Trinidad & Tobago Photo Gallery

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Diving, snorkeling, birding, and hiking are prime activities on Tobago, a laid-back island famous for its coral reefs, rainforest, and mountains. Located 22 miles from sister island Trinidad, Tobago's better beaches and low-key ambiance draw vacationers interested in a relaxing getaway.

A great destination for underwater enthusiasts, Tobago's Buccoo Reef is the island's best-known snorkel spot. Because of its relatively shallow water, the site is a good bet for children and those new to masks and fins. Most outfitters couple time at Buccoo with a swim in Nylon Pool, a sandy-bottomed spot about a mile off-shore. Experienced divers and snorkelers head to the Speyside area for boat excursions to the reefs near Saint Giles, Little Tobago, and Goat Islands, places noted for manta rays, especially in January and February. Whale sharks, the sea's biggest fish, can sometimes be seen in June and July. At London Bridge, look for tarpon, turtles, and even octopus and at Kelleston Drain, ogle what's reputed to be the Caribbean's—maybe the world's—largest brain coral, an intricate mass more than 16 feet in diameter.

You've probably seen Pigeon Point on postcards. With good swimming and 5,000 feet of sand, it's Tobago's signature beach and it has changing rooms and a restaurant. Other good choices include scenic King's Bay surrounded by hills, Englishman's Bay with its often calm waters, and Great Courland Bay's Turtle Beach where leatherback turtles nest between April and June (sometimes the surf can be rough). For more island scenery, visit Argyle Falls, a three-tier cascade of waterfalls and swimming holes. Remember to wear a bathing suit.

Established in the 1765, the Main Ridge Forest Reserve, a prime place for bird watching and hiking, claims to be the oldest reserve in the western hemisphere. A popular hour-long hike on the Gilpin Trail takes you to the first waterfall. From here you can turn back or continue on the Gilpin Trail, about three hours in its entirety. Along the way, look for blue-crowned mot-mots, streaked flycatchers, and various hummingbirds. In the 200-acre Grafton Caledonia Bird Sanctuary, search for red-rumped woodpeckers and yellow-breasted flycatchers. On Little Tobago Island, take a 20-minute often rough boat ride from Speyside and view such seabirds as the colorful red-billed tropic bird, brown boobies, and laughing gulls.

Fort King George, built in the 1770s, offers a lesson in Tobago's history. The island changed political allegiance many times, passing between the English and the French. Along with ruins, see the officer's mess and artifacts in the small museum in the old barracks. Best of all: enjoy the panoramic view.

Tip: Turtle Beach by Rex Resorts fronts the sands where the leatherback turtles nest, making it convenient for a guided turtle walk.