7 Tobago hotels that are perfect for an eco-friendly break
Posted Mar 12, 2020
Ringed by peach-hued beaches and iridescent reefs, Tobago is the smaller, quieter half of Trinidad & Tobago, the dual-island nation split by 21 miles of the southern Caribbean, located just off Venezuela.
The interior is dominated by the mountainous Tobago Main Ridge Forest Reserve, home to some 260 species of birds, including the rare white-tailed sabrewing hummingbird.
Visitors to Tobago – voted Number One Eco-destination at the Caribbean Travel Awards by Telegraph readers – are warmly welcomed in a spirit of island-wide pride in protecting and showcasing nature’s bounty.
In addition to its vivid environmental beauty, Tobagonian culture is an intoxicating hybrid of African, British, French, Spanish and Latvian subcultures, with a calendar correspondingly packed with festivals and a kitchen that is literally a fiery melting pot of flavours.
The conservation and protection of Tobago’s natural and cultural wonders is therefore of prime importance, and responsible tourism plays its part as many of the hotels chime in with Tobago’s ecologically pristine identity.
1. Castara Retreats overlooks a quiet bay by a fishing village on the northern coast. 17 self-catering lodges are built at treetop level and surrounded by vegetation where chickens and agouti — a variant on the guinea pig but with longer hind legs — roam. The sea views and sense of elevation make for a relaxing stay.
2. Kariwak Village Holistic Haven does what it says on the tin. This secluded, two-acre village-style resort near a white sand beach in Crown Point on the south-western coast has 18 cabanas surrounding an “ozonated” pool, with six more hidden away in a tropical garden. With its private house feel, Kariwak is the ideal haven in which to relax and temporarily forget that the rest of the world exists.
3. Divers, kite surfers and windsurfers love Shepherd’s Inn in Crown Point, but it applies equally to people who just want to relax. There are four octagonal teak wood Pond Rooms set around the pool, and a set of Pasture Rooms secreted in the gardens. The latter can accommodate a young nuclear family with children aged up to 12.
4. Cuffie River, “Tobago’s premier nature retreat”, is folded in flora in the Runnemede Valley on the edge of Tobago’s rainforest. The local bird life will keep you entertained for hours, but if you want to see nature in greater close-up, you can go on guided rainforest walks, snorkelling explorations and sailing expeditions.
5. On the north-eastern tip overlooking Batteaux Bay, Blue Waters Inn is a 46-acre haven set near the rainforest. With 38 elegant rooms and villas, the emphasis here is on relaxing days, chilled-out evenings and the peaceful surroundings of Speyside and Batteaux Bay, with views of Goat Island and Little Tobago. This end of the island is home to Tobago’s famous brain corals. The on-site PADI five-star dive centre is an accredited Instructor Dive Centre, and offers all dive options plus certification courses.
6. Shepherd's Inn - one of two Green Key-certified - is a small and friendly 20-room hotel with teakwood Caribbean Style decor set amidst an oasis of lush tropical gardens with a relaxed ambience that keeps guests coming back for more. Conveniently located in Crown Point near the airport, guests are close to many of what Tobago has to offer including Pigeon Point Beach and Store Bay, watersports, restaurants and more.
7. Named after little yellow-breasted sugarbird, Bananaquit Apartments is a cozy haven with a wine bar and cafe, tucked away for that peaceful holiday retreat close to beaches and Crown Point and all the entertainment it has to offer. Green Key certified, they are set back just enough from the hustle and bustle of the area to allow for a peaceful relaxing holiday and we're only a five-minute walk to Store Bay Beach. Several self-catered units surround a garden with a large mango tree at its heart.
Original Article by: Sarah Edworthy, The Telegraph
Discover even more things to do, see and experience here and check out our blog for more ideas on how to plan your trip to Tobago.