Tobago Eco Tourism

For an island only 21 miles across and seven miles wide, Tobago boasts an unbelievable variety of natural wonders. Its South American heritage - like Trinidad, Tobago was once joined to the mainland - has left a legacy of plants, birds, insects, and mammals to enchant and mesmerize any visitor and that's just on land.

Venture into the Forest Reserve, in the eastern interior, for a shaded walk among misty greenery and exotic animal and bird life. This is the oldest protected rainforest in the Western hemisphere with 14,000 acres designated as a protected Crown Reserve in 1776, and a 'must' for bird watchers. Local guides prove to be knowledgeable and witty companions.

Meander through the rainforest and bird sanctuaries and you are sure to spot some of the island's 210 bird and 123 butterfly species, one of the reasons that Tobago is recognised as one of the world's best bird watching spots.

After the coolness of the rainforest, or if bird watching isn't your 'thing', the seas around Tobago provides a fascinating water world
Watch huge female Leatherback Turtles lay their hundreds of eggs on Tobago's beaches during the laying season (March - August) by joining in with the Turtle Watch members who protect these rare and the largest species of turtle.

You don't need to be a diver to enjoy the splendour of the live coral reefs around Tobago 's coastline. Many of the reefs are accessible with nothing more than a pair of flippers and a mask with an abundance of colourful fish life living on the reefs. The reefs need protecting just as much as the rainforest and touching or breaking them will cause damage which takes hundreds of years to naturally repair so please look but don't touch.

If you still need some adrenalin, hurtling down hills and along ridges of the interior with intrepid local mountain bikers, all passionate protectors of the island's wildlife, a trip to the impressive waterfalls or to the Hillsborough Reservoir (beware the snapping caymans) should see you through to the end of another perfect Tobagonian day.
And keep your ears and eyes open to learn a little about local medicines and cures but try them at your own risk!