The island of Tobago – located 30 miles northeast of Trinidad, with which it forms a dual nation – offers a taste of "the unspoilt Caribbean", said Lyn Hughes in Wanderlust. The island has only a handful of large coastal resorts, which are confined to its flat southwest side. The rest of its coastline strikes a nice balance between "local life and low-key tourism".
Moreover, around two-thirds of Tobago's interior is covered with rainforest – making it an anomaly in the Caribbean, most of which has retained little of its original forest cover.
A "strange quirk" of Tobago's history helps explain why it has avoided the "overdevelopment of other Caribbean islands". In 1776, during a spell under British rule (Tobago regularly changed hands in the 18th century between the British, French and Dutch, before finally being ceded to Britain in 1814), the "world's first legally protected forest reserve" was created along the ridge that forms its mountainous spine. The purpose of Main Ridge, as the reserve was named, was to encourage precipitation; this, the British reasoned, would make Tobago's slave plantations more productive. Despite its original motivations, the reserve has since become part of the island's identity, and has helped inculcate a "green spirit", making Tobago the perfect destination for "discerning nature lovers".
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
It's best to visit during the dry season, from January to June. A guided walk through Main Ridge will yield encounters with many bird species; you can even stay on the edge of the reserve, at the spectacular Cuffie River Nature Retreat. The island's rich marine life is also well worth exploring, via snorkelling, diving or glass-bottomed boat.
You can "swim" in the ocean on horseback, or take a night-time bioluminescence tour; and, if possible, arrange a trip to Little Tobago, the neighbouring island, which is an important breeding ground for sea birds.
-
The dazzling coral gardens of Raja AmpatThe Week Recommends Region of Indonesia is home to perhaps the planet’s most photogenic archipelago.
-
Trump’s White House ballroom: a threat to the republic?Talking Point Trump be far from the first US president to leave his mark on the Executive Mansion, but to critics his remodel is yet more overreach
-
‘Never more precarious’: the UN turns 80The Explainer It’s an unhappy birthday for the United Nations, which enters its ninth decade in crisis
-
The dazzling coral gardens of Raja Ampat
The Week Recommends Region of Indonesia is home to perhaps the planet’s most photogenic archipelago.
-
Salted caramel and chocolate tart recipeThe Week Recommends Delicious dessert can be made with any biscuits you fancy
-
The 5 best political thriller series of the 21st centuryThe Week Recommends Viewers can binge on most anything, including espionage and the formation of parliamentary coalitions
-
6 trailside homes for hikersFeature Featuring a roof deck with skyline views in California and a home with access to private trails in Montana
-
Lazarus: Harlan Coben’s ‘embarrassingly compelling’ thrillerThe Week Recommends Bill Nighy and Sam Claflin play father-and-son psychiatrists in this ‘precision-engineered’ crime drama
-
The Rose Field: a ‘nail-biting’ end to The Book of Dust seriesThe Week Recommends Philip Pullman’s superb new novel brings the trilogy to a ‘fitting’ conclusion
-
Nigerian Modernism: an ‘entrancing, enlightening exhibition’The Week Recommends Tate Modern’s ‘revelatory’ show includes 250 works examining Nigerian art pre- and post independence
-
The Mastermind: Josh O’Connor stars in unconventional art heist movieThe Week Recommends Kelly Reichardt cements her status as the ‘queen of slow cinema’ with her latest film
