Tobago Attractions and Other ActivitiesTobago is a nature-lover's paradise with lush tropical rain forest, abundant wildlife, magnificent waterfalls, stunning coastal panoramas and diverse marine life. Take some time off from sailing and go see those treasures for yourself. A word of caution to this tale: customer service in Tobago is NOT of the highest standards. So be prepared.
Please, do NOT use the service of Shark and Dolphin Swims Programs. The capture and transportation process causes the death of thousands of these animals before they reach the aquariums and water parks. Also the average life span of a dolphin in the wild is 45 years; yet half of all captured dolphins die within their first two years of captivity. The survivors last an average of only 5 years in captivity Truth Behind The "Swim-With-Dolphins" Industry Waterfalls Argyle Waterfalls If you don’t want to spend much time explorating and wonder what is the best thing to do quickly, here is the answer: go see Argyle Waterfalls. This is one of the best Tobago attractions. Surrounded by the jungle, it is a series of cascading waterfalls so beautiful that a picture of them should become a symbol of Tobago. You can spend as much or as little time as you please.
From Crown Point drive on the Scarborough road until you reach Roxborough. Just outside Roxborough a few hundred metres from the road to Bloody Bay you will see the sign to the falls. The admission includes a guide to the falls and cost about $5 US. Your guided hike to the falls will go through the jungle and is easy, short and interesting. You can spot tropical birds and see many tropical plants and trees like cocoa, mango, avocado, bamboo, breadfruit and many more. Once you reach the waterfalls the guide will leave you there. (Don’t worry; it is not hard at all, to follow the only trail back.) The first of cascade falls is nice but not as spectacular as the others waiting for you at the top. You can climb up or take a side hiking trail to see the upper Argyle Waterfalls. The further up you go the more beautiful they become. Each waterfall has a deep pool for swimming. Surprisingly the water is not cold at all; a little refreshing but pleasant to swim.
Argyle Waterfalls is not a crowded place but when you climb up a few falls you will be all by yourself, feeling just like the first explorers probably felt when they discovered this tranquil spectacular place. We recommend to see at least the first three or four of the cascades to enjoy it fully. Highland Waterfall The Highland Waterfall is not as easy to find as Argyle Waterfalls but if you are an adventurer go for it. Drive to Moriah area of Tobago and take a left turn off the road between Mason Hall and Les Coteaux. There are no signs to the waterfalls and nobody to ask! The road is open in contrary to the "Road Closed" sign that you will see (nobody ever bothered to remove the signs in Tobago after the road is done or opened). The dirt road runs along the river. Drive as far up the trail as you can then park and start hiking along the stream. After about 10 min hike you will reach a pool with a magnificent waterfall. The waterfall is quite high! Take a dip in the waterfall’s pool; the water is very clear and so pleasantly refreshing. You may also consider hiking on top of the falls. The panorama from up there is very nice. Rain Forest Everybody has heard about Costa Rica when it comes to eco-tourism, but not too many people know that Tobago is a little eco-treasure. A guided tour into the rainforest is an absolute must! The Main Ridge Forest Reserve is the oldest protected forest in the Western Hemisphere. It is located on top of the mountainous volcanic pecks of Tobago that extends for about two thirds of the length of the island, from the north east tip. Luckily for the environment, Tobago could not be developed by humans like other islands due to the high mountain peaks. There are still some original jungles left in those mountains preserving the part of the Earth's biodiversity. The forested mountains rise to a maximum height of about 580 meters. (2000ft)
On the tour you will get a close-up view of Tobago's lush tropical flora, rare and exotic tropical birds and other island wildlife. Normally a 4-6 hour trip leads you to forest trails, along rivers and past small hidden waterfalls. We highly recommend exploring Main Ridge Forest, Bon Accord Wetlands and Mangrove Swamp. The forest is the home for some of Tobago's most colorful species of birds, namely the Blue Backed Manakin, White tailed Sabrewing Hummingbird, Olivaceous Woodcreeper, Yellow Legged Thrush and many others. Trap door Spiders, Fruit eating Bats, Lizards, Snakes and endemic trees make up part of the biodiversities of the Rain Forest. The most exotic trip is Rain Forest Night Safari. The night sounds of the jungle will be an unforgetable experience! Trips cost US$50 to US$65. There are many tour companies but we particularly recommend Newton George Tours and Peter Cox Nature Tours. If you want just brief encounter with the tropical rain forest drive to Gilpin Trace trail and hire a local guide at the entrance. There are always lots of young guides who will rush to meet you as soon as you arrive. You can negotiate the price and time portion of your tour. Gilpin Trace is accessible off the Roxborough - Parlatuvier road and the entrance is clearly indicated by a sign on the main road.
Birds watching Arnos Vale Bird Watching and Waterwheel Park 
Arnos Vale Bird Watching is located next to the Arnos Vale Hotel not far from Plymouth. Come here to watch the rare tropical birds and to go snorkeling in the bay but not to stay at the hotel. The massive grounds of the hotel located on top of a gentle hill are populated with rare and beautiful birds. The view from the hill top is quite memorable. Come here early in the morning or around 4 p.m. to get the best bird watching experience. You can stay for the tea service at the hotel and witness the birds being fed right in front of you. The entrance to the grounds is free but you wish to stay for the tea or a drink. Be prepared, they have the highest prices on the island. Not far from the hotel is the Arnos Vale Waterwheel Park. This is a former sugar factory with perfectly preserved machinery (a reminder of the island sugar industry times) and nature trails, an old slave village and a small museum with artifacts. It is worth a stop especially since you are already in the area. Open daily until 11pm. Admission is only $2 US. Grafton Caledonia Bird Sanctuary This bird sanctuary is located near Black Rock village half way between Plymouth and Grange. The sanctuary has lots of nature trails and scenic hikes. The wild birds are fed at the Nature Center at 4pm. (You will be surprised to find out that the Nature Center is in fact an estate house privately owned.) The fear of humans in the birds has diminished with time and you can now hand feed some of them. One of the biggest attractions is the colorful, exotic and seldom seen Mot Mots birds that you can spot here around feeding time. There is no admission fee.
Little Tobago Bird Sanctuary Tobago’s small offshore island, called Little Tobago, hosts one of the most important bird sanctuaries in the Caribbean. The sanctuary takes 180-hectare or 450-acre! Tours to the sanctuary depart from Speyside village or the Blue Waters Inn at 10am and 2pm. The 20-minute crossing is likely to be rough, but the effort is worth it. You will normally pass via Goat Island and Angel Reef on your way to the sanctuary. The reef is quite a site to see since you are on a glass Bottom Boat. Some tours offer snorkeling on your way to the island and to see the largest Brain Coral recorded in the Western Hemisphere. Little Tobago is arid and hilly, with a network of marked trails. Threatened with extinction in New Guinea, many birds were brought over to this little island in the early part of last century. There are as many as 50 species that were successfully saved. Birds found on the Island are Red-Footed and Brown Boobies, Magnificent Frigate Birds and Red Billed Tropicbirds. The Red-Billed Tropic birds are spectacular from October to June. Other birds which can be seen from mid April to September are Sooty, Bridle and Roseate Terns and Brown Noddy.
Adventure Farm and Nature Reserve The Adventure Farm and Nature Reserve is a working organic estate near the town of Plymouth. The farm grows citrus fruit, payapas, guavas, West Indian cherries and other tropical fruit to sell on a commercial and local scale, and the area of undisturbed foliage is home to a large selection of beautiful birds including chachalacas, parakeets, Blue Tanagers and hummingbirds. The wild tropical birds are fed to the ringing of an old ship's bell and it is a nice experience to watch them. The nature reserve takes 12-acre of land and has nice hiking trails. But it is mostly famous for the butterflies. If you want to see a great variety of luminous, iridescent butterflies in a natural setting this is the place. Open Monday to Friday, from 7am to 5:45pm. Admission is US$4. Fort King George
If you are keen to see some historical sites go to Fort King George. It is located at 84 Fort St. in the capital city Scarborough on top of the hill. The remains of Fort King George are probably Tobago's best preserved historical monument. Built by the English in 1779, it was later captured by the French, and then was tossed back and forth among various conquerors until it came to end in 1847 by a big accidental explosion which blew off the roofs and caused a lot of damage. You can also visit Tobago Museum (admission is only $1 US) which is located in the Barrack Guard House. To the north of the museum there is a nice layout of cannons. The lawn is nicely kept and to the west is the area where prisoners were kept. The site offers a fantastic coastal view! It worth coming here just for the view alone. Scarborough Botanical Gardens The Botanical Gardens covers seventeen acres of tropical soil and are more than a hundred years old by now. These gardens run from the Claude Noel Highway at its Northern end and Southward almost to the sea. Even if you are not a botanist it is still worth to see this place. You will see exotic equatorial plants many of which are not at indigenous to the soils of Tobago. Some of the plants originate in the dense tropical jungles of Africa and South East Asia. For example you can see African Tulip and everlasting immortelle plants. Also take a relaxing walk along silk cotton trees and avenues of royal palms. Nice place to spend a couple of hours. Luise Kimme Sculpture Museum German sculptor Luise Kimme lives in Tobago in the estate overlooking the Mt. Irvine Golf Course. The place locally called "The Castle". It houses a collection of 100 life-size wooden sculptures, carved from oak trees which she roughed out in the German forest and then shipped to Tobago for completion. Bronze casts are made from the wooden originals. In the Museum there are 14-foot tall religious sculptures, dancing couples and Nijinsky ballet dancers as well as native folklore characters and mythological figures. People say that her sculptures capture the essence of the Tobago people, their beliefs, and customs. If you happened to have free time on a Sunday morning it worth to pay a visit. Open for visitors Sundays from 10.00 am - 2.00 pm. Entrance fee is $ 3.50 US
Snorkeling and Diving Tobago is one of the islands where scuba divers and snorkeling lovers come to spend there entire vacation. Please remember, coral dies when touched and fish do not inhabit areas of dead coral. Please, help the preservation of the marine environment. Do not touch or take anything from the water. Also make sure your sun screen is biodegradable. Snorkeling 
Off Pigeon Point in the south is Buccoo Reef, where sea gardens of coral and hundreds of fish can be seen in waist-deep water. This is the natural aquarium of Tobago, offering one of the island's best snorkeling. All major hotels arrange boat trips to Buccoo Reef and the Nylon Pool a shallow sand spit in the middle of the lagoon with its crystal-clear waters. Pigeon Point park also has daily tours on glass bottom boats. You can also rent a kayak from the water sports center at the Pigeon Point and paddle out by yourself.
For people who prefer not to take any tours there are many beaches and little coves in Tobago that provide such opportunity. Two of the most popular ones are Arnos Vale Hotel beach and Castara bay that have snorkeling just offshore. Scuba diving
Divers visiting Tobago may choose from many dive sites. The most famous one is Kelleston Drain where you can dive to see the gigantic brain coral. Nurse Sharks often rest in the recess underneath the brain coral. Although the coral can be viewed at any time of the year, the best time to see it is in the summer, between July and August, when the sea is calm and the visibility is at its best. Buccoo Reef also has many dive sites. Wreck divers have a new adventure to enjoy with the sinking of the former ferryboat Maverick, in 30m (100 ft.) of water near Mount Irvine Bay Hotel on Tobago's southwest coast. There are many dive operators on the island. Dive Tobago at Pigeon Point is the oldest and most established one on Tobago. They provide courses, certification and organize dives. All dives are guided, with a boat following. A one-tank dive costs $45 US. Most divers find that 3mm neoprene is sufficient thermal protection year round. Many of the dive sites here are drift dives. If you've never tried drift diving before don't let that deter you from experiencing the thrill and excitement that is diving in Tobago. Trinidad Trinidad is Tobago’s bigger brother. The flight there will take you only 25 minutes. The must see sights are the magnificent Gasparee Cave, Asa Wright Nature Centre, Caroni Swamp Bird Sanctuary where you can see flocks of Scarlet Ibis, (Trinidad's national bird) and the Pitch Lake the largest natural deposit of asphalt in the world. (Yes, the pitch lake is worth a visit. You will never ever see anything like that in the entire world.) We recommend renting a car and booking an overnight stay in Trinidad because there is no way anybody will manage to see it all in one day. Start with short tour of Port of Spain, then take the main highway northwest past the village of Caranage and enter the once US military base, from any of the marinas you can get a water taxi to Gasparee Island. It is a 5 minute ride by boat. The cave on Garparee Island is unbelievable! Take your bathing suit; you can take a dip in the crystal clear waters inside of the cave. The Pitch Lake is located at La Brea in southwest of the island.
Asa Wright Nature Centre is a spectacular nature preserve definitely worth a visit. It is located deep in the mountains outside of Port-of-Spain. At our last visit in 2006 there was not a single sign anywhere and locals had no clue what are you talking about. The detailed directions can be found here. The Caroni Swamp is the largest mangrove wetland in Trinidad and Tobago. It is located on the west coast of Trinidad, south of Port of Spain and northwest of Chaguanas, where the Caroni River meets the Gulf of Paria. Come late afternoon and wait for the show. As you sit and wait, Scarlet Ibises arrive gradually turning the trees from green to bright red. When these birds fly over you they turn the skies completely red. It's an incredible sight!
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This way you will spend as much time as you want at the famous reef. Angel Reef is another must do snorkeling place which has a collection of the largest brain coral in the world. You can take tour on a glass bottom boat from Blue Waters Inn, in Bateaux Bay, Speyside.
