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[Destination Trinidad and Tobago] I went to the Tobago Rhythm & Soul Festival-Fusion, the Buccoo Goat & Crab Race Festival, Fort King George and Tobago Channel 5

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I traveled from Guadeloupe to Trinidad and Tobago from Saturday 19 april to Saturday 26 april 2025. It was a connected flight with one stop in Dominica and in Saint Lucia. I slept one night in Piarco, Port of Spain, Trinidad, then I took a plane to go to the island of Tobago on Sunday 20 april 2025. It was my third time in Trinidad and Tobago, but my first time in the island of Tobago. The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is an island country of the southeastern West Indies. It consists of two main islands—Trinidad and Tobago—and several smaller islands. The capital of Trinidad and Tobago is Port of Spain. Trinidad and Tobago, the twin-island nation, achieved independence from Great Britain on August 31st, 1962, and became a Republic within the Commonwealth in August 1st 1976. According to the Central Statistical Office of the Ministry of Planning and Development, the Mid-Year Population is 1,368,333 in June 2024. Although English is the official language, most people speak Trinidad English, a creole language. The country has petroleum and natural gases, deposits of coal, gypsum, limestone, sand and gravel, iron ore, argillite, and fluorspar. According to « Eco-Tobago a nirvana for naturalists », a free document produced by the Tobago House of Assembly, Department of Tourism, Tobago rests 33km (21 miles) northeast of Trinidad, the most southerly island of the Caribbean. Tobago is 300 km2 (116 sq. miles) and has a population of 54,084 (Census 2000). Tobago’s capital is Scarborough. About 90% of the population is of African descent. Unlike Trinidad’s highly industrialised economy, Tobago relies heavily on the service sector with tourism, agriculture and fishing being its major revenue earners. Getting to Tobago from Trinidad is easy, either via the Fast Ferry service (3 hours) or on a Caribbean Airlines flight (25 minutes). K@ribbean Newsweek shares with you some pictures.

Day 1 : Saturday 19 april 2025

I arrived at Piarco International Airport after 6 PM. I changed euro currency in Trinidad and Tobago Dollar (1 euro=7 TT$). I learnt that I could not use the old T&T Dollar that I had since 2011. Unless I go to the Central Bank in Port of Spain.

I bought food at a local fast food named Royal Castle in the airport. Then I slept in a hotel near the Piarco International Airport.

Day 2 : Sunday 20 april 2025

I arrived at the ANR Robinson International Airport in Tobago before 7 AM. I ate my breakfast at a restaurant called Tristar at the airport. When it was almost time to check in, I took a hired taxi and certified tour guide named Denise James, D’s Taxi Service, to go to my AirBnB accomodation Hope Cottage Guest House. It is a home away from home. The host Joan-Marie Lowry and her husband James welcomed me very well. They are very nice people. I was surprised to see my name. The photos illustrates my happiness. I also met the brother of Joan-Marie and her first son before leaving Tobago.

On AirBnB, the host explained that « this guesthouse which was started in 1940 by Molly Davis and was the former family home of the Governor of Tobago (Hon. James Henry Keens C.M.G.) in the 1800s. It is located on Calder Hall Road (a Hill), a 10-15 minutes walking distance from the Port of Scarborough and a 2-minute walk from Fort King George, the lighthouse, and the old Hospital (which still operates the Oncology Center) ».

I slept some hours before going to the Tobago Rhythm & Soul Festival – Fusion from 5 PM to almsot 2 AM in Dwight Yorke Stadium, Bacolet. I paid USD 80,60 for a general admission fee days before traveling to Tobago. On Island E-Tickets, a general admission fee costs 500 TT$. It is 71,46 euros on my bank account. For a VIP ticket, it is 1200 TT$ (about 171,42 euros).

Once inside the Festival, I saw people sitting with their chair. Tobagonians are very nice. The organizers did well, they provided chairs to the festival goers. A woman festival-goer told me where to get a folding chair. The organizers offered one gift per person: either a bag, a sandal or a water bottle. Another woman festival-goer told me to go in front and to get my bag Tobago Rhythm & Soul Festival. I also got a free guide called Tobago Carnival Passport.

Fourteen artists performed on stage like Qua the original, Stephanie Joseph from Tobago, Kes the band from Trinidad, Wayne Wonder, Stephen Marley from Jamaica. For me, it was difficult to take videos because I was too far from the stage. There was also a barrier separating the general admission festival-goers from the VIPs. When Stephen Marley performed, there was no enough sound in his microphone at a moment. I heard people complaining in Tobago English. After it was okay. Even if I was tired, it was a nice and wonderful moment. I like really soca and reggae music.

Day 3 : Monday 21 april 2025

In the afternoon, I went to downtown, the capital Scarborough. I walked 10 to 15 minutes from Hope Cottage Guest House to the Port of Scarborough. However, for me it was almost a 30 minutes walk to go back to the guest house located at a top of a hill. Guys, it was hard. I sweated a lot. It was also possible to get a normal taxi for 6 TT$ (about 85 cents) to go to downtown, same price to go back to the guest house.

As you can see, I took pictures while I was walking in the capital Scarborough. It is an amazing city. This day was a public holiday. Some shops were opened. I had fun and I sat at Rituals Coffee.

I also met a couple named Deandre and Shane from Barbados. We talked a little bit. They helped me taking a picture in front of the sign I Love Tobago. I met them again twice in others places during my stay.

I planned to go to Port of Spain by boat and to spend one day in the city. But all tickets were sold out for Easter dates for both ways. If it was possible, perhaps I could give the old T&T Dollar to the Central Bank. Never mind ! It’s life !

Day 4 : Tuesday 22 april 2025

I spent a whole day at the 97th Annual Buccoo Goat & Crab Race Festival at the Buccoo Integrated Facility. I paid 80 TT$ (about 11-12 euros) for my admission fee. It was 100 TT$ (about 14 euros) for adults from 6 PM. I paid 9 TT$ (about 1,30 euros) for a normal taxi from the Port of Scarborough to Buccoo. I talked to a woman from Buccoo sitting on my right in the normal taxi and she told me that the Festival will finish late and she explained me where I can stand to get a normal taxi to go back to Scarborough. I arrived before 10 AM to watch the vibrant street parade from Buccoo Junction to the Buccoo Integrated Facility. I was lucky. I left the Festival at 9 PM with a couple from Trinidad and Tobago named Sandra and Andrew Squires who dropped me at Hope Cottage Guest House. We talked at the street parade in the morning. Andrew speaks French because he learnt the language at school and he worked for a Trinidadian print company in Martinique, Guadeloupe and French Guiana at the end of the 1970 and early 1980. If I remember well, he told me that he was a technical director.

At the Festival, there were 14 goat races, 2 crab races and a concert. I watched 13 goat races and 2 crab races. I did not attend the concert. Perhaps, this festival finished after midnight. The organizers had to do the race 11 again because someone walked on the ground.

In the plane in Guadeloupe, I read an article entitled Caribbean Easter Magic by Giselle Laronde-West, http://www.caribbean-beat.com : « Over in Tobago, goat and crab racing -held on the Tuesday after Easter in Buccoo Village – is a tradition that began as the « poor man’s version » of horse-racing in the early 1900s. Large crowds of locals and visitors look forward to this event where they can cheer on their favourite goat. The runners or trainers, who run alongside the goats, train hard with their charges all year in the hope of goat racing supremacy. As a bonus, crab races follow, where participants (including children) – equipped with a thin stick- gently nudge the crabs toward the finish line….with many of the crabs end up running in totally different directions ! »

I ate Pholdurie with a sweet sauce. It is an Indian dish. A man sitting on my right in the stadium offered me a soft drink Angostura Chill. The master of ceremony asked who are from abroad. A Tobagonian man said Guadeloupe because we talked before when I bought something to eat and drink. So I had to stand up and I raised my hand so people could see me in the stadium. That is why, a beautiful young woman from Haiti named Journey talked to me. I really like her natural hair.

Is life a coincidence ? I met Anaika Alexander from Grenada at the Buccoo Goat & Crab Race Festival. We talked a little bit. In 2011, it was my second time in Trinidad and Tobago. I spent 6 month for my Ph.D research in information and communication, journalism and media studies at UWI Saint Augustine. My Ph.D thesis is in French : Journalistes caribéens, démocratie et liberté de la presse : Une analyse socio-politique à la Guadeloupe et à Trinidad-et-Tobago entre 1989 et 2009. Like Anaika Alexander I was a foreign student living at The Arthur Lewis Hall of Residence, St. John’s Rd. The Hall is situated on the North Campus of the St. Augustine Campus. The year 2008 was my first time in Trinidad and Tobago, I spent a 6 month internship as a student in journalism at Caribbean New Media Group (CNMG), C TV, a state-owned media company, now called Trinidad and Tobago Television Limited.

I also saw Deandre and Shane from Barbados at the Buccoo Goat and Crab Race Festival.

  • Anaika Alexander from Grenada

Day 5 : Wednesday 23 april 2025

In the morning, I visited Fort King George and the light house. It is free to walk inside the Fort. I paid 20 TT$ (about 2,85 euros) to watch the artefacts displayed in The Tobago Museum and another 20 TT$ (about 2,85 euros) for The Icons of Tobago Museum like Calypso Rose, The Mighty Shadow. It is forbidden to take pictures and videos. So I can not show you what is inside the two museums. I talked to Lenica Williams who works ar The Icons of Tobago Museum and she recommended me a certified tour guide.

According to a free document called « Brief history of Fort King George », « this Fort takes up approximately 25 acres of land and is known as the largest Fort in Tobago. It was built in 1777 by the British after King George III. During the French occupation from 1781-1793 it was renamed as Fort Castries after Marquis of Castries who was known as the French Minister of War. The British recaptured it in 1793 until 1800. In 1801, it was returned to the French and was called Scarborough Hill. However, the Bristih fought their way in 1803 and gain victory to rename the Fort as Fort George. This name however had to be changed to Fort King George since Fort George was already located in Trinidad ».

It is said that « The light house was erected at Bacolet in 1843 but was relocated at Fort King George on 21st November 1958. This is a rotating light that shines 25 miles out at sea ».

« The buildings on the fort were used to house soldiers. These buildings were built by skilled slaves, the material used to construct these buildings is called ballast. Some examples of these buildings are the Mess Hall, Artillery Men Barracks II etc. »

I went to Radio Tambrin 92.7 FM. I could not meet reporters because they were busy with reporting the General Elections campaign.

I bought a cane juice with ginger. The seller makes cane juice with soursop. He showed me a picture of the fruit. Do you know what does it mean soursop? In French, it is corossol. I learnt something.

In the afternoon, I paid 10 TT$ (about 1,42 euros) a normal taxi to go to Store Bay Beach. There are lifeguards. I met Bobby who talked to me about a boat tour, a Glass Bottom Boat Tour. He works at Frankie Tours. I paid 100 TT$ (about 14 euros) for an admission fee for the next day.

I talked with Bobby and his friends about the way of living, the economy in Tobago and Guadeloupe. They are young Tobagonians. It was a very funny discussion. Generally speaking, I explained them that Guadeloupe is a French colony and that the population uses the currency Euro. Thanks to them, I know now that 1 euro =9 TT$ in the streets.

At the Hope Cottage Guest House, I talked to another guest named Denicka Amaroso from Trinidad and Tobago. She came to relax for Easter in Tobago. She works at Massy stores at Saint Augustine, Trinidad.

Day 6 : Thursday 24 april 2025

Early in the morning, I walked inside the Botanical Gardens. Then I went to Store Bay Beach to do the Glass Bottom Boat Tour at 11 AM. Remember that I bought my ticket the day before. If I remember well, this is the program of the Frankie Boat Tour : Buccoo Reef, Nylon Pool & No Man’s Land to eat and drink. For the first time of my life, I tried the jet ski with a guy, I paid 100 TT$ (about 14 euros). The boat also traveled to Pigeon Point. It was really a wonderful day. I had fun and there was good soca and reggae music on the boat. A father from Trinidad told me he went on a cruise earlier this year and that the beaches in Guadeloupe are beautiful. When I finished, I wanted to take the bus for 2 TT$ (about 28 cents) to go to Scarborough and I thought I could pay in cash. The bus driver accepts only one ticket bought in a shop. So it was easier for me to take a normal taxi.

For about 10 minutes, I watched teenagers, children practising steelpan with the music director Anthony Moore. The children are members of the NGO Serenity Angels Symphony. They were invited to perform at a Gospel Steelpan Festival on Saturday 26 april 2025. The steelpan is the national instrument of Trinidad and Tobago. Schoolchildren learn to practise steelpan from primary school to high school.

I was very lucky to go to Tobago Channel 5 and to meet Shawn Benoit, the manager of the TV station and Radio Pulse 89.5 FM. I introduced myself to the manager and I explained why I wanted to visit the media house. I arrived at a good time, before the TV News at 6:30 PM. When I left the media house, I was lucky again. I talked to Ryan Oneil who works at Tobago Channel 5. We took a normal taxi and he offered to pay for me. It is 6 TT$ (about 85 cents) to go to Signal Hill where Tobago Channel 5 is located, same price to go back to Scarborough.

On my way back to Hope Cottage Guest House, I heard Tobagonians playing steelpan. I watched the group Our Boys practicing before the funeral of one of their member organised on Tuesday 29 april 2025.

  • Shawn Benoit Manager of Tobago Channel 5 and Radio Pulse 89.5 FM

Day 7 : Friday 25 april 2025

From 8 AM to almost 3 PM, I did an island tour with a young tour guide named Juvani Thomas, son of Junior Thomas, a certified tour guide, his business is Unique Tours Tobago. I paid 800TT$ (about 114,28 euros). I was lucky because it can cost more or less 1000 TT$ (about 142,85 euros). From Scarborough, he drove to Castara Bay, Parlatuvier Bay, Bloody Bay, Roxborough, Speyside where we ate in a restaurant. Before eating, I bathed in a small waterfall in Castara. It was a 10 minutes walk to go there. There are two others bigger waterfalls that are far. He drove also near the Tobago Forest Reserve.

Then, he drove to Delaford, Belle Garden, Pembroke, Goodwood, Mount St George and Scarborough. I had a good time with the young tour guide. He played good soca music in his car.

I spent my last afternoon in downtown to do my last shopping and to have a drink at the Milford Road Esplanade.

On my way back to Hope Cottage Guest House, I watched the children of the NGO Serenity Angels Symphony practising steelpan. They were invited to perform at a Gospel Steelpan Festival on Saturday 26 april 2025. According to the music director Anthony Moore and the secretary of the NGO Sharon Gooding, they teach the children the music theory, how to read the music, to play pan and the piano. They have to be literate in music.

Some evenings, it was nice talking with neighbours like Max Thomas who sells provision and his friends, about Trinidad and Tobago and its broken english, Guadeloupe, a French colony and its Creole language.

  • Company of electricity
  • A famous big tree that still exists after the hurricane in 1963

Day 8 : Saturday 26 april 2025

It was time to go back to Guadeloupe. My flight was early in the morning in Tobago. I took a taxi driver known by the host Joan-Marie to go to the ANR Robinson International Aiport. I took another flight in Piarco International Aiport. It was a connected flight with one stop in Saint Lucia and in Dominica. I arrived in Guadeloupe before 2 PM.

You can also watch my pictures and videos on my Instagram and the same videos on the Facebook page of K@ribbean Newsweek.

Some contacts and social media

  • Ask the host or the Tourist information at the Airport
  • Bobby‘s phone number who works at Frankie Tours to do the Glass Bottom Boat Tour : 1 (868) 397 6863

The General Elections

Once I arrived in Tobago, I heard about the General Elections of Trinidad and Tobago who took place on Monday 28 April 2025.

I saw blue and red flags in the streets, in front of Tobagonians’ houses, on their car. I think that Tobagonians are very proud to show for who they vote. Blue flag for Tobago People’s Party (TPP). Red flag for People’s National Movement (PNM).

The manager of Tobago Channel 5 Shawn Benoit sent me the pictures of the results on Tuesday 29 april 2025. The United National Congress, UNC political party won the elections (yellow party on the map). Tobago People’s Party got 2 seats.

2025
2020

EBC confirms UNC wins 26 seats, PNM 13, TPP 2, an article of Trinidad Guardian: https://www.guardian.co.tt/news/ebc-confirms-unc-wins-26-seats-pnm-13-tpp-2-6.2.2294693.7235c0edfe

Résumé

Trinidad-et-Tobago est un pays anglophone indépendant depuis 1962 et une République depuis 1976. C’était mon troisième voyage dans ce pays anglophone mais ma première fois dans l’île de Tobago située à 25 minutes de vol de Trinidad. J’ai fait l’expérience du Tobago Rhythm & Soul Festival, du Buccoo Goat & Crab Race Festival. J’ai effectué un tour en bateau et un tour de l’île en voiture grâce à des jeunes très motivés dans la vie. J’ai vu les habitants de Tobago très impliqués dans la préparation des élections législatives, General Elections, programmées le lundi 28 avril 2025. C’est le parti politique United National Congress qui a gagné les élections. Le Tobago People’s Party a obtenu deux sièges. Pendant mon séjour, j’ai rencontré Shawn Benoit, directeur général de Tobago Channel 5 et Radio Pulse 89.5 FM le jeudi 24 avril 2025. Ce fut une semaine de chances pendant laquelle j’ai réalisé ce que j’avais décidé.

St@y connected !

Salaura DIDON

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