Trinidad and Tobago—one national name, two distinct Caribbean places, a melange of racial contributors in the original Rainbow Nation. In Trinidad, think carnival, steel drum
s, music, beaches. The people of Trinidad are resourceful and drawn to lively music. They made old oil barrels into drums (called "pans") and created a unique style of music that has become the soundtrack to tropical relaxation.
In Tobago, the other island in this Caribbean nation, think relaxation, swaying palms, sandy beaches, fishing villages, asure seas—and more steel drums. Tobago has a more leisurely tempo than Trinidad, but with this kind of unspoiled scenery and uncrowded atmosphere, it's a slow dance that no one is in a hurry to end.
In addition to beaches and watersports, both islands have tropical rain forest and nature preserves—seeing a scarlet ibis in the wild is a particularly wonderful experience. So much variety makes Trinidad and Tobago a good destination for sampling a lot of the Caribbean in a small space.
Port of Spain, the capital city and main port, is on the western coast of Trinidad, overlooking the Gulf of Paria. The cruise-ship complex is on the south side of the city. It houses the Customs Hall, a slew of souvenir and clothing stores, a bookstore, restaurants and a tourist-information office. Most ships tether at the pier, where passengers are greeted by locals wearing Carnival attire and playing steel drums. Outside the terminal is a crafts market. The city center is just a few minutes' walk away, through the financial district.
The terminal's tourist-information office adjusts its hours to accommodate arriving cruise-ship passengers. The main office in Port of Spain, at 10-14 Philipps St., is open daily 8 am-4:30 pm. The tourist-information hotline is answered daily 8 am-6 pm. Phone 868-623-1932.
A quick 15 minutes from downtown Port of Spain is the 14,500-acre/5,867-hectare Chaguaramas Peninsula, home to the Caribbean's most-protected private-yacht harbor and a bonanza of ecological delights. Numerous marinas fill the Chaguaramas waterfront and provide a full range of marine repairs and construction services at competitive prices, along with supermarkets, restaurants, banks, shops, rental agencies, marine radio services, hotels and self-contained apartments—all within walking distance of the marinas. Because Trinidad lies south of the traditional hurricane belt, insurance companies consider Chaguaramas one of the few safe harbors in the Caribbean.
In Tobago, most cruise ships stop at the deep-port cruise terminal, Scarborough, on the southern coast of Tobago. The cruise-ship terminal, which is in the center of town on Melsortar Road, dominates the harbor. Most ships tie up at the dock, but some continue to anchor off the western tip of the island and tender passengers to Pigeon Point (about 8 mi/13 km from Scarborough), where there are palm-fringed beaches within walking distance of several resort hotels.
Inside Scarborough's terminal are duty-free shops, local crafts and music stores, tour operators and a tourist office. Immediately outside the building are an ice-cream parlor and a tiny pub (both are good places to grab some refreshments before reboarding the ship).
The main tourist office is on the third floor of the rather shabby downtown Scarborough Mall. The office is open Monday-Friday 8 am-4:30 pm. Phone 868-639-2125 or 868-639-4636. A tourist-information hotline is answered 6 am-10 pm. Phone 868-639-0509. The mall houses a handful of shops and a newsstand and is adjacent to the post office, library, bus terminal and Botanic Gardens.
Consider signing up for the excursions offered by your ship. They may not be the least expensive way to see the island, but you won't have to waste your limited time making arrangements yourself—and you won't have to worry about missing the ship. Typical excursions on Trinidad may take you for a scenic ride through the northern mountain range, on a cultural tour, sportfishing or to a nature sanctuary. On Tobago you might expect a glass-bottomed-boat tour, catamaran sailing or, a nature or city tour. Check with your ship's shore-excursion staff or your travel agent for additional information.
