Tobago’s a natural beauty
Finds luminous waters, reggae, rum and barefoot luxury on the Caribbean island
AS a rule I would not be happy paddling four miles in a kayak on the open sea in the dark. It sounds very foolhardy.
Neither would I be happy diving (okay flopping), half an hour later, into a black lagoon, surrounded by mangrove swamps, where there must be all manner of slithery creatures lurking.
Why, therefore, do I do this in Tobago, setting off from Pigeon Point beach after sunset?
Well, for a start I am caught up in the heady Tobago vibe, a mixture of do nothing and do all sorts of things you’d never think you would.
A chatty American called Brett runs Stand Up Paddle Tobago, offering these nighttime tours (by paddle board or kayak) to experience the bioluminescence of the still lagoon waters that is caused by plankton. My paddle dips into a wash of sparkling diamonds and I swirl amid the radiance.
I splash the water in the air and it rains sequins. I’ve never seen anything so magical.
Oddly I don’t feel a second’s anxiety about the dark, the sea, or what lurks beneath. Perhaps that’s because it is so peaceful and warm.
Tobago lies next to Trinidad, and together they’re a single state. Trinidad is the bigger, smarter version whereas Tobago is the little kid brother (26 miles by six miles) more barefoot and boho, laid back. Just don’t come here for the shopping unless a mini steel drum stamped “Made in China” is your idea of a souvenir.
Tobago doesn’t make much these days. The sugar’s gone and cocoa’s history.
But what it does have is natural beauty – coral reefs, rainforests, mangrove swamps, dreamy beaches and a sense that all these must be kept as pristine as possible, while allowing for a burgeoning tourist industry.
Early in the morning (really early before it’s too hot) a group of us walk in the rainforest with our cheery guide, Harris McDonald, who points out birdlife and the wonderful interconnected ecosystem that to you and me simply looks like a load of big trees wrapped in Tarzan-esque creepers.
We end our visit with a swim in a cool pool beneath the spectacular Argyle waterfall.
No Caribbean holiday should be without relaxing days of shameless hedonism spent on a boat drinking rum cocktails, snorkelling, sunbathing and dancing to reggae.
Mine, with Alibaba Tours, involves coconuts plucked from