Just off the northeastern coast of South America, the island
nation of Trinidad and Tobago is home to incredible culture, music,
biodiversity and tropical beauty. Trinidad, the larger island, and the smaller
Tobago are blessed with a mix of mountains, plains and palm-lined beaches. The
climate is warm and tropical, but the islands are far enough south that they
escape the effects of most major hurricanes.
Prior to gaining independence from Great Britain in 1962, Trinidad
and Tobago changed hands among Spanish, French, Dutch and other colonial powers
more than any other islands in the Caribbean. This contributed to the diverse,
international flavor of the islands.
Cruise ships call on the nation’s capital, the city of Port of
Spain, on the island of Trinidad. For your day in port, there are lots of
wonderful excursions to choose from.
A tour of the city will feature the beautiful Royal Botanic
Gardens, where spectacular flowers and palms flourish. The Queen’s Park
Savannah, once part of a sugar plantation, has a beautiful rock garden and
faces the Magnificent Seven: a group of historic colonial mansions, now in
various stages of restoration. You might also venture into the Santa Cruz
Valley, filled with coffee and cocoa plantations, and take in panoramic views
at Maracas Lookout or Lady Young Lookout.
Trinidad and Tobago are home to more than 400 species of winged
creatures, and the Asa Wright Nature Center on Trinidad is a top destination
for ornithologists and more casual bird-watchers. Take a guided tour through
this 270-acre preserve, where you may encounter the purple honeycreeper, the
tufted coquette hummingbird and the tropical mockingbird, as well as deer, ocelots
and agoutis.
Enjoy a wonderful “beach day” in Trinidad on Maracas Bay Beach –
bring your camera, as the drive from the cruise ship dock is especially scenic.
The sandy beach is dotted with swaying palms and surrounded by dramatic,
forest-covered cliffs. It’s an ideal place to relax on the sand, play in the water,
and enjoy the local delicacy called Bake and Shark: a fried flatbread (the
“bake”) stuffed with marinated and fried shark meat, plus lettuce or coleslaw
and sauce. Delicious!
Trinidad and Tobago also provides opportunities to snorkel and
dive, tour a plantation, get thrills on a zip line and more. Talk with Anita, your
Cruise Holidays personal cruise expert, about everything you can see and do.
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