Country TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO
TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO
BLACK ROCK
CROWN POINT
PLYMOUTH
PORT OF SPAIN
SCARBOROUGH
SPEYSIDE
Just off the coast of the South American mainland they were once part of, Trinidad and Tobago (usually shortened to T&T)
form the southernmost islands of the Lesser Antilles chain and the most influential republic in the Eastern Caribbean. They
are the most exciting, underexplored and un-contrived of the Caribbean islands, rich in indigenous culture. A cultural pacemaker
best known as the home and heart of West Indian Carnival , the nation can also boast having the most diverse and absorbing
society in the region.
T&T remain relatively inexpensive as natural gas and oil reserves have ensured economic independence and freedom from
the tourist trade. Regionally, they are the richest destinations for eco-tourism , combining the flora and fauna of the Caribbean
with the wilder aspect of the South American mainland. In Trinidad, you can hike through undisturbed tropical rainforest , take
a boat ride through mangrove swamps and watch leatherback turtles nest on remote beaches. Birdwatching , with more than
430 species in an area of 4830 square kilometres, is among the world's best. Tobago (300sq km) has glorious beaches and
stunning coral reefs. Declared the " Disneyland of diving ", Tobago has the largest brain coral in the world and sightings of
manta rays are common.
Equally absorbing are T&T's dynamic towns and cities, showcases for the architectural, religious and cultural traditions of their
cosmopolitan populations. The 1.3 million inhabitants hail from India, China, Portugal and Syria as well as Africa, England, France
and Spain, and though racial tensions are inevitably present, Trinbagonians (as they're collectively known) co-exist with good
humour, and are proud of their multiculturalism . The result is a highly creative culture with a lively music scene that rivals even
Jamaica.
Unlike its Caribbean neighbours, Trinidad experienced full-scale slavery for a relatively short fifty years, while the Dutch, French
and British were too busy fighting over Tobago to dedicate it to the demands of King Sugar. Consequently, the national psyche
is characterized by a strong sense of identity and a laid-back enjoyment of the good things in life, best displayed in the local
propensity for " liming " - meeting friends for a drink and a chat. With more than a dozen public holidays, local festivals and the
pre-Lenten Carnival, a no-holds-barred two days of dancing in the street, the islands' reputation of knowing how to party is well
deserved.
OTHER CARIBBEAN DESTINATION HOTELS AND TRAVELLERS INFORMATION
Anguilla Hotel Accommodations and Tourist Information
Antigua
Antilles
Aruba
Bahamas
Barbados
Bermuda
Cayman Islands
Cuba
Dominica
Dominican Republic
Grenada
Guadeloupe
Haiti
Jamaica
Martinique
Monserrat
Puerto Rico
Saba
Saint Barthelemy
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Lucia
Saint Martin
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Trinidad and Tobago
Turks and Caicos Islands
Virgin Islands (British)
Virgin Islands (US)
|
home page / Caribbean / Trinidad and Tobago
