Caribbean Caribbean | Page 42

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OBAGO is very much a typical picture-postcard

Caribbean island with palm fringed white sand beaches bordering turquoise blue waters . Quite laid-back , relaxed and friendly , Tobago offers beautiful beaches , rainforest interiors like much of the Windward Islands , good water sports , some of the best diving in the Caribbean and an easy-going environment for a beach holiday . If you venture away from the wonderful beaches you will still see the signs of the plantation island Tobago once was at places such as Moriah and Les Coteaux . There are still traditional Caribbean fishing villages at Castara and Parlatuvier towards the northeast of the island . Tobago is an excellent island for a relaxing beach holiday but also worthwhile combining with a livelier and more sophisticated island such as Barbados .
TRAVEL POINTERS Flying time from London to Tobago is approximately 8.5 hours . British Airways has direct flights from London Gatwick to Tobago . Virgin Atlantic has direct flights from London Gatwick to Tobago .
TWO-CENTRE RECOMMENDATIONS Barbados or Grenada .
COCO REEF
BOUTIQUE HOTELS We also feature Stonehaven Villas , Blue Haven and Arnos Vale in Tobago . Visit our website for further details .
AIRPORT
SCARBOROUGH
SPEYSIDE
“ QUAINTLY OLD-WORLD CARIBBEAN , RELAXED WITH CLASSIC BEACHES ”
LOCAL HIGHLIGHTS Carnival culminating with Mardi Gras , Carrington Street in Scarborough with its rum shops and roti stands , The fishing villages of Castara and Parlatuvier , Jemma ’ s classic West Indian Kitchen on the waterfront in Speyside ( no alcohol served ), Pigeon Point beach and sunset-watching from the quay , Buccoo Reef for snorkellers and scuba divers , Mauby is a local drink like ginger beer , Carib and Stag are the local beers , Roti - often spicy due to the Indian origins of many Trinidadians and filled with vegetable , chicken or shrimp curry , Handicrafts such as batik and paintings at the Cotton House , Bacolet Street .
GETTING OUT AND ABOUT The roads in the south and west of the island are fine but become less well maintained in the north and east . There are parts of the island that are only accessible in the dry season and only then by 4-wheel drive vehicles . You can hire cars and
jeeps as well as mountain bikes . The island is well worth exploring , but take a good map and check locally about the quality of the roads before you venture into more remote parts .
FACTUAL INFORMATION Capital : Scarborough is the capital of Tobago . Airport : Crown Point on Tobago . Size of the island : 26 miles by 9 miles . Population : 45,000 on Tobago ( total of about 1.3 million between Trinidad and Tobago ). Average temperature : About 26 degrees Centigrade .
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