Tobago History and Fast Facts

Tobago is an island paradise located next to our sister isle of Trinidad, with lovely beaches, lush and pristine rain forest and a colourful and interesting history.

A quick history lesson
Tobago, like most West Indian territories, was home to the indigenous tribes of the Arawaks and Caribs – but throughout the colonization period, our island’s development was very different from many of its regional counterparts. Tobago was a point of contention between the French, Dutch and British for many years and the island changed hands more often than any other Caribbean territory, finally ceding to Great Britain in 1814. Trinidad and Tobago then became a single colony in 1888. In 1962, T&T was granted its independence and remained part of the British Commonwealth, eventually becoming a twin island republic in 1976.

Get into our culture!
Because our history has been so different from Trinidad’s, the cultural influences that have shaped each island are also different. Trinidad and Tobago Carnival is perhaps the most widely recognized manifestation of a culture centuries in the making and is something not to be missed in either island – but the most unique elements of Tobago’s culture are on display at the Tobago Heritage Festival, the highlight of which is the Old Time Wedding. Participants don 18th and 19th century outfits and parade through the streets of Moriah, dancing the wedding jig as onlookers (the wedding “guests”) offer them food and drink. http://www.tobagoheritagefestival.com

Where in the world is Tobago?
11° North, 60° West of the equator – GMT-4

Where in Tobago is Crown Point Beach Hotel?
On the island’s south-west coast, about 3 minutes from Crown Point International Airport and 25 minutes from Tobago’s capital, Scarborough.

How many of us are there?
Tobago’s population is just above 54,000, spread across a land area of 116 square miles.

Pardon me?
English is our official language.

Show me the money!
The Trinidad and Tobago dollar (TTD) floats against the United States Dollar (USD) at approximately TT$6.3 = US$1.

We’ve got the power!
Our power supplies are generally 110 / 120 Volts 60 Hz

How’s the weather?
We have two seasons – Dry (January to May) and Rainy (June to December). Average high temperatures are about 33° C.

Driving around?
Just make sure you stay on the left hand side of the road. You will need a valid international driver’s license or one from your country of residence.