Tours and Sites

Nylon Pool

Nylon pool is a crystal clear, soothing shallow, white sand area in the ocean close to No-mans Land 

Nylon pool is said to have healing powers, by making you get younger by rubbing the sand on your body ( disclaimer)

Tobago has its fair share of exotic water falls that visitors can enjoy in a relaxing atmosphere 

surrounded by nature and the sounds of several bird

No-Man's Land

Main Ridge Rain Forrest

Tobago Goat Race ( Easter Tuesday)

So its Easter weekend and yuh wandering what to do in Tobago..

Well the annual beach lime in Tobago... packed with visitors both local and mostly foreign with lifted car trunks, food and drinks with a  healthy amount of sea bathing is a norm

However the highlight of the Easter weekend is actually on the Tuesday after Easter Monday

The destination is the Buccoo Integrated facility where the traditional goat and now crab race events takes place... The excitement is as riveting as the competition for prizes

Buccoo Integrated Facility

This unique event started over 80 years ago, where goat racing was a response to the colonial class’ pastime of racing thoroughbred horses in Trinidad.

competing goats and their bare footed jokey, rope in hand ( running along side!) race in SERIOUS AMUSEMENT and crowd encouragement  to the finish line a few yards down from the starting gates!

Goat Racing in Tobago

Make no joke this is a serious business for the owners, trainers, jockeys and those who place unofficial bets. The event has all  the trappings of a typical horse racing meet – stables, trainers, live commentators – except that the “jockeys” have to run alongside their steeds.

Goats transported at back of Truck to Buccoo Integrated Facility

Special training for the goats months in advance is a normal part of the preparation including special diets (oats, vitamins, pigeon peas for iron) and training to build Stamina such as taking the goats swimming.

The racing goats are decked out in colorful  coats as impressive as any knighted stallion

The crab race, require jockeys to use short length of string to guide the competing crabs toward a checkered flag. Patience and technique are crucial to success here.

Of course Crab and Dumplings is a Tobago favorite, just saying... 

Tobago Jazz Festival

For the Jazz music lovers out there, this blog is a glimpse into what they can expect from the now famous Tobago Jazz festival

Main Event at Pigeon Point Heritage Park

The Tobago Jazz Experience had its origins in 2005 with the Tobago Gourmet Jazz Festival and then that was changed to the Plymouth Jazz Festival then in 2009 it got its current name the  Tobago Jazz Experience.

When is the festival? 
The schedule and ticketing information can be found on the Tobago Jazz Experience website.

This is the best source of information, however one can also get information through the division of Tourism in Tobago or any travel agent who arranges flights to Tobago

Jazz at Pigeon Point Heritage Park

What's the difference with Tobago Jazz festival as oppose to others in Caribbean?

Unlike other jazz festivals in the Caribbean Tobago Jazz is an experience, not an event.

Various  villages throughout the island showcase cultural and outdoor activities during the lead-up and on the day of the main event.

 For instance there is  Jazz In The East at Speyside, where one can get boat rides to Little Tobago, dives can be arranged to the reef off the coast, while some go to next door Charlotteville to buss a lime with the fishermen there.

Little Tobago off Speyside Village

Reef off Speyside Village in Tobago

On the Northside in the village of Castara, there is tasty traditional bread and other pastries straight out of a traditional dirt oven, real fish broth on the beach with the fishermen (finishes fast too)!

One can engage in pulling siene where anyone can join the villagers and fishermen in pulling in fish nets set earlier in the day ; the catch is shared among all those who laboured pulling the seine.

Pulling Siene in Castara Village

Other fringe events around the island such as fashion, food and music at other local venues are also available leading up to the main event at the Pigeon Point Heritage Park.

Tobago Great Race (speed boats)

Born in the crown Point area in Tobago, I grew up going to the annual Great Race Event at Store Bay

The event was temporarily shifted to Scarborough for a few years, to my dismay, but has since returned to its base at Storebay

I have seen it grow over the years from the shade of grandma's  food stall on the beach

She was one of the original food huts just before the stairs leading down to the beach 

The family still owns the food hut in the newly renovated food area and I will always visit when I am in Tobago 

So for those who for some unexplained reason don't know what the Great Race event is in Tobago, I submit this post for you...

Businessmen Ken Gordon and Ralph Gibson, are credited as establishing the Great Race event during a yacht race from Trinidad to Grenada in 1968.

This event involves the best local and foreign powerboats competing for top prizes and bragging rights.

With a distance of 86-miles from Chagaramas in Trinidad to Storebay Beach In Tobago the contest, considered to be one of the toughest offshore races in the calendar, 

Spectators get glimpses of the action as the race follows the Trinidad coastline, and culminates at Store Bay in Tobago where thousands of locals and foreigners gather for the biggest beach party ( and yeah to see the finish of the race). 

The atmosphere is mind blowing with food and drinks  galore !! .. its fete for so...!!

Tobago Heritage Festival

So I was finally got around to providing a glimpse of the MOST FAMOUS FESTIVAL  for Tobagonians, The Famous Tobago Heritage Festival

The Tobago Heritage Festival is an annual cultural event in Tobago that was conceptualized by renowned Tobagonian anthropologist Dr. J. D. Elder, and was started as a pilot project in 1986

The Festival takes from the middle of July to early August. Villagers from different communities participate and perform with folk singing, dancing and feasting. Traditional Village life is depicted with villagers wearing traditional clothing and re-enacting traditional  village life.

Throughout the entire Heritage period visitors can visit the many villages throughout the island and partake in the activities and if you link up with a Tobagonian Food is guaranteed free

During the year each Community has its own festival or heritage and the highlight is Food. Persons in the village cook and once you come with a Tobagonian link up food is free. You can literally go from house to house and eat, if you know "yuh belly full" don't go to people house and refuse food, they will feel insulted. 

Diving Sites

 Diving Sites and Establishments in Tobago

Cove Reef

Depth:10-27m

Cove Reef is a fringing reef that mainly consists of sponges and hard corals. The reef flat starts in 10 meters and is sloping gently down to 25 m. It is one of the deeper reefs in the South end of the island. With its numerous crevices and caves it is the perfect hideaway for lobsters, moray eels and nurse sharks. The typical Caribbean variety can also be found here: Grouper, Trumpet Fish, Rays, Trunk and Trigger Fish, Turtles and Barracudas are dwellers on Cove Reef.

Flying Reef

Depth:10-16m

Flying Reef is one of the most popular reefs in Tobago. Due of its length and depth of only 16 meters it is suitable for beginners and advanced divers. A forest of soft corals and enormous sponges dominate the underwater scenery - and if you are looking for more have a look at the vast variety of different reef fish such as Triggerfish, Stingrays, Moray eels, Rainbow Parrotfish, Angelfish, Butterfly Fish, Porcupine Fish, Turtles and much more.

Divers Thirst

Depth:16-30m

This reef is located between Flying Reef and Divers Dream which leave it exposed to strong currents, but one can easily avoid it by diving just under the ledge of the reef. Big nurse sharks, barracudas and stingrays are frequently seen here. An encounter with other big reef dwellers such as bull sharks or tiger sharks are possible.

Divers Dream

Depth:15-20m

Divers Dream is a plateau, roughly 5 km offshore. The top of the reef is as shallow as 6 m and slopes down to a depth of 25m. Beautifully covered boulders are found in this area, attracting a huge amount of barracudas, snappers, giant parrotfish and triggerfish. Being such an exposed dive site you also can find nurse sharks, eagle rays and reef sharks.

Mount Irvine Extension

Depth:10-25m

Mt. Irvine Extension starts off with huge coral boulders at a depth of around 8 meters. A few minutes into the dive the scenery turn into a massive coral reef that offers shelter to a variety of creatures like lobsters, giant crabs, octopus and scorpion fish. In the blue water above the reef you might see tarpons, cobies, groupers and eagle rays.

M.S. Maverick

Depth:15-30m

The ferry "Scarlett Ibis" was sunk in 1997 creating an artificial reef to boost the islands dive product. The 70 meter long ship which was renamed the "Maverick" is sitting upright on a sandy bottom at a maximum depth of 30 meters. In her years under water she has put on a beautiful coat of corals and sponges which is accompanied by schools of bait fish who find shelter in the huge belly of the ship. Jacks are also attracted by this never ending stock of prey available.

Mount Irvine Wall

Depth:8-16m

With only 15 m max. depth in the protected bay of Mt. Irvine, the Wall is an easy but extremely interesting dive site. The steep cliff with beautiful canyons, cracks and ledges is the home of large groups of schooling fish, like surgeonfish or triggerfish. With some luck one might find a seahorse or short nose batfish.Caribbean angelfish or a parrotfish.

The Sisters

Depth:15-30m

Heading to the north of the island one we will reach the rock formation called the Sisters, some 5 pinnacles coming up from more than 40 meters depth. Beautiful covered and bizarre underwater scenery makes the Sisters a memorable dive. In overhangs and caves you find not only lobster but also stingrays and nurse sharks. Depending on the season and current a school of hammerhead sharks can be seen here. The Sisters are fully exposed to the wind and open sea so that it can only be dived in favorable weather conditions.

Japanese Garden

Depth:6-25m

One of the dives, in which you can see the vast variety of marine life in Tobago waters. After descending into the "fish soup" you will drift towards " Kamikaze Cut" and once passed, you are diving through four different zones of underwater scenery. A dive second to none!

Kelleston Drain

Depth:9-20m

This dive is famous for the huge brain coral which you will see towards the end of this challenging dive. We are starting in a sheltered bay on a shallow plateau from where the current will take us to the deeper water. The nutrient rich water allows a luxuriant growth of sponges and soft coral. Big schools of Creole wrasse and jack fish are always there. Nurse sharks and giant green moray eels are frequently seen on this dive.

Bookends

Depth:7-26m

Bookends got the name from strangely shaped rocks coming up to the surface. Depending on the current this may be a quiet difficult dive site. The natural amphitheatre invites you to look at nurse sharks and turtles.