Trinidad and Tobago
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and Tobago Vacation rental listings
Tobago
Tobago is really the last of the “unspoilt Caribbean.” This strip of elongated
land just 41 by 14 kilometres, abounds with natural allure: palm-lined beaches,
lush rain forests and pristine coral reefs.
The contrast of rolling hills against wave-beaten shores makes the island an
unequalled beauty. The south (windward) coast is washed by the dark green,
wave-whipped Atlantic and is lined with vibrant fishing villages while the north
(leeward) coast provides Tobago with some of its finest beaches. In the main,
the eastern landscape of the interior rises steeply into tall peaks, providing
shelter for the oldest protected rainforest reserve in the western hemisphere.
Tobago is situated 30 km to the north-east of Trinidad. A central chain of
mountains, called the Main Ridge, extends nearly two-thirds of the length of the
island from its north-eastern tip, the highest point being 567 metres. Ridges
and conical hills descend from the Main Ridge forming attractive valleys through
which numerous streams run to the sea.
The south-western tip, Crown Point, is low-lying coral limestone, and off the
coast there is a coral lagoon bounded by the beautiful Buccoo Reef. There are
several smaller islands around the coast of Trinidad and Tobago which are ideal
reserves for wild life. Most notable of these is "Little Tobago", a bird
sanctuary for the world-famed `Bird of Paradise‘.
Trinidad
In Trinidad you’ll not find your tailor-made tourist destination. Instead, you
can chart your own adventure (with our help, of course!) with a choice of
festivals, events and a host of other adrenaline-generating activities.
Port of Spain, the bustling capital, is filled with an enchanting myriad of art
galleries and restaurants and other sites to satisfy your finer tastes.
If you prefer to be laid back, Trinidad also has its share of quiet quality.
Once part of the South American mainland, the island, with its roughly
rectangular shape that measures 37 miles (80km) by 50 miles (60 km), boasts of
an ecological diversity unmatched in the Caribbean.
The north coast’s scenic beaches and sand provide the perfect atmosphere for
seclusion, rest and recreation. Dominated by densely forested peaks, the
northern interior offers excellent hiking trails, while the agricultural plains
of central Trinidad provide a fascinating contrast.
The east coast features protected wetlands and miles of fine brown sand lined by
groves of coconut palms. The island’s ‘southland’ is a friendly base from which
to explore the island’s modern oil towns, picturesque fishing villages and calm
deserted beaches.
Trinidad is the most southerly of a chain of
islands stretching from Florida in the United States of America to Venezuela in
South America and enclosing the Caribbean Sea.
The island is separated from Venezuela by the Gulf of Paria, one of the finest
natural harbours in the world. The Gulf of Paria is entered from the north by
the Dragon‘s Mouth (Boca del Dragon) and from the south by the Serpent‘s Mouth
(Boca de la Sierpe), names given by Christopher Columbus.
The island of Trinidad is roughly rectangular in shape with promontories at the
north-west and south-west corners. It is between these two peninsulas that the
Gulf of Paria lies. The Dragon‘s Mouth is about 19 km wide, and is subdivided
into four channels by the islands of Monos, Huevos and Chacachacare which stand
in the sea like stepping-stones between Trinidad and Venezuela. The Serpent‘s
Mouth measures about 14 km across.
Trinidad is traversed by three mountain ranges
- the Northern Range, the Central Range and the Southern Range. The highest, the
Northern Range crosses the entire width of the island from Galera Point in the
North East to the Dragon‘s Mouth in the North West. The range rises into two
peaks, Cerro Aripo and El Tucuche, the highest point being 940.3 metres. Roads
have been built over the range to Maracas Bay and Blanchisseuse. The Central
Range runs diagonally across the island.
The Caroni Plain, sandwiched between the Northern and Central Ranges, is flat
and well watered. Mount Tamana, reaching 307.5 metres and Mount Harris and
Brigand Hill are the highest points on the Central Range. South of the Central
Range the land is undulating. The Nariva Plain is to the south-east and the
Naparima Plain to the south-west. Each of the plains has a large swampy area -
the Caroni Swamp, the Nariva Swamp, the Oropouche Lagoon and the Naparima Plain.
As the surface of the island is dotted by hills, there are numerous streams and
rivers, the most important being the Caroni, which drains the north-western
portion of the island, the Ortoire or Guatare which drains the southwestern
section, and the Oropouche which drains the north-eastern section. The rivers
are not navigable
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