Just off the coast of the South
American mainland they were once
part of,
Trinidad and Tobago
(usually shortened to T&T) form
the southernmost islands of the
Lesser Antilles chain and the most
influential republic in the Eastern
Caribbean. They are the most
exciting, underexplored and
un-contrived of the Caribbean
islands, rich in indigenous culture.
A cultural pacemaker best known as
the home and heart of West Indian
Carnival
, the nation can also boast having
the most diverse and absorbing
society in the region.
T&T remain relatively inexpensive
as natural gas and oil reserves have
ensured economic independence and
freedom from the tourist trade.
Regionally, they are the richest
destinations for eco-tourism
, combining the flora and fauna of
the Caribbean with the wilder aspect
of the South American mainland. In
Trinidad, you can hike through
undisturbed tropical rainforest
, take a boat ride through mangrove
swamps and watch leatherback
turtles nest on remote beaches. Birdwatching
, with more than 430 species in an
area of 4830 square kilometres, is
among the world's best. Tobago
(300sq km) has glorious beaches and
stunning coral reefs. Declared the
" Disneyland of diving
", Tobago has the largest brain
coral in the world and sightings of
manta rays are common.
Equally absorbing are T&T's
dynamic towns and cities, showcases
for the architectural, religious and
cultural traditions of their
cosmopolitan populations. The 1.3
million inhabitants hail from India,
China, Portugal and Syria as well as
Africa, England, France and Spain,
and though racial tensions are
inevitably present, Trinbagonians
(as they're collectively known)
co-exist with good humour, and are
proud of their multiculturalism
. The result is a highly creative
culture with a lively music scene
that rivals even Jamaica.
Unlike its Caribbean neighbours,
Trinidad experienced full-scale
slavery for a relatively short fifty
years, while the Dutch, French and
British were too busy fighting over
Tobago to dedicate it to the demands
of King Sugar. Consequently, the
national psyche is characterized by
a strong sense of identity and a
laid-back enjoyment of the good
things in life, best displayed in
the local propensity for " liming
" - meeting friends for a drink
and a chat. With more than a dozen
public holidays, local festivals and
the pre-Lenten Carnival, a
no-holds-barred two days of dancing
in the street, the islands'
reputation of knowing how to party
is well deserved.
