Trinidad & Tobago

Trinidad & Tobago - The southernmost islands in the Caribbean, and a mere 11 km off the coast of Venezuela, Trinidad & Tobago offer experiences ranging from Trinidad's urban bustle and festive Carnival to relaxed beach life on unspoilt Tobago. The variety of animal life found on the two islands is superb. Mammals include armadillos, agouti and red howler monkeys, and Trinidad has the best birdwatching in the Caribbean due to its combination of mangrove coastline and jungle rainforested interior. Both islands attract huge leatherback turtles. Little Tobago has just over 50,000 inhabitants, while Trinidad's population reaches over 1,250,000, with one of the most ethnically diverse mix of peoples in the Caribbean. The majority are of African (46%) and East Indian (36%) descent, mingling with European, Chinese, Syrian, Lebanese and even Carib minorities. Visitors do not require the usual three-month visa if they are citizens of the USA, Canada or most European countries.

The islands' capital, Port of Spain, is a bustling metropolitan hub of approximately 300,000 people. It's not the country's tourist centre by any means, its attractions being limited to a few 19th-century colonial buildings and some old, labyrinthine arcades. Its hotels are geared more for business travellers than holiday-makers. Just 40 minutes from the capital is Maracas Bay, Trinidad's most popular beach and definitely more ferial with its cliffside views, sandy beaches, fishing hamlet and frenetic bodysurfers. Birdwatchers should head for the Northern Range's Asa Wright Nature Centre, home to more than 100 bird species and featuring tours, field trips and accommodation. The Caroni Bird Sanctuary is another popular spot with birdie types, particularly at sunset, as it's the roosting site for Trinidad & Tobago's national bird, the scarlet ibis. The oddest attraction in Trinidad is Pitch Lake, a 40-hectare continually replenishing lake of tar which is the source of the world's single largest supply of natural bitumen - however, as a sight it's somewhat reminiscent of a huge parking lot.

On Tobago, the airport town of Crown Point is right in the middle of the island's main resort area. It's surrounded by palm-fringed, white-sand beaches with good year-round swimming and snorkelling. The attractive fishing villages of Speyside and Charlotteville are popular out-of-the-way destinations, and the nearby uninhabited islets of Little Tobago, Goat Island and St Giles Island are ecotourist destinations with abundant birdlife.