What To Do In Tobago - Cultural and Activity Holidays In Tobago

ART - throughout the year

In the first few days you will find the use of colours that are so vibrant in Tobago and its verdant rainforest. Tobago is blessed with unique light and colours. You will find a love for art and nature that you will treasure for life.

Take field trips to the central region - the Tobago Forest Reserve that was established in 1764. There are no cities or large towns for miles around, just the occasional small hamlet.

You will be surrounded by exotic flora and fauna; the birds are second to none in the Caribbean.

Relax on Tobago's most beautiful beaches, swimming in the warm Caribbean sea. If you are lucky, see the dolphins play in Castara Bay. This is the place for people, sunsets, verdant landscapes and seascapes that will bring you back again.

Kimme Art Gallery and workshop - Luise Kimme, a German born artist uses large tree trunks which she carves with a chain-saw - after a more refined finish, the pieces are painted. See: Luise Kimme Sculpture Museum, Tobago

Richmond Great House - This house was built for the owners of the plantation. Much of the rustic woodwork of the Great House was cut from the estate and local carpenters and artisans gave the great beauty to the house we see today. The house survived the hurricane 'Flora' of 1963. In 1973 the Tobagonian Professor of History at Columbia University, New York Dr Hollis R Lynch took over the ownership of the House. There you can be his guests and see one of the worlds finest private collections of African art, artefacts and textiles. More details: Richmond Great House

More Details about Tobago Art: Art Gallery Exhibition In Tobago

BIRDING & ORNITHOLOGY - throughout the year.

There are many trumped-up bird guides in Tobago - most could ruin your holiday. You need a guide that can give you some tuition on the birds and their habitat, the endangered birds, their migration through Tobago - north and south and how to find them.

The sites will include:
On your doorstep: Bananaquits, blue-grey tanager and cocricos or chachalaca are at hand. In Castara it is possible to see 15 types of bird before you finish your breakfast,
Coast - sea and coastal birds like the brown boobies and the magnificent frigatebirds
Grasslands and inland waters - waders to the forest margin birds
Forest Margins Since the 1962 hurricane, birds that were forest dwelling can now be found in these margins.
Little Tobago & Tobago - part of the north-south migration of birds. See: Little Tobago Bird Sanctuary

More Details about Tobago Birding & Ornithology: Tobago Nature - Bird of Paradise Island, Birdwatching Locations in Tobago

CARNIVAL - the beginning of lent and August

Before planning ensure you know the dates of the carnival. Then you have two options: firstly, try to go to the Trinidad Carnival and holiday in Tobago, or secondly, go to the Tobago Carnival that is at the same time. The latter is more of a family occasion. Alternatively, go to the 'Ole Time Carnival' in August.

To enjoy each aspect of the Carnival find out about:
History of Carnival - there is a history steeped in fighting oppression with dance and music.

Traditions of Carnival - appreciate the events of the Carnival - it is more then colourful costumes and rhythmic energies of the dances that thrill the large audiences, but there is a tradition rooting back to Africa - centuries ago.

Costumes and Costume Making - the export of techniques reaches the Notting Hill Carnival - London but was also seen at the Barcelona Olympics opening ceremony. Not just colour and fabrics but lightweight structural engineering and thousands upon thousands of hours of meticulous hand work that starts months before.

Music of Carnival - Drumology, Speechband, Tambrin Music, Folk Singing, Religious Singing, Traditional Tobago Dance, Pan Music.

More details about Tobago Carnival: Carnival in Trinidad and Tobago

DIVING - throughout the year

THIS CAN BE A DANGEROUS SPORT. Wise up and check the professional qualifications of your instructors. Make this a NON ALCOHOL VACATION.

Now, on the brighter side, the corals have been building reefs around Tobago for thousands of years, the result of the efforts makes Tobago one of the finest dive destinations in the Caribbean and indeed the world.

Despite the small size of the island, Tobago boasts a unique variation of seascapes and marine life, from steep walls to gentle sloops and from blenny's to whalesharks! The reason for this diversity is the Orinoco River. This river, about the same size as the Amazon, floods out of Venezuela into the Gulf of Paria, and is picked up by the Guyana current and carried north to Trinidad & Tobago. This renders Tobago's water green and virtually fresh at some time of the year.

Tobago is far enough away to avoid most of its negative influence. Tobago benefits from the influx of warm water from the Orinoco River in that it promotes the growth of algae, and this attracts large numbers of fish and provide fuel for the reefs.

Because of the Guyana Current, we do have quite a lot of movement and current in the waters around Tobago; especially the area around Speyside - on the Atlantic side. Also in our dive area is from the Sisters to Castara - on the Caribbean Sea, the current is generally weaker because this is on the sheltered leeward side of the island. The difference in current strengths affects the reefs significantly. The currents have 'polished' the sites in Speyside over the years so that most of the dives here are on smooth slopes, whereas the Caribbean dives have much more textured and diverse shapes.

Tobago has all the common stony corals found in the Caribbean, but certain species, such as brain corals, have developed particularly strongly. Apart from the corals Tobago also accommodates a variety of sponges such as Barrel, Vase and Rope. These sponges all add colour and textural variety and attract angelfish in amounts and sizes that are unheard of in the rest of the Caribbean.

Among the many other fish species that can be encountered on our dives are Sharks (reef, hammerhead, nurse and whale) Rays (manta, sting and eagle) tarpons, moray eels, angelfish, (French, grey, and queen), parrot fishes, and lots of other species. We also see lobsters, octopuses and turtles on a regular basis. Travel books and magazines mistakenly give the impression that Manta Rays are something you can take for granted in Tobago. It is true that you might be lucky to spot one but it is fair to say that Manta Rays are not guaranteed or frequently seen. It is always hard to predict what species of fish you might encounter on a given dive in Tobago, but with an average of 50-80 different species per dive there is always a lot to see.

More details about Tobago Diving: Where to Swim & Dive in Tobago

The Tobago Heritage Festival - August

The Tobago Heritage Festival is an annual event, held from mid-July to early August, created to preserve the unique cultural traditions of the island. The festival is fast becoming the main event on the Tobago calendar and it has become accepted as its signature event, becoming for Tobago what Carnival is for Trinidad. The Tobago Heritage Festival is the largest single, most outstanding annual cultural event to take place in Tobago. The brain child of renowned Tobagonian anthropologist Dr. J. D. Elder, the festival was started as a pilot project in 1986 and has had nine annual incarnations since. More Details: Tobago Heritage Festival and Highlights

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