Formerly a British colony, the island state of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, located on the border between the Atlantic and the Caribbean, next to Venezuela, unites two large islands of the same name and many small ones.
This article will tell about this amazing country, its geographical location, amazing nature, climate and sights.
Trinidad Island: Geography
Being part of the Antilles archipelago, Trinadate and Tobago occupy part of the continental shelf of South America and are separated from the mainland only by straits that have traditionally exotic names - Boca del Serpiente and Boca del Dragon. The area of Trinidad - a very solid and largest in the archipelago (80 km long and 59 km wide) - is 4768 km2. The island, a neighbor of Trinidad, located at a distance of 30 kilometers, Tobago is the owner of a significantly smaller size. It spans about 300 km2 and is 41 km long and 12 km wide.
The predominant terrain in Trinidad is a plain. It has three mountain ranges, two of which are located in a clearparallels to each other, and the third is a continuation of the Venezuelan Cordillera. The two rivers that cross the island of Trinidad empty into the Atlantic Ocean.
Tobago crosses a 30-kilometer ridge, flanked by fertile lowlands and forests. Many small rivers and streams on the island contribute to the lush development of vegetation.
Climate
Climatic conditions on the islands are typical for these humid subequatorial latitudes and have a clear distinction between dry and rainy seasons. The dry season, which lasts from January to May, is quite mild, as it does not differ in sweltering heat - it is largely neutralized by tropical trade winds.
The rainy season is from June to August. This is the period of visiting the islands with tropical showers, plentiful and protracted. The best time for a tourist trip to Trinidad are February and March, bright, warm and full of unforgettable events and entertainment months. Trinidad and Tobago, whose resorts are waiting for tourists, are most attractive at this time.
Nature of the islands
Amazing with a riot of colors, evergreen forests are very carefully protected by the state - on such a small territory there are many reserves on a planetary scale. Tobago is a unique island with superb coastline views, long narrow white sand beaches and mighty palm trees. Back in the eighteenth century, Tobago authorities declared the tropical forests of the island a protected area - the firstprecedent of this kind. Buccoo Reef has been government protected since 1973 with picturesque harbors, amazing fish and corals.
The islands of Trinidad and Tobago are distinguished by an amazing diversity of flora, including not only South American species, but also exclusively in the archipelago. In the northern part of Trinidad, tropical rainforests have been preserved, where up to fifty species of valuable tree species grow. The center and western regions are occupied by evergreen forests. Sandalwood, fustik and cypress are typical representatives of island forests. In the lowlands and foothills of these areas, savannahs and cultivated plantations stretch, where sugarcane, coconut and oilseeds are grown for export. Along the coast at the mouths of the rivers there are thickets of mangroves with intricately intertwined trunks and roots.
The fauna is also extremely diverse: there are howler monkeys and capuchins, representatives of marsupials (possums), rodents (agouti), predators (ocelots), bats and reptiles - turtles, alligators, lizards, snakes. Numerous colonies of birds with bright multi-colored southern plumage.
There are more than 40 varieties of hummingbirds alone. The waters of the islands abound with fish.
Subsoil
The island of Trinidad is rich in minerals: in the southern part and the shelf, oil deposits and reserves of accompanying gas were found, natural asph alt is mined a little to the west, sulfur and diorites are mined in the north, the Sangre Grande region is famous for deposits of lignite and brown coal. On theiron ore, gypsum and limestone are mined in the north of the island.
Tourism
Today the island of Trinidad is a popular center of ecological tourism. Vacationers have at their disposal a set of all types of beach recreation, the opportunity to go in for water sports, diving, horseback riding, yachting, etc. The Calypso Music Festival is held here annually, traditionally gathering a huge audience of fans. The island of Trinidad, Brazil is home to this exciting show.
The markets on the islands are overflowing with handicrafts. Bamboo crafts and paintings by island artists are in demand here. Trade flourishes both in huge supermarkets and on street stalls, where, however, unlike boutiques, you can successfully bargain.
Kitchen
In addition, tourists are always interested in local cuisine, which is a mixture of Oriental, Caribbean, Spanish and Chinese. The variety of ethnic types of cooking gives rise to unlimited possibilities - you can taste any, the most exotic dish. The recent 'New Caribbean' trend to add local flair to gourmet cuisine makes it possible to fully experience the culinary speci alties. Visits to small home restaurants specializing in catering to foreign tourists will help complete the picture. In the reviews of vacationers on the islands, it is precisely such small catering points that are safe, comfortable, with an unforgettable cuisine. A speci alty in Trinidad is the flyingcharcoal-grilled fish and sesame seed-dipped sugar balls.
Entertainment industry
Trinidad and Tobago is not only the intersection of the culinary traditions of many countries, but also a whole universe of attractions that gives tourists an indescribable experience that remains in their memory for a long time: picturesque nature, hill walks, sea voyages, pristine beaches, amazing colors and calypso rhythms of the annual carnival!
To participate in it, the islanders make original drums from empty iron barrels. Musical compositions "calypso", extracted from the drums by rhythmic beats, have long been recognized as a symbol of the carnival and the island itself. This kind of local folklore is a small witty musical opus, performed in an African style, full of local dialectic expressions. An approximate analogy is observed in many countries of the world - ditties in Russia or couplets from the time of the French Fronde.
Carnival - rampant and noisy - is held shortly before the onset of Lent. This is the most incredible procession that Trinidad and Tobago is famous for. The islands, Brazil and other Caribbean countries have such celebrations every year.
The islanders start preparing for the carnival with the onset of the New Year - they come up with costumes, create drums. The most amazing action takes place in the Royal Park of the capital. In contrast to the vast majority of world carnival processions, on the islands from the first moments the borderbetween spectators and participants ceases to exist. No one stays aside, mulatto mermaids draw tourists into their ranks and everyone dances to the rhythms of "steel" music.
Vacation on the islands of Trinidad and Tobago
Resorts on the islands are famous for their clean, magnificent beaches, such as Maracas Bay, Tyrico Bay or Las Cuelvas. The most habitable and most famous for Russian tourists is the western part of the coast, overlooking the Gulf of Paria. The capital and main ports are located here.
There is something to admire in the capital of the Republic of Port of Spain: the Ginderbrad House residence, Magnificent Seven Park, the National Museum, the Art Gallery, the Trinidad and Tobago Historical Museum, the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity. The architecture is remarkable, dominated by wooden houses with a unique carved gallery running along the second floor of the buildings. Most of the buildings, public and private, were built at the beginning of the 19th century in the style of classicism that prevailed at that time.
Asa Wright Nature Complex, a former coconut plantation now a wildlife sanctuary, is a real treat for tropical bird lovers. And in the Karoni reserve, located not far from the capital, you can observe the life of the loaf - a representative of the ibis family, which is one of the symbols of the republic. The island of Trinidad is famous for many more sights. A visit to this amazing place will leave a lot of unforgettable impressions.
