Why Tobago?

British Airways put out a very tempting offer in the summer-flights to Tobago for half the usual Air Miles. And I have enough of those, so it seems ordained, even though I have to shoehorn this week on the beach in. They offer me premium economy for very little extra and then upgrade me to business. And I am a very happy bunny.

Trinidad and Tobago

Tobago is part of the country of Trinidad and Tobago and is known for its beaches, its brain coral and the Main Ridge Forest Reserve. Read more about Trinidad and Tobago here.

Coco Reef Resort Hotel

The Coco Reef Resort Hotel is so close to the airport I could almost walk there. Fortunately, there aren't many planes to disturb the tranquillity. The hotel has its own lovely beach on Canoe Bay, surrounded by a stone arm, to create a lagoon with a little gentle snorkelling.

I spend most of my day time in Tobago on the sands reading and the evenings eating. The clients are mainly British and super-friendly. I hardly ever eat dinner on my own. And there is a giant owl tethered to the restaurant railings. His duty is to frighten the local fowl away so that they don’t swoop into the open air room (views across the bay) to steal the diners’ food. It works to a certain extent. There are a plenty of pretty birds in Tobago and the clients quite like feeding them.

Tobago Island Tour

I take a Tobago island tour in a car. We whistle through the capital, Scarborough. It's home to 17,000, the eleventh largest city in Trinidad and Tobago. There's Fort King George, perched above. It has cannons, a lighthouse and some great views.

I'm more interested in admiring some of the other renowned island beaches and exploring the old sugar plantations and rum distilleries. Englishman's Bay has a gorgeous curve of sand. Pigeon Point is very close to my hotel and features a thatched jetty that seems to make it onto every Tobago tourist poster..

I decide that, as far as I can see, my hotel is the nicest on the island. Most of the shores are deserted.

Awkward Encounters

I venture out on a hire bike and accidentally fall into conversation with a dreadlocked local, wheeling his own cycle with one hand and waving a reefer in the other.

‘Shall we cycle together?’

‘I haven’t time’ I reply, warily.

‘Ok, a drink later?’

‘Maybe another day’.

I escape back to the safety of my hotel. The next day on the beach I’m reading peacefully when I notice there’s a great deal of splashing in the water in front of me. An animal in trouble? A shark? No, it’s my friend from the day before. He’s swum right round the point to come and visit. I have to admire his tenacity.