Tobago

While technically part of the single nation of Trinidad and Tobago, lying to the  south of Barbados and the main string of Caribbean islands, it is very different from its neighbour. Trinidad is rated for no-holds-barred shopping and nightclubbing, while Tobago is the ultimate relaxation destination. Of the two, this is the island for kicking back, lounging with a Caribe in a tall glass and letting yourself be mesmerised by the shimmering sea. With a population of just 50, 000, and English as the official language, Tobago is served by the small Crown Point International Airport in the south of the island close to the capital is Scarborough. With its rainforest, coral reefs and beaches which sit uncannily undisturbed as though Crusoe had still to arrive, Cheap Tobago Holidays sound like a contradiction in terms, but they can be found. Visitors to Tobago can stay in anything from a simple, small-scale guesthouse in a tiny village where padding barefoot on to the beach to hear some calypso and drink rum with the villagers is an everyday occurrence to an exclusive 5* Tobago resort or hotel with every luxury laid on. Tobago holidays really are for everyone. There is no pressure to do more than lounge in a hammock or saunter down to the water’s edge. Visitors of all ages love Tobago, and families report really enjoying the Tobago deals they find. Hugely popular for weddings, Tobago has some stunning venues for the Big Event. Tobago is also chosen by groups of friends and mother and daughter duos, as well as single travellers, for all of whom the island’s resorts provide just the sort of escape they were looking for. Tobago holidays can be as active as you might wish them to be, with scuba-diving, snorkelling on the more sheltered shallower reefs, windsurfing, taking advantage of the trade winds, wakeboarding and even kite surfing. With its rainforest reaching right down to the shore, sea kayaking can be the best way to see this haven for exotic plants and wildlife. Marvel at the immensely tall bamboo groves and the fresh plunging waterfalls on a hike through inland Tobago.

Blue Haven Hotel is located right beside the very beach on which Robinson Crusoe allegedly washed up way back in 1659. Its south coast location, just outside Scarborough means it is close to some of the Island’s best attractions. Family oriented, the hotel itself has a magnificent pool with the sea as its backdrop; there are activities for children, a beach bar and access to golf courses in the vicinity. It is not surprising that it won the accolade of "Best Boutique Hotel of the Year" at the Caribbean World Travel Awards 2009. There are four standards of accommodation, ranging upwards as follows: Superior Room, Deluxe Room, Junior Room and Villa Suite (the last extending to an impressive 520 feet with its own deck, pool and two bedrooms). All the rooms have timber floors and gorgeous views. For a Tobago package holiday, this is a good choice. The restaurant is attractively located in its own colonial-style building. Set a little back from the beach, 4* Le Grand Courlan on Tobago’s leeward side specialises in an adults-only formula, ensuring the peaceful intimacy required for a really romantic Tobago Holiday. Included in the cost to the guest are certain complimentary activities: Tennis, an up-to-the-minute gym and non-motorised water sports. It's spa takes pride of place and is exceptionally well-appointed. This spa resort is renowned for its friendly staff. With 69 deluxe rooms and an additional 10 garden plunge pool rooms, guests have a choice of accommodation. Among the four restaurants is a Caribbean Bistro. Local and international dishes combine in an extensive menu.
4* Coco Reef at Crown Point is a beachfront hotel, sitting in its own ten acres of tropical gardens. As hotels Tobago-style go, this one’s unflustered elegance is hard to beat. Boasting two restaurants, namely Amaris, poised right on the edge of the Caribbean sea where very tropical concoction is served and the more casual option of Bacchanels, right on the beach and offering themed buffets very week, Coco Reef also has a champagne bar, Bobsters. There are three standards of accommodation to be selected from: rooms, suites and villas and of the total 135 units of accommodation, 114 have Caribbean sea views. With speedboat trips, local festivals, snorkelling and riding on the beach all available to visitors, you are spoilt for choice. Travelling to Tobago can mean either flying first to Trinidad, then taking the twenty-minute connecting flight to Tobago’s Crown Point International Airport, flying via Barbados, or flying direct. Airlines which do direct flights (taking approximately nine hours) include Virgin Atlantic and British Airways. Monarch, Continental Airlines also fly to Tobago. With an amazing climate, temperatures staying constantly around 79 °F year-round, Tobago Resorts exercise a strong pull and while the island remains relatively unspoilt, now is a good time to travel. With only 22 days of rain annually, March is the driest of all months, June the wettest. April sees the Tobago Jazz Festival, another big draw. As Caribbean holiday destinations go, Tobago deservedly occupies an elite position, regarded as one of the more natural of that balmy sea’s many offerings. Late deals to Tobago can be found, but it pays to act fast, before they are snapped up.