Tobago - Culture

Tobago is being slowly recognised as one of the Caribbean’s best dive spots — and one that is still uncrowded and unspoiled, with excellent visibility, plenty of variety and challenge, and unsurpassed marine life.

Some of the best diving in Tobago is to be found around Speyside, on the north-east coast. A semi-permanent colony of giant manta rays is a perennial attraction there — though migration patterns mean they might not always be around. The fact that some divers insist on trying to “ride” the mantas might also be responsible for their periods of absence: the best policy is “Look, but don’t touch.”

Indeed, that maxim should be applied to just about everything else you encounter underwater, in Speyside or elsewhere, both diving and snorkelling, since coral is extremely fragile.

The reefs off Tobago are incredibly well-endowed with coral growth, thanks to the flood waters of Venezuela’s Orinoco River, which wash around the island bringing a rich payload of plankton and micro-organisms. Most of the known coral species flourish on Tobago’s ubiquitous reefs — including the world’s largest recorded brain coral, which grows just off the coast of Little Tobago Island. Not surprisingly, the fish population is almost as diverse, with everything from tiny reef jewels to eels, turtles and sharks. You never know what you’re going to bump into out there.

Tobago offers a number of excellent diving areas: other popular sites include St Giles Islands, off the island’s north tip; Flying Reef and The Shallows, off the south tip; and the Mt Irvine Wall, which offers particularly good night diving. The Sisters, off the north-west coast, is also pretty dramatic. Last year, the 350-foot Scarlet Ibis, which once provided ferry service between Tobago and Trinidad, was deliberately sunk three-quarters of a mile off Mount Irvine, and has already become an interesting dive target, as has another vessel, the Maverick.

Sea conditions off the Caribbean coast tend to be calmer, with fewer currents; in the north and south, the diving is more suited to those with some experience, since you could find yourself in for a brisk ride. Your first and most important safety precaution should be: Dive only with a qualified operator.

If it’s true that love makes the world go round, then Tobago is the ideal place to get your head in a spin. The sea, the sand, the moonlit nights and balmy breezes are all ingredients in our intoxicating love potion.

Small bays make terrific hideaways for loving twosomes. The ocean beckons in a dozen ways. On any day, on any beach, a spectacular sunset (or sunrise) is almost guaranteed. A wonderful place to catch the sunset is Flagstaff Hill, overlooking Charlotteville; take along a suitably chilled bottle of wine.

Romantic lobster dinners served by candlelight; long walks in beautiful places; holding hands on a rustic bench as you watch the pelicans diving into a translucent sea; sipping a golden rum punch to the gentle music of a tenor pan; waking to bird song and sleeping to the surge of the ocean. No doubt about it: Tobago is for lovers.

The majority of the 50,000-strong population are descendants of African slaves transported to work sugar, cotton and indigo plantations from the late 17th century onwards. In recent years, Trinidadians (vendors and storekeepers, hospitality workers, businessmen) and expatriates drawn to the laid-back lifestyle have added a new dimension.

Culturally, Tobago’s roots are strictly Afro-Caribbean. African folklore and beliefs still flourish in the shade of massive silk cotton trees in hillside hamlets, and the tambrin drum of folk music plays to African beats, leading the European fiddle. You’ll see some of the best African traditions showcased in their authentic village settings during July’s Heritage Festival, but at any time of year, you’re likely to stumble across a wake, a harvest festival or a reel dance dedicated to the ancestors.