Only twenty minutes by plane from the noisy Port of Spain, is Tobago, a peace and calm oasis surrounded by the blue waters of the sea, full of white sand beaches (map)

Tobago, a small tropical, island at 34 km. northeast of Trinidad, is the other half of the Trinidad & Tobago Republic, and a contrast to the cosmopolitan agitation, industrialization and importance of its sister. The rural peace, and the Caribbean way of life go together in Tobago. The magnificent beaches and colorful coral landscapes in front of the coast are very useful to fight against stress.

With only 42 km long x only 5 km at the broadest point, Tobago is a delight for the eyes: picturesque highways, full of potholes, go through the coast along white sandy beaches, and a crystalline blue sea, to climb to the mountains across a landscape full of high bamboo canes, and a thick tropical jungle, full of birds, with all kinds of color, before contemplating the splendid sights at the other side of the island. It’s not strange that Columbus called this island Bellaforma.

Tobago doesn’t have the mixture of races that characterizes Trinidad, though during the colonial age, it changed hands at least 29 times, in only 160 years. Almost all the 5l,000 people come from the ancient African slaves, and now work as farmers and fishermen. Crime rate is very low, and people is kind and hospitable.

The Colonial Past of Tobago
Hope, Courland, Shirvan, Les coteaux are names of some places of the island that remember the different eras of its colonial past. At the beginning of the XVII, the Caribbean Indians dismissed and even annihilated the first Dutch and British colonists arriving to this island. Finally, eighty Latvian families established in Courland Bay in 1654, and formed small plantations of sugar cane, tobacco, red peppers and cotton. Some adventurers, small traders and pirates from Europe followed them, though many died, due to tropical diseases, or arrows shot by the Caribbeans.

Slaves started to arrive a hundred years later, to work at the first, wide range sugar cane and cotton plantations. In 1793, when the British once again recovered the control of Tobago, the island had 14,170 blacks, 850 whites and 5 Amerindians.

With the abolition of slavery in 1834, most of the plantations broke after being abandoned by the slaves, who started orchards to survive. During those years, some families with French roots, took the opportunity to buy a lot of land at low prices, and establish coconuts plantations. They built beautiful lordly houses, and lived greatly with their profits.

To save money, the British decided that from 1889 onwards, Trinidad & Tobago, their most southern islands in the Caribbean, will be treated as one collective administration. In 1962, this joint state became independent, and from 1987, Tobago has internal autonomy, though their economy depends yet in great measure from the support coming from Port of Spain.

Scarborough, a Capital with a Town Aspect
Around Rockly Bay is the city of Scarborough (16,000 pop.), the principal port of Tobago, apart from its administrative and commercial center. Founded in the XVI century by Scot pioneers, has been the capital of the island since 1769. Very much like a town than a city, its downtown has two highway crosses, and concrete constructions hosting the post office, the market, the ferry and cruiser station, the Scarborough Mall, and the bus station.

Behind downtown are the Botanical Gardens, an oasis of peace where you can find local flowers, trees, shrubs. From the dock starts Carnett Street, full of stands, that climbs to James Park; at the other end of the park is Court House, an impressive Georgian building built between 1821 and 1825.

Going up by Fort Street, after some tough curves, you’ll reach the magnificent Fort King George, built at the end of the XVIII century. After being badly damaged by a tornado in 1847, was restored following the original plans. Now not only hosts the small National Museum (open from Monday to Friday: entrance fee), including Amerindian jewelry and ceramic, but also the city’s hospital and prison.

Rough Coasts and Exuberant Jungles
Experienced and nerveless drivers will love Windward Road that goes, with abrupt curves, along the southeast coast of Tobago. To take this highway, leave Scarborough by Bacolet Street and cross the Gun Bridge, whose name is due to the old two cannons that were located there. The only thing reminding that Mount St. George, 6 km from the capital, was in the past the British Government seat, is the restored courts building, dating back to 1788.

A bit later, a detour to the left goes into the inner lands, and after 3 km. you’ll arrive to Hillsborough Reservoir, an artificial lake that provides drinking water to the islanders, and that also is the habitat of many bird species, and rare dragonfly, and maybe you can also see a caiman.

Back to Windward Road, the only thing left of Fort Granby, is an old tombstone. During the XVIII century, the walls of this fort in front of the Barbados harbor, served to host the 62^nd regiment of the British Army, Now, is a perfect place for a picnic. The winding road goes along the coast, among the dark boundaries of the tropical jungles and the Atlantic breeze, passing through picturesque towns like Pembroke and Belle Garden.