Pretty Beaches like...
Englishman's Bay

A Tobago jewel, just off the beaten path...

The London Sunday Times rated this jewel, Englishman's Bay, as one of the top beaches in the Caribbean. It's a fantasy beach, one of Tobago's many pretty beaches, and one of the best beaches to head for when you want to get away from the crowds during the peak tourist season, or when there's a cruse ship in town.

Come escape with us...

 Tobago's North Coast 

This perfect crescent of gleaming sand, this unspoiled Robinson Crusoe hideaway, and all around beautiful beach is located between the sleepy fishing villages of Castara and Parlatuvier, on Tobago's Caribbean coast, a 50-minute drive north from Scarborough, or about an hours drive east from Crown Point - where many Tobago hotels and Tobago villas are location - and our starting point for this adventure.

 Castara & Parlatuvier 

You'll need to pay attention to your map because Tobago's roads are not always as clearly marked as you might like - we got lost when we first visited the pretty beaches of Tobago's North Coast - but Englishman's Bay is easy to find, and the drive features some spectacular beach scenery.

As you journey northeastward, the meandering road balances along the peaks with steep valleys falling away below you on both sides.

If you've chosen to visit in February or March the surrounding hillsides will be ablaze with the fiery orange blossoms of Mountain Immortelle, trees originally planted to provide shade for cocoa plantations. Later in the year it's possible to see the same hillsides costumed in pink and yellow when Poui trees burst into bloom.

 Englishman's Bay 

Don't expect anything fancy when you visit Englishman's Bay. Most of the Tobago's pretty beaches north of Plymouth are unaffected by tourist trappings, and this idyllic crescent of sand typifies the secluded and unspoiled Caribbean beach most visitors seek.

 Beach Amenities 

An old wooden sign is all that marks the turn off from the main road, and your short drive beside the clear, bamboo shaded waters of a rainforest stream end in a small, often empty, parking lot.

There's a little beach restaurant just off the parking area that serves great local dishes, where you can also purchase a selection of local craft, and a local artesian hard at work hand crafting his simple wares beachside, for visitors who would like a souvenir but would prefer to stay away from downtown Scarborough.

 Pretty Beaches 

You can have your hotel pack you a picnic lunch when you visit Englishman's Bay and the pretty beaches along this coast, but there are numerous family restaurants in the Castara and Parlatuvier area that cater to visitors, if you care to go native. Tobago food, like Trinidad food is delicious so we eat local whenever we get the opportunity.

 Tropical Paradise 

But it is the beach we have come to visit, and pretty beaches like Englishman's Bay are a treasure. The clean grainy white sand, the clear blue Caribbean Sea, incredible snorkeling and Scuba diving, all surrounded by tropical rain forest and swaying coconut trees combine to make this a true Caribbean paradise.

This is a beach where you can always find enough shade to spend a quiet dreamy day, a romantic beach for lovers and those wishing to rekindle their love. It's one of our favorite Tobago beaches, and a great place for Tobago beach photos.

 Tobago Beaches 

But don't end your journey at Englishman's Bay, there are many other pretty beaches along Tobago's Caribbean coast that cry out to be explored. There are those in the south like Mount Irvine Bay and Turtle Beach that offer convenient access to excellent beach restaurants and cozy bars.

And there are those towards the northeast like Castara, Parlatuvier, and Pirates Bay that offer only modest facilities and where you may have to explore a bit.

These northern beaches are a far cry from the convenience of Pigeon Point and Store Bay in the south, but they are full of character and give you some insight into what the Caribbean was like in the days when the only feet that trod here were those of the Island Caribs. Luckily it's an experience you can still enjoy today in Trinidad and Tobago.