The dazzling blue water, golden sands, glorious
sunsets make you want to stay on the beach. The fact that most Tobago beaches are hemmed
in by the natural flora or small villages causes the wildlife especially birds to be ever
present and many of the beaches have either fringing or off shore reefs that are ideal for
snorkeling. All of these facets make you want to linger on the beach and camping is a
great way to experience a oneness with nature. One can literally camp on any beach in
Tobago once it is not private land. Camping however is generally not done in Tobago but at
Carnival and Easter you can find persons camping in Tobago especially Trinidadians. Below
are some of the places for camping in Tobago.
Englishman Bay is visually beautiful with water that is calm and clear plus a curving
stretch of golden brown sand. Persons who camp on this beach can enjoy the pleasures of snorkeling.
The steeply sloping beach flattens at the top, with almond and sea grape trees creating a
shaded arbor that is ideal for camping and above the high tide mark. Campers at Englishman
Bay will find mosquitoes are a minor problem at night because the area behind the beach
trees is swampy but the problem is not insurmountable with repellant.
Two vendors ply their trade on this beach; one has a small restaurant that operates in
the day. Campers can obtain camping supplies from Castara or Parlatuvier but Castara is
the better bet because it is a slightly larger village.
It is very important to note that Englishman Bay is a lonely beach at night because
there are no houses in the vicinity of the beach creating the potential for security
problems. As such it should not be used for camping unless it is a large group of persons
who are camping there. This bay is along the Northside Road between Castara and
Parlatuvier.
Bloody Bay is a small bay located east of Parlatuvier. It is accessible from the
Northside Road, via a well paved road that leads down the side of a hill. The beach is a
ribbon of golden sand onto which clear blue water gently flows. There are no houses on
this beach. Along the beach there are almond and sea-grape trees. The Bloody Bay River
flows into the sea at the eastern end of the bay. There are toilet and
shower facilities at the beach however these close at 5.30pm each day.
Campers here can enjoy swimming and
snorkeling
in the azure water and at night join the locals in fishing from the cliffs on either sides
of the bay. Camping at Bloody Bay is usually done at Carnival and at Easter. Small amounts
of camping supplies can be obtained from Parlatuvier
Kings Bay
The beach at Kings Bay is a mix of gold and black sand giving the sea water a somewhat
dark appearance on an overcast day but the water, as with all Tobago sea water is very
clear. On a sunny day this deeply indented bay is very beautiful. The area behind the
beach is a mix of almond trees and dry mangrove, providing an area for camping.
At Kings Bay Beach, there are changing rooms, toilets and showers. There are small huts
(cabanas) for picnics and lifeguards are on duty during the daytime. A snack bar is
operated at the beach facility during the day time. Any forgotten grocery items can be
obtained in the nearby village of Delaford from some small shops.
Kings Bay Beach is at end of Kings Bay Depot road off the Windward Road in the
northeast of Tobago.
Canoe Bay
Canoe Bay is on private property and so a fee has to be paid to the owner in order to
camp here. The area is fenced, lit and generally secure. Persons who camp on the property
will share the facility with a block of 14 one bedroom apartments and another block of 3
two bedroom apartments. There are wide grassy lawns leading down to the sea and persons
camping at Canoe Bay awaken to the sounds of numerous birds across the 44 acre property.
The Canoe Bay Resort’s strongest feature is the shallow waters of the bay,
surrounded by a small but pleasant beach. The sea is calm here as an offshore reef
provides shelter for a natural lagoon. The swimming is ideal for families with small
children and there is good snorkelling. There is a beach bar/restaurant, with freshwater
showers, toilets and changing facilities. The restaurant offers breakfasts and light
lunches only.
Access is via a road off the Claude Noel Highway and there is a large sign on the
highway identifying the road to the resort. The resort is actually a fair distance off the
main highway. Those individuals with a vehicle however will have no difficulty as large
supermarkets are only 8 minutes away, restaurants and bars are only 15 minutes away and
the airport is approximately 20 minutes away.
To learn more about Tobago visit our other Tobago pages;
