Nestled just off the South American shores, the beautiful and always sunny Trinidad and Tobago dual-island country is proud of its diverse array of wildlife, colourful coral reefs, sugary palm-framed shores, flavoursome cuisine, and verdant rain forests that can rejuvenate every wary soul. Boasting off-the-beaten-path vacations, it enables visitors to live life in a unique way, where myriads of places with an earthy heaven vibe inject pure, authentic moments into your stay; places like the ones listed below!
The 3 Pools
The Three Pools is part of the Marianne River that steals impressions with its natural allure. Located in Blanchisseuse, they are actually three-tiered pools, each offering something different. Visit this place if you want to escape the heat and wade in the shallow waters of the first pool, jump into the third pool from the imposing 4.6-metre-high (around 15 feet) rocks, or take the natural water slide to glide from the third to the second pool! Besides an amazing site and playground for adults and children alike, the 20-minute hike to 3 Pools is truly fantastic and can even be combined with the Avocat Waterfall trek for added excitement!
Adventure Farm and Nature Reserve
If sustainable ecotourism fascinates you, then this working plantation will certainly fit your bills. Also doubling as a paradise for many different bird species, it welcomes visitors to over 12 acres of lush land where sustainable agricultural practices are exclusively followed. Walk through the farm and nature reserve and you will see anything from fields with citrus fruits and organic lemons to areas where hummingbirds steal the show, especially around feeding time, when they flock to the main house! And, if you feel like relaxing and dipping your toes in crystal-clear waters, Arnos Vale Beach is within walking distance, where you can stretch your legs, swim or even snorkel.
Argyle Falls
A three-tier, 53-metre-high (175 feet) waterfall that is second to none in Tobago. The highest waterfall on the island is a huge cascade that spills into a deep pool, which challenges visitors seeking adrenaline-pumping adventures. To reach the base of the fall, you only need to walk for around 15 minutes once you reach the area. The second tier includes several natural rock pools that offer a relaxing pit stop for trekkers, just before they resume their hike to the last pool that is enveloped by vines (which can be easily used creatively, as rope swings!). As soon as you reach the third level, feel free to enjoy a refreshing swim or soak in the pristine views! The site is open to the public with a small entrance fee. If you want to sign up for a guided tour, though, it will cost you some extra money.
Emperor Valley Zoo
You will find this zoo sitting between the Botanic Gardens and the Queen’s Park Savannah, two of the country's prime landmarks. The primary Trinidad and Tobago zoo is home to over 100 animals, including a 3.6-metre (12 feet) crocodile, a giant otter, giraffes, lions, and monkeys. Kindly refrain from feeding the animals, although you can watch the zookeepers feed the felines, reptiles, giraffes, and monkeys at specific times of the day. Lastly, a tour is an excellent way to explore the Emperor Valley Zoo and learn all about it and the animals that live there, though you will need to book a tour in advance (at least 24 hours prior to your visit).
Englishman's Bay
Although ranked lower in the popularity-o-metre than its western shores, this Tobago bay is a real natural gem with a picturesque, crescent-shaped beach. Surrounded by a mastic rainforest with the lushest greenery in the country, it gently slopes toward the sea, creating an inviting and cosy environment for the leatherback turtles that visit the beach to make their nests. If you have plans to visit Englishman’s Bay, make sure you rent snorkelling equipment as the aquatic cosmos around the tranquil blue waters is simply hypnotising. Or you may indulge in more relaxed ventures, such as swimming or lounging on the beach with a delicious snack in hand from the many vendors that sell food along the bay area.
Fort James
Built by the British, the 18th-century Fort James used to serve as a protector to Plymouth, the former capital of the capital. Overlooking the stunning Courland Bay, Fort James turns heads with its still-intact walls (almost in their entirety) that have been constructed without mortar – only using hand-cut blocks of limestone laid together. Come here to even admire the four ocean-pointing cannons, as well as the particularly well-maintained park, which are other major highlights of the site, or to simply have a relaxing picnic with exquisite panoramas of the shoreline in the background (or foreground – you get to choose)!
Tip: If you love forts, then 18th-century Fort King George is a must-visit as it is the best-preserved colonial fort on the island. It is built atop a hill overlooking Scarborough and spoils visitors with things like a prisoner’s bell tank, cannons, and the Tobago Museum (a former guard house) with plenty of military relics and Amerindian artefacts dating back to the colonial period. Not to mention the spellbinding views!
Hanuman Statue
Hanuman is a Hindu warrior that is worshipped as a protector from evil, who is also the god-warrior the Hindus turn to when they are facing a difficult task that requires courage and strength from them. Hanuman Statue is a huge 2003-consecrated, 26-metre-tall (around 85 feet) statue with Southern Indian Dravidian architecture, making it the 2nd highest statue in the world and the highest of its kind outside of India! You will find it in the Carapichaima village, at the Dattatreya yoga centre.
Kelleston Drain
You will hear it be referred to as Little Tobago Drift and is home to the largest brain coral on earth (around 3 by 4.9 metres, or 10 by 16 feet) that is made out of millions of individual coral animals. The popular dive spot is also where manta rays and various other schools of fish flourish. There is another adjacent coral reef also bustling with life, while divers may even spot nurse sharks (if they are lucky enough).
Nestled just off the South American shores, the beautiful and always sunny Trinidad and Tobago dual-island country is proud of its diverse array of wildlife, colourful coral reefs, sugary palm-framed shores, flavoursome cuisine, and verdant rain forests that can rejuvenate every wary soul. Boasting off-the-beaten-path vacations, it enables visitors to live life in a unique way, where myriads of places with an earthy heaven vibe inject pure, authentic moments into your stay; places like the ones listed below!
The 3 Pools
The Three Pools is part of the Marianne River that steals impressions with its natural allure. Located in Blanchisseuse, they are actually three-tiered pools, each offering something different. Visit this place if you want to escape the heat and wade in the shallow waters of the first pool, jump into the third pool from the imposing 4.6-metre-high (around 15 feet) rocks, or take the natural water slide to glide from the third to the second pool! Besides an amazing site and playground for adults and children alike, the 20-minute hike to 3 Pools is truly fantastic and can even be combined with the Avocat Waterfall trek for added excitement!
Adventure Farm and Nature Reserve
If sustainable ecotourism fascinates you, then this working plantation will certainly fit your bills. Also doubling as a paradise for many different bird species, it welcomes visitors to over 12 acres of lush land where sustainable agricultural practices are exclusively followed. Walk through the farm and nature reserve and you will see anything from fields with citrus fruits and organic lemons to areas where hummingbirds steal the show, especially around feeding time, when they flock to the main house! And, if you feel like relaxing and dipping your toes in crystal-clear waters, Arnos Vale Beach is within walking distance, where you can stretch your legs, swim or even snorkel.
Argyle Falls
A three-tier, 53-metre-high (175 feet) waterfall that is second to none in Tobago. The highest waterfall on the island is a huge cascade that spills into a deep pool, which challenges visitors seeking adrenaline-pumping adventures. To reach the base of the fall, you only need to walk for around 15 minutes once you reach the area. The second tier includes several natural rock pools that offer a relaxing pit stop for trekkers, just before they resume their hike to the last pool that is enveloped by vines (which can be easily used creatively, as rope swings!). As soon as you reach the third level, feel free to enjoy a refreshing swim or soak in the pristine views! The site is open to the public with a small entrance fee. If you want to sign up for a guided tour, though, it will cost you some extra money.
Emperor Valley Zoo
You will find this zoo sitting between the Botanic Gardens and the Queen’s Park Savannah, two of the country's prime landmarks. The primary Trinidad and Tobago zoo is home to over 100 animals, including a 3.6-metre (12 feet) crocodile, a giant otter, giraffes, lions, and monkeys. Kindly refrain from feeding the animals, although you can watch the zookeepers feed the felines, reptiles, giraffes, and monkeys at specific times of the day. Lastly, a tour is an excellent way to explore the Emperor Valley Zoo and learn all about it and the animals that live there, though you will need to book a tour in advance (at least 24 hours prior to your visit).
Englishman's Bay
Although ranked lower in the popularity-o-metre than its western shores, this Tobago bay is a real natural gem with a picturesque, crescent-shaped beach. Surrounded by a mastic rainforest with the lushest greenery in the country, it gently slopes toward the sea, creating an inviting and cosy environment for the leatherback turtles that visit the beach to make their nests. If you have plans to visit Englishman’s Bay, make sure you rent snorkelling equipment as the aquatic cosmos around the tranquil blue waters is simply hypnotising. Or you may indulge in more relaxed ventures, such as swimming or lounging on the beach with a delicious snack in hand from the many vendors that sell food along the bay area.
Fort James
Built by the British, the 18th-century Fort James used to serve as a protector to Plymouth, the former capital of the capital. Overlooking the stunning Courland Bay, Fort James turns heads with its still-intact walls (almost in their entirety) that have been constructed without mortar – only using hand-cut blocks of limestone laid together. Come here to even admire the four ocean-pointing cannons, as well as the particularly well-maintained park, which are other major highlights of the site, or to simply have a relaxing picnic with exquisite panoramas of the shoreline in the background (or foreground – you get to choose)!
Tip: If you love forts, then 18th-century Fort King George is a must-visit as it is the best-preserved colonial fort on the island. It is built atop a hill overlooking Scarborough and spoils visitors with things like a prisoner’s bell tank, cannons, and the Tobago Museum (a former guard house) with plenty of military relics and Amerindian artefacts dating back to the colonial period. Not to mention the spellbinding views!
Hanuman Statue
Hanuman is a Hindu warrior that is worshipped as a protector from evil, who is also the god-warrior the Hindus turn to when they are facing a difficult task that requires courage and strength from them. Hanuman Statue is a huge 2003-consecrated, 26-metre-tall (around 85 feet) statue with Southern Indian Dravidian architecture, making it the 2nd highest statue in the world and the highest of its kind outside of India! You will find it in the Carapichaima village, at the Dattatreya yoga centre.
Kelleston Drain
You will hear it be referred to as Little Tobago Drift and is home to the largest brain coral on earth (around 3 by 4.9 metres, or 10 by 16 feet) that is made out of millions of individual coral animals. The popular dive spot is also where manta rays and various other schools of fish flourish. There is another adjacent coral reef also bustling with life, while divers may even spot nurse sharks (if they are lucky enough).