain-like rock formations which reputedly resembles a view of the Alps. Unpredictable currents sometimes see bubbles going down before they come up.
Off the northeast coast by St Giles Island, is the impressive London Bridge, a large natural arch of volcanic rock which provides some extreme and challenging diving conditions. Weather permitting, the surge of the current takes divers through the central arch passage and into a flat, lunar-type seascape, which rises up to a ridge covered in vase sponges, and further along to a vertical wall teeming with life. The abundance of colourful marine life and unusual submarine terrain makes for a thrilling experience.
Another dive for thrill seekers (again for experienced divers only) is the Sisters, located off Charlotteville. Dramatic spires of rock jut above the waters, plunging to depths of 130ft. There is a maze of canyons and steep slopes with plenty of pelagics, often including hammerhead sharks, which are most frequently seen here.
The diving is tamer in the west of the island and one of the most popular sites is Mt Irvine Wall. It is considered an easy dive, suitable for beginners, but also good for all levels as there are plenty of smaller, interesting creatures such as scorpion fish, juvenile spotted drums, arrowhead crabs, lobsters, octopus, queen angel fish, frogfish, parrot fish, pipe fish, batfish, flying gurnards and seahorses. The castle-like wall starts at 35ft and is made up by large rocks which have crumbled down from the shoreline cliff. There is an excellent stretch of wall at between 50 and 70ft and a torch is recommended for exploring the many nooks and crannies.
Less experienced divers will also enjoy the more sheltered conditions at Arnos Vale, where there are shallow reefs with lots of nooks and crannies, and corals and sponges at 40ft. With occasional sightings of torpedo rays, this is also a good spot for photography and night dives. Another favourite dive suitable for all levels is Culloden Bay, which has a U-shaped inner reef lined with an array of corals and variety of aquatic life, including grouper, parrot fish and sting ray.
Lying parallel to the airport, on the southern side of the island, is the appropriately named Flying Reef drift dive. Here swift currents (between one and four knots) take you over colourful reefs, past turtles, southern stingrays and the occasional spotted eagle ray. It is also a good place seek out nurse sharks, which can be found sheltering beneath the ledges. Nearby is the Cliff Hanger, which is suited to advanced divers, a ledge reef just off Crown Point Airport. Schools of barracuda, nurse sharks, turtles and stingrays are often sighted on this dive, which has currents that can range from zero to five or six knots (requires negative entry) and where the surface and bottom currents differ.
If you would like to dive a wreck then you can dive the Maverick, a 350ft former passenger ferry originally called the Scarlet Ibis, which was sunk in 1997. It sits in an upright position at 100ft rising to 60ft from the surface. Visibility is normally around 50ft. This artificial reef is sometimes visited by “snaggletooth”, a massive 6ft Barracuda.
A modern recompression chamber is located at Roxborough, 20 minutes south of Speyside and 40 minutes north-east of Scarborough.
Located on the east coast is Blue Waters Inn, the best hotel for divers on Tobago. The on-site dive operator is a PADI Gold Palm facility PADI 5 Star Resort and dive packages are available. |
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Security
While the main issue for visitors to Tobago is opportunistic theft, there has been an increased number of clearly pre-meditated, often violent robberies against visitors to the island. It has resulted in a number of travel advisories (See the most recent UK Foreign Office advice). The increase in crime has led to efforts by the tourism authorities working with the local police to prevent it, but it has had limited success so far.
Visitors should be careful and take sensible precautions. You should be wary of isolated beaches (many of which are the most attractive) unless you are in a sizeable party and if you are staying in a private villa, ensure that sufficient security measures are in place. This may include a night watchman. As a general rule (as elsewhere in the Caribbean), do not leave doors or windows open at night or when you go out during the day, or leave valuable items, such as your camera or your wallet, visible from outside. Do not leave valuable items visible in your car or unattended on the beach, even if the beach seems deserted. It’s probably not a good idea to pick up hitch-hikers, but use your common sense. If you want to visit remote areas or hike in the rainforest, do arrange to go with a reputable guide. |
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Service Charge/Tipping
All hotel accommodation is subject to a 10% Service Charge (and a 10% room tax). Some rates include the charges but usually it will be added to your bill and this can make quite a difference to the eventual price, so if you are booking direct, make sure you calculate this in when pricing up your holiday. Tipping for good service is always appreciated.
In restaurants, check the bill, but a minimum of 10% should be added.
In private villas and apartments, service is generally not included so all members of staff including the ground staff should be tipped on your departure. Check with the local property manager for guidance.
A 15% government VAT charge is levied on most goods and services. This is generally included in restaurant prices. |
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Shopping
You will not find a single duty free shop outside the airport in Tobago, nor will you find the huge shopping malls that exist in other islands. However the local crafts and art are worth checking out.
Some of the local confectionaries are also fun to try, including tamarind balls, sugar cakes (made with grated coconut), paw paw (papaya) balls and benne balls (rock hard sweets of toasted sesame seed & sugar syrup) – look out for the vendors at Crown Point Airport. If you want to taunt your taste buds, then try the little bags of pepper mango and sweet and salt prunes, which are a torture of bitter and salt. Pepper sauces and local preserves are also nice to take home as gifts or souvenirs.
Business hours in Tobago are generally 8am – 4pm, Monday to Friday. Shopping hours are generally from 8am-4pm Mon to Thu, 8am-6pm Fri and until 1pm on Sat.
Batiki Point, Buccoo Point
For batik wall hangings, wraps, T-shirts, clothes plus local art and craft.
The Cotton House, Scarborough
For a selection of handicrafts, casual and beach ware.
The Art Gallery, Hibiscus Drive, Lowlands
Original paintings by the owners and other local artists. Plus prints, cards and a tea garden.
Tobago Cigar Company Ltd, c/o La Cantina Restaurant, Crown Point, t 639 8442
Producers of handrolled cigars. Cuban cigar roller.
Supermarkets
The main supermarket in Tobago is Penny Savers. There is one on Milford Road on the way/to from the airport and another near Lambeau/Mt Irvine. Also in the Mt Irvine area is R T Morshead, on Buccoo Road which sells deli items, open Mon-Fri from 8am-6pm, Sat from 8am-6pm and Sun from 8am-12 noon. There is a mini mart in Black Rock called the Courland Superette and another near Crown Point called Francis Supermarket, open Mon - Fri 9am-5pm, Sat 9am-12 midday. |
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Solo Travellers
Tobago is a relatively comfortable place in which to travel alone and there are a number of places where you will be well treated as a single woman. Many of the hotels and restaurants will make the effort to seat you properly at dinner and provide an appropriate level of attention. A couple of the hotels also offer single rates.
Hotels in Tobago that are sympathetic to the needs of single travellers include: | Castara Retreats
Wooden, Haiku-style cottages with vaulted ceilings set above Castara Bay and a beautiful 200 metre stretch of beach edged with palm trees. A retreat that gives you a great opportunity to interact with villagers, learn to cook with the local housewives and immerse yourself in Tobago life. Also the perfect location for birdwatchers and nature lovers. | Blue Waters Inn
A delightful small hotel in beach club style set in its own fantastically pretty, remote cove in north-eastern Tobago. Excellent scuba diving, excellent bird-watching at offshore islands, ideal for tranquillity in extremely pretty tropical surroundings. | Kariwak Village
Small, environmentally friendly and holistic retreat set in lovely tropical gardens, a calm enclave in the busy west end of Tobago. 24 rooms, pool, healthy and excellent cuisine, yoga and Tai Chi programmes, 3 massage rooms, close to good beaches | Top O' Tobago
A delightful 2-bedroom hilltop Tobago villa and three cabanas set in six acres of tropical gardens overlooking Tobago’s north shore. Friendly, natural and quiet, in rural Tobago with excellent birdwatching and nature. Top O’ Tobago can be taken as rooms by independent travellers or as a whole villa for up to ten. |
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