Trinidad & Tobago

Southernmost of the Lesser Antilles, just off the Venezuela coast, this island duo is among the most intriguing of Caribbean destinations. Though they constitute a single national entity, the two islands possess distinct personalities and histories. Trinidad, by far the larger and more populous one, has a thriving economy based on petroleum and a strikingly diverse ethnic makeup, legacy of an influx of East Indian, Asian and Middle Eastern labor after the abolition of slavery. Tobago, for its part, is more the archetypal tropical gem though it remains relatively untouristed; scuba diving off Tobago's coasts ranks among the planet's best. ...

Southernmost of the Lesser Antilles, just off the Venezuela coast, this island duo is among the most intriguing of Caribbean destinations. Though they constitute a single national entity, the two islands possess distinct personalities and histories. Trinidad, by far the larger and more populous one, has a thriving economy based on petroleum and a strikingly diverse ethnic makeup, legacy of an influx of East Indian, Asian and Middle Eastern labor after the abolition of slavery. Tobago, for its part, is more the archetypal tropical gem though it remains relatively untouristed; scuba diving off Tobago's coasts ranks among the planet's best. Trinidad as well boasts its share of undeveloped beaches, particularly along its northern coast, isolated behind a range of thickly forested mountains. Both islands make superb natural destinations owing to a unique blend of Caribbean and South American flora and fauna. The nation is renowned for its kaleidoscopic Carnival celebration, the Caribbean's biggest. For months before the pre-Lent blowout, steel drum ensembles practice the island's homegrown calypso music in rehearsal spaces known as panyards while masquerading marchers create their costumes in "mas camps." With easy connections between the two, Trinidad and Tobago add up to an unbeatable combination of multiculturalism, eco-tourism and seaside nirvana.

About the Expert

Daniel C. Schechter has contributed chapters to more than a dozen Lonely Planet guidebooks, including the Mexico, Caribbean Islands, Andalucia, Guatemala, and Pacific Northwest guides.