An extreme heat warning has just been issued for Trinidad (34C+) and Tobago (32.5C+) for the next few weeks, with much higher heat index temperatures. This is unprecedented since our islands are normally cooled by sea breezes and rain storms at this time of the year. Hot, sunny days naturally make us think of going to the beach. Luckily, there is nowhere you can live in Tobago that is more than a few minutes drive to the nearest coast. The entire island is fringed with unspoilt, sandy beaches, each with its own unique charm.
It is easy to hop from one idyllic beach to another in a single day, especially in the populous south-western side of the island. You can start at my favourite, the popular Store Bay. Here you can float in the clear Caribbean Sea while watching planes coming in to land nearby. The beach is small so can get a little crowded on holidays and weekends. People are attracted by the excellent facilities offering creole food, bars, well-maintained toilets/showers, and a variety of vendors, all set well behind the beach.
A few minutes drive away is the famous Pigeon Point Heritage Park. There is a small entrance fee to use all the excellent facilities which are alongside the fine sandy beach. These include two casual restaurants, ice cream and fish & chip vendors, beach huts, lounge chair rental, well-maintained toilets and showers, various craft and clothing shops, etc. You can even enjoy a class in ceramic making. Around the point, there is an excellent water sports facility that attracts enthusiasts from across the world.
From here, you would have to drive for about fifteen minutes inland to get around the Bon Accord Lagoon which is surrounded by acres of mangrove swamp. I recommend doing the bioluminescence tour there at night-time. The strip of sand that protects the entrance to the lagoon is known as No Man’s Land. Unfortunately, it has become quite commercialised by the glass-bottom boat operators who offer trips to the nearby Buccoo Reef and its extraordinary Nylon Pool.
Buccoo Bay has only become a swimmable beach in recent times, I have been told. Many people say it is now their favourite as it offers plenty of shade on its long strip of sand. But it can get quite crowded with cars on Sundays. Here you can enjoy barbeque chicken, etc., from vendors who have set up stalls. If you are lucky, you might see horses swimming in the sea from the nearby Healing With Horses stable. Watch out for the poisonous Manchineel trees though, as their sap can cause skin to blister.
Further up the road, you will come to the lovely Mt. Irvine beach. This is divided into the small ‘hotel’ side and the larger beach facility side. The Mt. Irvine Beach Resort is located across the road and they have established a bar, restaurant, and toilet facilities on their beach side to accommodate their guests. On the other beach side, separated by some rocks, large waves offer world-class surfing. Here there are the usual public facilities with a bar and an excellent casual restaurant. The loud music can be off-putting though.
Not far from there is the beautiful Grafton Beach or Stonehaven Bay. This is a long beach rimmed with coconut and almond trees for shade. I have come here with friends to do water aerobics in the sea whilst watching the sun dip over the horizon. Heaven! There’s a restaurant (Waves) on the beach which is perfect for enjoying a cocktail at sundown with the gentle sound of waves rolling in.
There are many more great beaches further up the west coast, such as Castara, Englishman’s Bay and Bloody Bay, and they are worth a day’s road trip. This could go as far as Charlotteville at the northern tip of Tobago. That small town also boasts a wonderful beach, and you can take the 100 steps to the secluded Pirate’s Bay close by.
The eastern, Atlantic coast is also lined with beaches, though here the sand is grey and firmer, and the water can be rough. They are ideal for strolling while looking for sea-shells or general flotsam. Here are some examples: Little Rockly Bay (Lambeau Beach), Hope Bay, Bacolet and Speyside. In recent years at certain times of the year, these beaches have been covered in sargassum seaweed, requiring bull-dozers to clean the sand. This ‘sculpture’ of washed up slippers sadly was cleared away last year.
So, if you are into beaches, there is bound to be one in Tobago that is perfect for you. Enjoy!
