The sheltered beach at Maracas Bay on the north coast is one of the best beaches on Trinidad. About 20 mi/32 km (or a US$24 taxi ride one way) from Port of Spain, it is framed by green hills and palm trees. Though popular, it's not overdeveloped. (Don't swim too far away from shore—the undertow is dangerous.) While you're there, don't miss a taste of highly seasoned shark-and-bake, a Maracas specialty—it's shark meat cooked in a light batter and sandwiched between a fluffy flour pastry called bake. Neighboring Tyrico Bay has exciting surf, but beware of the undertow and, especially in the wet season, sand flies. A few miles/kilometers along the road from the more crowded Maracas is the quiet Las Cuevas beach, one of our favorites. A beachside restaurant serves fish and wild game.

There are also several nice beaches at Chaguaramas Bay and Scotland Bay that have silky sand and good swimming. From Chaguaramas, you can take a boat across Marie Elba Bay to the island of Monos, owned by the family with the secret formula for Angostura Bitters. The island is popular with locals as a place to lounge on the beach or by a pool. Taxi fare from Port of Spain to Chaguaramas is about US$25 one way. A maxi taxi (yellow band) costs approximately US$1 to US$2.

In Tobago:

Busy and crowded Store Bay, at the southwest end of the island, is the mecca for tourists from Trinidad and overseas. You'll find good swimming, powdery-white sand and a lifeguard. The beach is fringed with palms, and the turquoise water is crystal clear, a perfect place to watch the sunset. There's a modest restaurant and a place to rent watersports equipment. You can also take a glass-bottomed-boat ride over Buccoo Reef. A taxi to Store Bay from Scarborough costs about US$10; a maxi taxi costs US$1.

North of Store Bay is Pigeon Point beach (small admission fee charged). Changing rooms and thatched shelters are available there. The water is shallow and calmer than anywhere else on the island because the point is protected by nearby Buccoo Reef. As a result, this is easily the most beautiful beach on the island.

Bacolet Beach is a short cab ride up the coast from Scarborough, at the start of Windward Road. A winding lane (always take the left fork) leads to the palm-lined beach, where the movie Swiss Family Robinson was filmed in 1960.

Mount Irvine Bay is worth the trip for its wonderful surf and sand; all watersports are available there, from scuba-diving to waterskiing to reef and deep-sea fishing safaris, offered by Mount Irvine Bay Watersports. Surfers take note: A perfect right break across the reef is a regular thrill in the winter months.

There's a strip of hotels along the water, including the Mount Irvine Bay Hotel (its 18-hole championship course is a magnet for golf enthusiasts), where you can dine in an old, coral-rock sugar mill. The hotel, surf and tidal pools lure many people to Mount Irvine Bay, but just a step up the road is the very secluded Back Bay Beach, with its good bodysurfing waves—it's a steep scramble down to the sand. Expect to pay about US$25 in taxi fare from Scarborough. Also check out Grange Beach—it is just past Mount Irvine heading north and has great swimming.

Grafton Beach, with its unusual black sand, is just as deserted as Back Bay—it's a little farther north along the ocean road but easier to reach. (About a US$25 taxi ride from Scarborough.) You can find good swimming in gentle-lapping waves, but stay close to the shore to avoid dangerous currents. Dining and watersports are available at the lavish Grafton Beach Resort.

On the northern Leeward coast, about a US$40 taxi ride from Scarborough, is Parlatuvier, a sandy, crescent-shaped bay that's ringed by palm-laced hills. Lounge on the sand and enjoy the gentle bustle of village life, with fishermen tending their nets, housewives cleaning pastel-colored homes and children playing in the schoolyard. There are several snack shops open for refreshments.

Be aware that the undertow and waves are fierce at most beaches on that side of the island. Look for warning signs, and if you don't see people in the water, don't go in.

Sailing is a local passion. Catch a ride in town to the Trinidad Yacht Club at Bayshore or head northwest out of town to the Yachting Association Marina at Chaguaramas. Elton Pouchet, who plays a mean set of pans (steel drums), arranges trips to the offshore islands that run about US$48 for two people. Phone 868-622-8974.

Although Trinidad is not known for windsurfing, boards and other watersports equipment are available from the marina and beach at Chaguaramas, as well as at other popular beaches. Expect to pay about US$15-$25 for half a day, depending on the quality of the board and the time of year. For local expertise, contact Wayne Graham (phone 868-628-8908); he heads the Windsurfing Association of Trinidad and Tobago.

In Tobago:

At Store Bay, residents park their private boats—Sunfish and other small sailing craft—on the sand or rent them. Prices are based on demand but usually run about US$15-$20 an hour. Glass-bottomed boats cruise Buccoo Reef, leaving from Pigeon Point, Store Bay or the fishing village at Buccoo. Most boats depart at 11 am, but Johnson and Sons sails at low tide, when the reef is just a couple of feet/meters from the surface. The Johnson and Sons tour, by far the most reliable in Buccoo, lasts three to four hours and ends with a swim in the sandy-bottomed Nylon Pool and Coral Gardens. About US$18 per person. Phone 868-639-8519.

You can rent windsurfing boards on the Great Courland Bay beach at Pigeon Point's Turtle Beach Hotel (phone 868-639-2851), the coarse-sand Grafton Beach Resort (phone 868-639-0191), or Blue Waters Inn in Speyside (phone 868-660-4341 or 868-660-4077). Expect to pay about US$30.

For those who need some Hobie Cat instruction, Cool Runnings at Mount Irvine Beach offers lessons. A half-day course costs US$95 including lunch or US$399 for a week of six courses plus instruction and even airport transfers. Phone 868-639-6363.

On Tobago, go to Speyside and check out Blue Waters Inn in Batteaux Bay. It runs deep-sea fishing trips (phone 868-639-4341 or 868-639-4077). Trips can also be arranged with local fishermen. (Prices are negotiable.) You can hook wahoo, marlin, dorado, tuna and more.

Closer to town, enjoy the birds along the hiking trails of the Pax Guesthouse on the grounds of the Mount St. Benedict Monastery at Tunapuna, about US$25 by taxi from Port of Spain. Call ahead to book breakfast or lunch in the guest lodge with dining-room views over the Caroni Plains. This is home to the oldest afternoon tea service in Trinidad and was a favorite haunt of singing soldiers during World War II. Phone 868-662-4084.

Surrounded by shallow-water reefs, Tobago is one of the top places on the planet to snorkel or dive from shore. Buccoo Reef National Park, a reserve of shallow-water corals off the southeastern end of the island, seems to have been created with the snorkeler in mind. The waters are exceptionally clear—especially the Nylon Pool (named by Queen Elizabeth II when she referred to the clarity of the amazing pool as being as clear as her nylons)—and filled with undersea gardens of staghorn, brain and starlet coral. (Because of the shallow depths, the coral has taken a beating from careless visitors walking on the reef. Greater conservation measures are now being enforced.) The opposite end of the island lures scuba divers with unusual sites off Little Tobago Island and Goat Island. You can try drift-diving along reefs with huge sea fans, sponges the size of bathtubs and bushes of black coral. Or spend your afternoon at Manta Reef in hopes of seeing its namesake. (Manta rays are most often seen March-July.) Extra Divers Tobago operates from Pigeon Point (phone 868-639-7424). Alternatively, try R&Sea Divers, Crown Point (phone 868-639-8120); Redman Dive, Speyside (phone 868-660-5464); or Aquamarine Dive at Blue Waters Inn, Speyside (phone 868-660-5445). World of Watersports is located at the Hilton Hotel in Lowlands (phone 868-660-7234). Man Friday Diving in Charlotteville has a custom-built diving center on the beach and offers night dives (phone 868-660-4676). A one-tank dive runs about US$40 and a two-tank dive about US$80.

If you make prior arrangements, most companies will pick you up at the pier.

You must be a certified diver and present your C card to rent equipment and go diving, although some shops may offer a supervised resort-course dive (usually about US$55-$75—check locally).

On Tobago, several resort hotels have tennis courts that are available to visitors for a small fee. The closest courts to Scarborough are at Palm Tree Village Beach Resort at Lambeau on Rockley Bay (phone 868-639-4347) and the two world-class courts at the Hilton Hotel, located about 3 mi/5 km from the Scarborough Market (phone 868-660-8500).

We particularly enjoy the recordings of classic, lilting calypso music and the more modern form called soca, short for soul-calypso. And East Indian musicians have merged South Asian musical styles with a calypso beat to create a popular style called chutney. Some visitors buy steel drums, which come in a variety of sizes. Though even the larger ones are relatively inexpensive, bear in mind that they're difficult to get home. Federal Express, DHL and UPS all have courier services from Trinidad for the determined shoppers in the family.

Tobago typically has higher prices, as do shopping malls. The best variety can be found in Port of Spain's Frederick Street and the shops in Scarborough.

There is a 15% value-added tax (VAT) on many products and services that is incorporated into the price of items before purchase (i.e., price tags already include the VAT). It is not possible to claim a refund on the VAT.

Another option for the more adventure-oriented traveler is Wildways Caribbean Adventure Travel at Cascadia Hotel Complex, Ariapita Road, St. Anns. Tours include nature hikes in the rain forest, as well as kayaking, mountain-bike excursions and camping trips. Expect to pay about US$45 for a half-day tour. Phone 868-623-7332. http://www.wildways.org.

One of the newest ways to tour the island is the Public Transport Service Tour, led by outstanding facilitators aboard comfortable, air-conditioned buses. These tours truly unearth the hidden gems and stories behind Trinidad. Three distinctly different tours operate on Saturday and Sunday. Phone 868-623-7872.

Caribbean Discovery Tours is led by Stephen Broadbridge, one of Trinidad's most revered nature photographers and guides. Personalized treks are its specialty, and guides pride themselves on creating smiles on the faces of their patrons. 9B Fondes Amandes Road, St. Anns, Trinidad. Phone 868-620-1989. http://www.caribbeandiscoverytours.com.

Taxi drivers will take you on an island tour. They usually last six to eight hours and cost about US$160 for up to four people. (If you bargain, you can probably get it down to around US$120.) Tobago also gives you the choice of a tour company or private taxi. Among the companies in the cruise-ship terminal is Good Time Tours, which charges US$45-$60 for a half-day tour (phone and fax 868-639-6816). Fresh Tours is also a favorite, because it boasts knowledge of secret hideaways that make a trip memorable. Trips last from four to nine hours and range US$35-$75 per person (phone 868-660-2407).

For an insight into the natural beauty of Tobago, try Nature Lovers with Darren Henry, a trained forester and tour guide, who will take you into the rain forest and to Tobago's cascading waterfalls, organize a boat trip to the Little Tobago Wildlife Sanctuary or show you the flora exhibited at the Botanic Gardens. Tours start from US$45 (phone 868-639-4559).

If you're interested in the island's native Amerindian culture, consider a visit to Arima, which is in the island's hilly interior. The island's third-largest city, Arima has a small museum with an extensive collection of Amerindian artifacts and a craft center. (The museum and the center are run by a group of people who consider themselves descendants of the island's original settlers.) There is also horse racing at Santa Rosa Park in Arima. Phone 868-646-1986. On the way to Arima from Port of Spain, you can see the Spanish Church in Arouca and the Ajoupa Hut, representative of pre-Columbian shelters. Arima is 16 mi/26 km east of Port of Spain.

This preserve on the north coast is a former coffee, citrus and cocoa plantation that sits at 1,200 ft/365 m in the rain forest. In addition to a bird sanctuary and wildlife preserve, the center has five trails that were designed to lead bird-watchers through the specific habitats of tanagers, trogons and bellbirds. You may see other wildlife as well. The World Wildlife Fund has made a huge contribution to guarantee its future as a preserve, and Audubon Magazine has designated it as one of the World's Ultimate Outposts. The reserve is about an hour and a half from Port of Spain—US$60 by taxi, plus waiting fee—so you may want to share the ride or rent a car and see the preserve while on a full- or half-day spin around the island. Call the Trinidad and Tobago Field Naturalists Club for more information on treks across the Northern Range Sanctuary as well (phone 868-624-8017). Guided tours of the park are offered at 10 am and 1:30 pm. Phone 868-667-4655. Call ahead to arrange tours or lunch. 17 mi/28 km northeast of Port of Spain.

Absolutely not to be missed is a trip to this home of the national bird of Trinidad and Tobago, the legendary scarlet ibis, whose return at sunset to roost has been called the most spectacular exhibition in the avian world. Hundreds of the bright red birds, with wing spans of more than 3 ft/1 m, fill the sky and cover the trees like Christmas ornaments. Egrets, herons, and a host of other birds and animals share the swamp with their flamboyant friends. The only way to reach Caroni is via the tour boat that leaves daily at 4 pm from Bamboo Grove Settlement No. 1. Call ahead to reserve tour space, and do not go unless you carry mosquito repellent—you will not enjoy this trip unless you have protection. (US$10 adults. Phone Nathan's Bird Sanctuary Tours at 868-645-1305.) 4 mi/6 km southeast of Port of Spain.

On the west side of the island, Chaguanas (not to be confused with Chaguaramas, which is on the northwest peninsula) is home to a thriving East Indian community. If you visit on market days, you'll think you're in Bombay. The town brims with bargains both in stores and from street vendors, and its movie theaters show both Indian and English-language films. Lion House, near the police station, is the setting for V.S. Naipaul's book A House for Mr.Biswas. 14 mi/22 km south of Port of Spain.

This small, unspoiled village has red, tin-roofed houses with gingerbread trim set beside a calm beach on Man-of-War Bay. The best fishing, diving and snorkeling on Tobago are found in this area, with easily accessible snorkel sights at Pirate's Bay (about a 15-minute walk) and Booby Island. There are a handful of excellent dive shops in town. Inland from Charlotteville is an orchid-laden primeval forest that's worth exploring. There are several guesthouses in town, making Charlotteville a good place to overnight for those taking two days to circle the island. There are approximately seven buses a day from Scarborough. 14 mi/22 km northeast of Scarborough.

This town is famous for the Mystery Tombstone of Betty Stiven. She died, probably during childbirth, in 1783. The headstone's enigmatic inscription has puzzled passers-by ever since: "She was a mother without knowing it, and a wife, without letting her husband know it, except by her kind indulgences to him." You may spend most of your vacation mulling over those words.

Also in the area is Fort James, a small coastal fortification built by the British in 1768. It affords panoramic views of Great Courland Bay. The fort is free and open round-the-clock. This fort is also home to the Plymouth Jazz Festival, which takes place in the month of April and features much more music than jazz, with such headliners in the past as Sting, Stevie Wonder and Elton John. Plymouth is 8 mi/13 km northwest of Scarborough.

The highlight of Trinidad is Port of Spain, the capital. It's a bustling city on the water's edge, offering ample opportunities to visit bazaars, markets, parks, heritage homes and various shrines, mosques and temples. Many cultures are represented, each with attractions relating to its heritage.

Woodford Square is one of the town's prettiest areas, where large flowering trees shade the walkways and lawns. Near the square is the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity. Consecrated in 1823, it is known for its elaborately carved hammer-beam roof. Across the square is the Red House, the ornate home of the House of Representatives.

About eight blocks north of the square is the Queen's Park Savannah, considered the heart of the city. These 80 acres/32 hectares of open land are filled with shade trees, lily ponds and gardens. (The park is the center of activities during Carnival.) Along one end of the park you'll find the lush, tropical Botanic Gardens (laid out in 1818, adjacent to the home of the president) and neighboring Emperor Valley Zoo, which specializes in indigenous animals, such as deer, ocelots, wild pigs (quenk), snakes and birds. Next to Botanic Gardens (phone 868-622-3530).

On the western edge of the park you'll find the Magnificent Seven, an eclectic group of houses built at the turn of the 20th century. They include a Scottish castle and an Edwardian school. Also in the area is the National Museum, on Frederick Street, with exhibits on natural history, island heritage, Carnival costumes, art and the oil industry (open only Tuesday-Friday). Fort St. Andres, located in the heart of the city, has been restored.

The tree-lined boulevard called Independence Square is near the cruise-ship terminal. The grand, early-1800s Roman Catholic Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception is its heart. To the left and right of the cathedral is Brian Lara Promenade, which has benches and shade trees.

Unlike most Caribbean cities, Port of Spain is big enough to have some interesting suburbs. St. James District, the East Indian section of town, is where the Hindu and Muslim festivals are held and where you'll find great silk-sari shops. In Ellerslie Park, Goodwood Park and St. Clair, west of Queen's Park, you'll find the city's most elegant residences.

In the suburbs about 3 mi/5 km northwest of the city is Fort George. This old, renovated British fort, begun in 1804 to protect the city against French and Spanish invasion, has dungeons and cannons on display, along with great views of the city. Two other forts, Fort Picton and Fort Chacon, are in the southeastern suburb of Laventille. Like Fort George, these two old fortifications are ruins in varying degrees of preservation and restoration,but they are in high-risk neighborhoods that should be avoided.

This town in the south-central region of the island is rich in East Indian culture. Note the architecture: It resembles that of India. The city has a Muslim mosque and a Hindu temple. The surrounding region used to have some of Trinidad's richest agricultural land. Black-striped green-band maxis go to this region from Port of Spain. 55 mi/88 km southeast of Port of Spain.

Tobago's main town lies on a beautiful bay on the southern coast with a lovely hill as a backdrop. It straggles along the waterfront, where you will find the Scarborough Esplanade, which features a local handicraft market. You can purchase unique handicraft items, leatherwork (such as slippers, handbags, shoes and sandals), locally designed clothing, souvenirs and a bit of local cuisine. Deeper into the city is the People's Market, a lively place where vendors sell colorful souvenirs, fresh fruits and vegetables. A few interesting old buildings and some traditional wooden houses on stilts cling to the hillside, but there isn't much to see in this modern administrative center—the town itself is rather plain.

It's best to have a quick look around, then hotfoot it up to Fort King George, perched some 450 ft/137 m above the city. The 18th-century British fort has wonderful coastal views. Several buildings have been restored and are worth exploring. Cannons line the old stone walls, and changing exhibits of island art are on display in the old hospital. The island's colonial past and Amerindian heritage are depicted in the museum. The museum's shop, the Powder Magazine (under an enormous silk cotton tree), sells handicrafts and serves tea Tuesday-Friday at 10 am. The still-functioning lighthouse uses an impressive lead crystal, prismatic Fresnel lens. (The fort is closed on weekends.)

The Botanic Gardens, northeast of the fort, is little more than a park and not worth a visit unless you are in need of a quiet place to rest for a minute. The gardens do, however, separate lower from upper Scarborough. But do check out Gun Bridge, located in town opposite the fire station: Its railings are made from old rifle barrels.

About 5 mi/8 km northeast of Scarborough (toward Roxborough) is Fort Granby—it's mostly in ruins, but the views are great and the cemetery is interesting. Not far away, on the outskirts of the village of Belle Garden, is the restored Richmond Great House (phone 868-660-4444). The whitewashed brick home has wonderful views of the ocean, lovely grounds and a taste of the old plantation days. The house is now a guesthouse with a collection of African art. Tours are available, and you can also grab a light lunch in the small, antiques-stuffed restaurant, where because it is so tiny, the chef will ask you what you would like to eat.

The oldest forest reserve in the Western Hemisphere was established on Tobago in the late 18th century. That should be your first clue that this rain forest, Tobago Forest Reserve, is known for its stunning natural beauty. To reach it from Scarborough, take the narrow Windward Road that meanders along the southern coast through tiny hamlets and jungle valleys, past brown-sand beaches—all with a mountainous backdrop. Outside Roxborough, you'll find guides waiting at the entrance to the three-tiered Argyle Falls. They'll lead you along a 20-minute hike, adding naturalist tips and folklore, for about US$4. From Roxborough, the Roxborough Parlatuvier Road that crosses Tobago will take you into the reserve. Gilpin Trail, the most accessible hiking path through the preserve, can be steep and slippery, but the rewards are worth the effort: panoramic views of Bloody Bay. The trail winds through dense growths of elephant-ear philodendrons and ferns beneath a forest canopy 60 ft/18 m high. Parrots, hummingbirds and trogons flash in the greenery. Tobago Forest won Tobago the prize of Best Eco Destination in the World from 2004-06. 11 mi/18 km northeast of Scarborough.

Tobago can be enjoyed at a slower pace than its bigger neighbor to the southwest. It is a small island shaped like a cigar, with no large urban center. Only 26 mi/41 km long and 7 mi/11 km wide, the island features a beautiful ridge of mountains running down its center. Tobago's motto is "She becomes more beautiful," and many think the island is the perfect example of the Caribbean. Trinidad is high-energy, and Tobago is the opposite—a tranquil temptress with idyllic white- and pink-sand beaches, shallow offshore reefs and mountain jungles. It's the Caribbean of yesteryear, where a question about a restaurant's hours is likely to be met with: "We open anytime for you, sweetheart. You come, we take care of you." April's Tobago Jazz Festival features not only jazz, but soul, reggae and R&B music.

Trinidad is alluring, a constant surprise to first-time guests, but it's not just another carbon-copy paradise. Culturally diverse, the island is a bouillabaisse of more than 40 nationalities and ethnic groups, the largest of which are of East Indian and African descent (each accounting for about 40% of the population). The medley is reflected in everything from food, design and language to music, dance and humor. At Carnival time, Trinidad throws the grandest, wildest party in the Caribbean. Divali, the Hindu festival of lights in October, draws big crowds, as do many other festivities throughout the year associated with Trinidad's various cultural and religious groups.