Tobago is a small quiet island, ideal for a quiet vacation. Her underdevelopment offers an alternative to an overpopulated tourist spot.
Tobago, which is only twenty six miles long by seven miles wide, lays right off the coast of Venezuela. Tobago used to be part of South America, thus it houses wildlife usually only found on the geographical mainland. Tobago is also home to the oldest rain forest in the western hemisphere.
If you are drawn to the water then Tobago offers plenty in terms of water activities. Tobago's waters are brimming with sea life, and if you aim for some serious fishing, then you will be satisfied by the end of the day. The offshore fishing season begins in October and runs through June. Coastal fishing is year round. The Tobago International Game Fishing Tournament is held each year in March in a fishing village named Charlotteville. Tobago is known to have some of the Caribbean's most productive big game fishing areas.
In the village of Mount Irvine you can participate in a range of water sports including sailing charters, Hobie Cat sailing, water-skiing, wake-boarding, kite-surfing, snorkeling and sunset sailing trips. There are plenty of charter boats that allow you to personalize your trip with an around the island sail or a romantic sail for two.
A must do is a glass bottom boat tour. A boat will whisk you out to store Bay where you can observe the coral reefs. Make a stop at Nylon Pool, a turquoise shallow pool of water where you can jump out of the boat and wade in up to your waistline.
When back on land make sure to take advantage of Tobago's many sites. The Botanical Gardens is located near Fort King George in Scarborough. There are seventeen acres of well-groomed gardens, trees and shrubs overlooking the Scarborough.
Be sure to visit the Tobago Heritage Parlor. It's an ordinary house, built by a local elder man Uncle George Leacock. George and his wife built their home after the 1963 hurricane. It overflows with artifacts about George's life, the life of his great-grandmother, Lydia (the daughter of a 19th Century slave and a Scottish plantation owner), and about Tobago's history. George may personally escort you and tell you the stories of his childhood. There's no official charge but donations are welcome at the end of the tour.
Golf enthusiasts will be enchanted with Tobago's two prestigious golf courses; Tobago Plantations, and Mount Irvine. Tobago Plantations Golf and Country Club is an 18 hole PGA Championship course. You can sign up for anything from short lessons to full individual and group coaching programs. Golf School Weekends and Junior Academy Days are also available.
Mount Irvine Bay Hotel and Golf Club offers a 127 acre golf course overlooking the Caribbean Sea. It's an eighteen hole, Par-72 International Championship Course. Along with golf, they offer tennis. Tennis can be played both day and night. Massage therapy and saunas are also available on the hotel's compound.
Tobago is a small quiet island, ideal for a quiet vacation. Her underdevelopment offers an alternative to an overpopulated tourist spot. But Tobago still offers enough activities to keep you stimulated. So if you are looking for a serene island vacation, Tobago is the place to visit.
