COASTAL LOOP DRIVE

Lush Tobago is encircled by one rollercoaster-like loop road that takes at least an entire day to do properly.

Highlights along this route include:

●silk cotton tree

On Northside Rd., in Runnymeade Area. This gigantic tree is 350-plus years old. Silky cotton is made from the pods.

150-plus-year-old silk cotton tree in Runnymeade, Tobago

●Castara

This fishing village on the Caribbean side has a surprising number of distinctive guesthouses snuggled into the steep-walled bay.

view of Castara in Tobago

●Parlatuvier Bay

This fishing village with a pier and boats has a tranquil beach.

Pariatuvier Bay in Tobago

●Bloody Bay

This secluded, breezy beach provides great swimming.

●Sunshine Restaurant

I enjoyed lunch here on a comfortable verandah overlooking dense forest. Firm king fish, which is like halibut, or lobster curry are both good choices.

menu at Sunshine Restaurant in Bloody Bay in Tobago

fish plate at Sunshine Restaurant in Bloody Bay in Tobago

cats outside Sunshine Restaurant in Bloody Bay in Tobago

●Speyside

On the loop’s furthest tip, this area offers great diving and has boat trips to offshore islands.

More info on this loop drive.

●Roxborough

Roxborough is the former capital of Tobago.

●Tobago Cocoa Estate

By reservation. Learn about cocoa-making in this heritage park. Though it is the last cocoa estate in operation on the island, it has been open only since 2005. Driving in, you’ll pass through a teak tree alee. Take a walk through the estate and see a variety of fruiting trees as well as plenty of cocoa trees. Eco-friendly cultivation practices and no pesticides are used here--crows eat the cocoa pods, so hawks are used to stop them. A rum and chocolate tasting is included. Mature “immortal trees” shade cocoa trees.

ginger bush at Tobago Cocoa Estate in Rosborough, Tobago

tour at Tobago Cocoa Estate in Rosborough, Tobago

display at Tobago Cocoa Estate in Rosborough, Tobago

open cocoa pod at Tobago Cocoa Estate in Rosborough, Tobago

●Argyle Waterfall

TT10; TT30 includes tour guide. Nearby, this multi-level falls is reached by a short hike through quiet, sheltered forest filled with cacao trees, assorted flowering plants, and many kinds of birds. Hiking boots makes sense, or other sensible footwear--forget the flip flops--because there are rocks, steps, and uneven surfaces. The falls cascade down over two smaller pools and form a deep pool at the bottom. A clear shallow pool higher up is also ideal for swimming but requires using a climbing rope to reach (although I hear the upper pools are home to tiny pinching shrimps), and on the third level, you can bathe under showers from the falls.