Travel in Trinidad and Tobago – Hotels, Trinidad and Tobago Vacations, Lodging, Trips, Attractions and Travel Guide

Touring Trinidad and Tobago: A Caribbean Paradise

A view along the coast from the Crown Point area of Tobago.

The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is located in the Caribbean Sea and consists of two main islands simply known as, Trinidad and Tobago. Both islands were encountered by Christopher Columbus, in 1498 on his third voyage to the New World. The islands are most famous for their pre-Lent festival known as Carnival and as being the birthplace of the limbo and calypso.

The national bird of Trinidad and Tobago is the Scarlet Ibis, and its nesting place is located just south of the Port-of-Spain. The Caroni Bird Sanctuary is the best location to view colonies of Scarlet Ibises flying through the mangrove trees. Here, there are guided tours that take guests by boat, through a lush environment filled with native vegetation and hundreds of species of birds that are indigenous to the islands.

From the north and south ends of the islands, there are seven structures that date from 1900 and are known as the “Magnificent Seven”, which were built as a series of homes for the wealthy and elite. The Queens Royal College campus is noted for its extraordinary examples of Victorian architecture, and is home to many local politicians from Trinidad and Tobago, today it is the high school campus. Hayes Court, is an Anglican church house and named after the Reverend J. Thomas Hayes. Millefluers, is next door to Hayes Court, it was built in the French Provincial style and was built for Lady Enrique Prada. Ambards House, is privately owned by the granddaughter of the original owner, Lucien R. Ambard, she combined her name with his to make it, “Roomer”. There is also the residence of the Roman Catholic Archbishop of the Port of Spain which still stands today. White Hall is perhaps the most impressive of all the homes, at three stories tall, it is quite an impressive site, which is now the home of the Prime Ministers Offices. Finally, there is Stollmeyer Castle, which is the most popular home in Savannah. Children, as well as adults, love the fairy-tale castle qualities and it is styled in a French, German, and Scottish design.

The National Museum and Art Gallery is located on the panhandle of Savannah and is done in Dutch-style architecture. There are numerous exhibits devoted to the evolution of the island inhabitants, the displays include masks, pans and costumes used during Carnival. Pans get their history from 1850, when bamboo was first used and then steel drums and on to more modern styles. There is also a small display devoted to Angostura Bitters, which is an alcoholic beverage made from citrus and herbs for food and beverages, made by the House of Angostura in Trinidad and Tobago. Other collections include drawings, sculptures, Amerindian and early settlers artifacts.

The cuisine in Trinidad and Tobago is quite diverse and has something to suit anyones taste buds. A well-known and popular dish of the islands is curry chicken and roti, which is a flat bread. Often the island natives will add “pepper sauces” to their dishes, for example a “mother-in-law”,curry mango, channa, pumpkin or mango kuchela pepper sauce are just a few. Another local favorite is cascadu, a small freshwater which is considered to be a delicacy and legend states that whomever eats it will return to Trinidad to end their days.

When traveling to Trinidad and Tobago, there are many resorts and villas that offer top-notch facilities and all the comforts of home. The Beach House, is a beautiful two-story house and is located on the beach in the village of Castara, it is a smaller, more quaint and personalized. The Gingerbread House is a bed and breakfast built in the 1920's, has been fully renovated and has up-to-date amenities. It is located in the heart of the Port-of-Spain and has several restaurants, transportation and is a prime spot to stay when attending Carnival.