Tobago Explorations 1

Speyside, Tobago

Speyside, Tobago - Speyside is a village in northern Tobago within Saint John Parish. It lies on the leeward coast, across from the island of Little Tobago, 26 km northeast of Scarborough, overlooking Tyrrel's Bay. Speyside has some of the best coral reefs on the island of Tobago, and is a popular diving site. The reefs here are less disturbed than the more famous Buccoo Reef in the southwestern part of Tobago. The main activities here include: fishing, agriculture, bird-watching, snorkeling scuba diving.

Castara, Tobago

Big Bay, Castara - Castara has two beautiful golden sand beaches (2.4km), both great for swimming. Big Bay is the focus of the village. A visit first thing in the morning could have you helping the fisherman pull in their nets. A late afternoon stroll will reward you with fantastic views of the sun setting over the Caribbean. Little Bay, which is also known as Heavenly Bay, is more secluded and great for snorkeling - you may even be lucky enough to see a manta ray. Views are spectacular from every hillside around the village and there is a waterfall within easy reach of the village, where you can also have a swim. Emerald Bay is also a small secluded bay just off Castara's main bay.

Parlatuvier - View of the Jetty

 Dirt oven in Parlatuvier, Tobago

Parlatuvier, Tobago - No visit to this part of the island would be complete without viewing and tasting the locally baked pumpkin breads, cakes, sweetbread, and coconut drops from the Parlatuvier Dirt Oven. An old time dirt oven that uses a wood fire, the dough is wrapped in wet banana leaves and prepared using methods developed years ago. These delicious products are baked by a group of senior citizens who have been baking with this method for decades. 

Dirt Oven

The entire process can be witnessed from the firing of the oven to the placement of the dough to the removal of the finished product that fills the air with a wondrous aroma. Locals and visitors alike come from surrounding areas to purchase and observe the rare baking method.