There's nothing like Trinidad and Tobago
There's nothing quite like the dual-island nation, which lies much further south than its Caribbean neighbors. Here, the sounds of steel drums fill the air in the island's capital Port of Spain and little excuse is necessary for an impromptu party. Outside the city, things get decidedly more sleepy. Long stretches of palm-backed beaches typically have little on them other than a colorful beach shack serving up cold beers and the odd glass-bottomed boat available to the few travelers and families on the sand. If you're looking to escape the city, leave your cellphone behind and nab a beachfront Trinidad and Tobago vacation rental.
Museums and monasteries in Trinidad and Tobago
If you're a newbie, a good place to start is Port of Spain, the islands' bustling commercial capital. Here, you can amble around botanical gardens, discover several fine museums and, if visiting just before Ash Wednesday, immerse yourself in the Carnival celebrations, an extravagant kaleidoscope of color, dance and Calypso rhythms. Alternatively, chocolate lovers can swing by one of the cacao plantations that sell the native and sought-after Trinitario bean to artisan producers the world over. For a slice of history, you shouldn't miss the Mount St. Benedict Monastery, established by Benedictine monks in the early 20th century.
Master the art of liming in Trinidad and Tobago
The first thing to understand when you stay in a Trinidad and Tobago vacation rental is liming, the art of kicking back with friends and family, immortalized in Lionel Ritchie's "All Night Long". Don't worry, you'll easily get the hang of it, particularly when you've got a cold drink, a little Caribbean food and good company. If you're liming with locals, don't be surprised if it turns into a Calypso party, as darkness creeps in. To get the blood flowing again, there's no shortage of water sports available, or you could lace up your boots to hike through the lush forests to one of the tumbling waterfalls.
Great wildlife spotting in Trinidad and Tobago
Compared to the rest of the Caribbean, Trinidad and Tobago has a surprisingly large number of critters to spot. Cheeky capuchin monkeys swing through the trees, the call of the howler monkey echoes across the islands and caiman crocodiles lurk in the lagoons. If you're a birder you're in luck. There's just under 500 species of recorded avifauna fluttering around near your Trinidad and Tobago vacation rental, including orange winged parrots and magnificent frigatebirds. Make sure to keep your mask clear when you're diving because you're not going to want to miss the West Indian manatee or the black tip reef sharks.
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