Tobago is a beautiful island in the southeastern corner of the Caribbean Sea.  It is chock full of beaches, from the sweet little beaches tucked out of clear sight to larger, more visible beaches to those of the fishing villages in the northern regions.  The ten days I spent there were more than enough to explore the many beaches of the island.  However, I spent much of my time diving and chose to spend large chunks of time at each beach I visited.  I did not visit even half of the beaches here, but those I did visit were absolutely lovely.

Store Bay, a nice, easily accessible stretch of sand in Crown Point with gentle waves and turquoise waters.  This was my go-to beach for a quick dip in the sea or a last minute sunset viewing.  The sand is very nice and appears as if it was groomed, but I think it not.  You can rent beach chairs and umbrellas from Dimples for the day for a very affordable rate and come and go as you please.  There is a small bar, as well as the well-known creole crab and dumpling shops.  This bay is where you find the glass bottom boats to Nylon Bay, in which I have been told that swimming keeps you young.

Pigeon Point, a 30 minute stroll from Crown Point along a thin white sandy beach separated from the small access road by a stretch of almond, mango and palm trees.  It’s a beautiful walk with gorgeous views.

At Pigeon Point, you’ll find a few small souvenir shops, a few food options and a bar, as well as several picnic tables and 2 swimming beaches.  I’ve been told that previously there was an entrance fee, but I was not charged anything or stopped by anyone to see an entrance ticket.  This may be a low season exception, so I recommend checking with your hotel or guesthouse before you go or being prepared to pay a small entrance fee.  I had trouble narrowing down my photos here, so there will be another post to come about my walk to and time at Pigeon Point.

Mt. Irvine Bay – I stopped here for sunset one day on my way back from the north end of the island.  This beach is a bustling little spot, open all day, every day.  There is a bar that plays music and serves overpriced drinks (seriously, 20TT/3.50USD for a tiny cup of rum and pineapple; get a beer instead!).  A decent amount of sand but more grass under tree cover and lots of spots to hang up a hammock.  The water is warm, but, beware, if you swim outside of the designated swimming areas, the seafloor is very rocky and a bit difficult to navigate.

Word is that this is the local surf spot during the winter.  With the sounds of people gathered together for a relaxing afternoon at the beach and music playing faintly in the background, the sun descended on the horizon directly in front of the beach behind a smattering of sailboats amidst calm waters and gently lapping waves.  Mt Irvine Bay was the perfect spot for a quick stop to watch the sunset.

Turtle Beach in Great Courland Bay – I caught sight of this beach through a large patch of trees as I was driving up towards Castara one day.  I impulsively turned into the small drive to the “parking lot” just to see what the beach had to offer.  This beach was so quiet and somewhat secluded from the road.  The only person I saw was a man taking a jog along the shore.  I didn’t stroll too far to see if there were any facilities or go for a swim to comment on the waters, but I can say that this place would be a great place for a snooze and an afternoon of sunbathing.

Castara, a fishing village with a decent sized beach on a bay at the base of the mountains about halfway up the northwest coast of the island.  My first day of exploring by car led me here to this little village that I had read such pleasant things about.  Read more about my day at Castara here.

Englishman’s Bay – Another day of exploring led me to here to (I’ve been told) one of the best beaches on the island.  I intended to head up past Castara to check out Parlatuvier Bay, but I decided to stop early after catching a vista of Englishman’s Bay from the road.

This beautiful beach is completely undeveloped with the exception of a small gift shop/café, Eula’s, which itself is a sweet little spot with a second story sitting area looking out through full-length clapboard windows over the bay.  The food is average, but the ambience is nice…and it’s the only gig there.

Lined with palm trees, this beach has a ton of shade.  With only a few people on the beach and lots of tree cover, I spent the afternoon snoozing in the shade and gazing out to sea interrupted only by time spent by watching an entertaining group of Brits going Robinson Crusoe by building a raft of bamboo and palm, floating out to sea, only to not be able to get back, requiring the help of the only boaters in the bay to drag them back!  Quite entertaining.

Charlotteville – I spent a few days diving up in Charlotteville, very little of this time on the beaches there.  However, what I love about Charlotteville’s beaches is that they are tucked away in little coves.  You can take a short hike or boat ride to Pirate’s Bay, a small strip of sand at the base of the hill just to the north of town; or you can reach several other small beaches along the bay by boat, such as Lover’s Beach (named due to the inability to see onto the beach from anywhere along the bay’s shoreline).  The beaches in these parts are very cute, and if it hadn’t of rained essentially the entire time I was in town, I would definitely have spent time on them.

If you are looking for a place to eat, you can find lunch at Jaba’s (roti) or Tasty Kitchen (chicken, fries, etc. with a nice patio on the beach).  In the evening, look for Gail on the right side of the road past the jetty and the supermarket.  She is a lovely woman who cooks a delicious meal served in an outdoor setting.  We caught a lobster during one of our dives, and she cooked this up for me in a truly tasty pepper sauce, served with rice, vegetables, salad, and soup.  And, her prices are very reasonable.

Tobago has so many picture perfect beaches from which to choose…and you definitely don’t have to look far to find one that suits you.  I loved Tobago’s beaches, and I will certainly file this gorgeous little island away for any future beach get-aways.