Canadian travel experts have spoken: Here’s why you need to add Tobago to your travel bucket list
Posted Nov 16, 2020
Secluded beaches, azure water, fantastic food - what’s not to love?
Do you have a travel bucket list? These days, more people are dreaming about travel than actually traveling. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t keep adding places to your travel bucket list. In fact, a recent study found the average traveler has 11 places on their list, with the hopes of visiting at least seven of those locations during their lifetime.
Situated below the hurricane belt, the island of Tobago is about as far from the typical Caribbean crowds (not to mention the high prices that follow them) as you can get. Here, it’s all about the laid back lifestyle the Caribbean was once known for, making it a strong contender for any must-visit list. We checked in with six of Canada’s top travel editors, here’s what they had to say about this pristine piece of paradise.
Beautiful beaches
Lovely and low-key, this Caribbean island offers the perfect escape. Not overly developed, Tobago feels like a sweet secret spot that’s just waiting to be discovered.
Naturally, the beaches of Tobago are beautiful. Chilling out at those beaches and on the water is really what the island is all about, enjoying nature and savouring the quiet moments. This isn’t a flashy island with a lot of expensive things to see and do.
Tobago is lovely, friendly and a little different from other busier Caribbean destinations. I'll be dreaming about that wonderful trip while I’m grounded here and cursing another Canadian winter.
Lola Augustine Brown for Good Times magazine
The gem of the Caribbean
Often referred to as the gem of the Caribbean, the idyllic and largely untouched island abounds with sandy beaches, a diverse tropical rainforest teeming with life, vibrant cuisine ripe with fresh ingredients from land and sea, and above all, a humbling authenticity and ease of being that solidifies a longing to return.
If it weren’t so pleasantly unpretentious, Tobago could easily boast of its ecological marvels—but its inhabitants let the land and seascapes speak for themselves. With numerous bays and inlets to choose from, driving along the winding coastline often leads to spontaneous ocean dips and beach hopping at some of the Caribbean’s most celebrated spots.
Briana Armson for S/Magazine
Find respite
Cast your cares away in Tobago. Venture to the island of Tobago and find respite from the usual tourist crowds.
Stepping into the rainforest with the shade of the tropical greenery, the temperature dips another few degrees. My heart rate also ticks down as I become enveloped in palm fronds and ferns. A constant breeze rustles the leaves as birds twitter in the distance – a symphony of nature fit for a spa or relaxed yoga session.
Andrea Yu for Escapism
Best dining in the Caribbean
The hideaway island of Tobago, nestled on the eastern edge of the Caribbean, world’s away from the mainland hustle and bustle of Trinidad, has some of the best dining in the Caribbean.
Dishes marry African, Creole, Indian and European flavours with an otherworldly supply of fresh, local seafood from the surrounding Atlantic and Caribbean waters. Rock lobster, jumbo shrimp, blue crab, mahi-mahi, barracuda and red snapper are often served Creole style in a peppery, tomato-based stew simmered in local coconut milk curry or grilled and brushed with lime butter.
Claudia McNielly for National Post
Can't miss crab and dumplings
While doubles are widely available in Tobago, it’s not a food item locals rave about. No sir. In Tobago, crab and dumplings are where it’s at!
Tobago’s signature dish truly stands out, featuring delicious crab covered in a curry sauce made from a variety of island herbs and spices, served with doughy dumpling. It’s a messy eat definitely to be savoured using hands — but so worth it.
Eddie Chau for Toronto Sun
One of the Caribbean's last frontiers
One of the great destinations of the Caribbean. Tobago might be one of the Caribbean’s last frontiers for tourism; an island with luscious waterfalls, beautiful beaches, great local food and the world’s fifth-largest number of bird species. Best of all, it’s all on one small island you can circumnavigate in a couple of hours.
Jim Byers for Travel Pulse
As with all travel these days, remember to read up on Tobago's entry requirements and any testing you may need to get before arrival. Discover even more things to do, see and experience here and check out our blog for more ideas on how to plan your trip to Tobago.
