Tobago Travels
MADISON'S
5 ESSENTIAL THINGS TO DO IN TOBAGO PLANTATIONS
After all the time I’ve spent time at these perfectly peaceful villas and I still can’t get enough of them, however, with every ‘goodbye’, there’s the chance of a warm returning ‘hello’.
The beauty of Tobago is never very far away on the estate, from our feathered friends visiting us at our bedroom windows to the competing spectrum of floral species that can be seen spread throughout the estate, here are, in my opinion, Essential Things to do in Tobago Plantations.
#5 - ENGLISHMAN'S BAY
In the latter half of the Eighteenth Century the island of Tobago was transformed into a sugar colony and exported its first shipment in 1770. In 1775, the sugar crop was largely destroyed by ants. Therefore, cotton and indigo were produced as an export substitute. However, in 1798 sugar again
became the main export crop. The sugar mill was an engineering apparatus introduced to the island by the Dutch and the Courlanders.
The Sugar Mill at Lowlands is the most intact with the foundations, walls and roof in place. It forms part of the Tobago Plantations Estate, with a four-star hotel nearby. Anyone can access the sugar mill once the dirt road that leads towards this site is remembered. This sugar mill is also sometimes
glimpsed from the Claude Noel Highway, the only highway on the island, once the bushes are not too heavily overgrown. The sugar mill is made from bricks, grey and black stones, mortar and mud.
The entrance to the sugar mill is clear and you can easily walk around it. It's a great excuse to go for a walk, run or stroll in the shadow of the Sugar Mill, its ancient presence reminds of our past and yet we can enjoy this monument to industry just a “stone’s-throw” fromyour villa.
#4 - THE PETIT TROU LAGOON
Perhaps my favorite island activity, visiting the Petit Trou Lagoon. It is located on the western side of Tobago; it features an interwoven system of mangrove trees - crucial to the security and health of the coastline’s ecology. Experience the beautiful surroundings on a romantic walk along the boardwalk, which stretches from the Plantations, in Lowlands.
Along the boardwalk, you find a variety of water activities such as; surfing and standing paddle board. The tranquil waters of the lagoon make this the ideal spot to perfect one’s balance while explore the mangroves that make life possible at the coastline.
These mangroves teem rich with wildlife, from Green Turtles and Pelicans to Mullet and Tarpon. The mangroves serve as breeding and feeding grounds, and is home to a diverse tropical-ecosystem. You can enjoy this natural wonder mare minutes from your doorsteps at Shandison Villa, Sea La Vista Villa and Sea La Vie Villa.
#3 - BIRD WATCHING
Birds come in even more colors, shapes and sizes. Seeing them in their natural habitat is the best and only way to spend time with these remarkable creatures. At our Luxury Villas of Tobago you get the perfect opportunity to do just that, WATCH, RELAX and ENJOY!
While lounging in the pool, on private beach or just soaking in the sun one the grass, you can see birds flying to one of the many bird feeders spread throughout the Shandison property, luring our winged friends even closer. Birds like the Copper-rumped hummingbird, Magnificent Frigatebirds, Red-billed Tropicbird, Rufous-tailed Jacamar, Rufous-vented Chacalaca, Motmot, Blue-backed Manakin, Bananaquit, are some of the incredible birds that call Tobago home.
This island paradise boasts a variety of bird species that found their way to the island from neighboring Venezuela and surroundings, with some species’ migration patterns stretching as far as the Artic Circle.
You don’t have to search far to find these splendid specimens, they find you where you are, all you have to do is be there.
#2 - MANGROVE BROADWALK
The Boardwalk at Tobago Plantations is just one of the hundreds of places to visit on the island but it is definitely not one to be missed.
As you traverse the meandering wooden planks to different paths, the sights and sounds (and smells) of the thriving mangrove environment surround you. Look out for crabs popping out of their holes and birds perched on the roots of the trees as you navigate your way to the stunning Petit Trou Lagoon.
There is a particular spot at the end of the Boardwalk where the birds gather at 5:30pm in large numbers. I suggest you get a good night’s rest,
and head out early.
#1 - THE LILLY'S
Some nature lovers love hiking, some swimming and fishing, some enjoy the feeling the wind in your hair as you explore the wild. Me? I like to sit by the Ponds. There are 3 major ponds on the Plantation’s Estate, and if you enjoy the flora scattered throughout the estate, then you’ll love the picturesque sight of pink and white lilies floating on the ponds surface.
If you enjoy a calm, cool, easy afternoons, there is no better place to be but in the presence of these gliding beauties.
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