Southwest Tobago: Pigeon Point, Buccoo Reef and easy beaches

Beaches

Store Bay, a short walk from the airport, is small and lively, with lifeguards, boat operators and a row of local cooks. Pigeon Point Heritage Park, with its thatched jetty and calm turquoise water, is the island's postcard beach; there is an entry charge to the park. Further up the west coast, Mount Irvine Bay is good for snorkelling and winter surf, and Grafton Beach, also called Stonehaven Bay, is wide and calm. Turtle Beach at Great Courland Bay is a leatherback nesting site in season.

Buccoo Reef and the Nylon Pool

Glass bottom boats leave Store Bay, Pigeon Point and Buccoo for Buccoo Reef, a protected reef where you can snorkel, then stop at the Nylon Pool, a waist deep sandbar of clear water in the middle of the sea. Choose an operator that briefs you on reef rules, never stand on coral and use reef safe sunscreen. Bon Accord Lagoon, a mangrove area behind the reef, is lovely by kayak.

Food and nights out

Crab and dumpling is Tobago's signature dish, and the Store Bay food huts are the classic place to try it, along with curried goat, roti and fresh fish. On Sunday nights, the village of Buccoo hosts Sunday School, a street party that starts with steelband and moves to DJs late. On Easter Tuesday, Buccoo holds its famous goat and crab races. In July and August, the Tobago Heritage Festival celebrates village traditions across the island.

History and nature nearby

Plymouth, a short drive north, has the ruins of Fort James and the puzzling Mystery Tombstone. The Grafton Caledonia Wildlife Sanctuary feeds wild birds in the afternoon. Scarborough, the capital, has a busy market and Fort King George, with the Tobago Museum and fine views.

Where to stay

Crown Point has guest houses, apartments and small hotels, convenient for the airport and Store Bay. Larger resorts sit at Mount Irvine, Black Rock and the Lowlands on the Atlantic side. Most places are walkable to a beach or a short taxi away.

Practical tips

Agree taxi fares before you get in, as Tobago taxis are not metered. Carry cash for food huts and beach vendors. Petty theft from beaches and parked cars happens, so do not leave belongings unattended, and use a taxi at night rather than walking unlit roads.

A suggested three days

Spend the first day at Pigeon Point and Store Bay, with crab and dumpling for lunch. On the second, take a morning glass bottom boat to Buccoo Reef and the Nylon Pool, then relax at Mount Irvine for sunset. On the third, drive to Scarborough for the market and Fort King George, and stop at the Grafton Caledonia sanctuary for the afternoon bird feeding. If it is Sunday, finish at Sunday School in Buccoo.

Getting here from Trinidad

The quickest route is a short domestic flight from Piarco to A.N.R. Robinson International, which lands right at Crown Point. The inter island fast ferry from Port of Spain arrives in Scarborough, about twenty minutes by taxi from Crown Point. Both are popular at weekends and holidays, so book ahead and keep your return details handy.