Scuba Diving in Trinidad & Tobago

Here, just a touch north touch north of Venezuela, where the North Atlantic Ocean and Southern Caribbean Sea intertwine, an undisturbed, volcanic jewel is surrounded by turquoise waters. She’s a satellite island of her big sister, Trinidad and, legend has it, Tobago’s beauty was the inspiration for the classic novel, Robinson Crusoe and was the backdrop for Disney’s iconic film, “Swiss Family Robinson.” Trinidad and Tobago has enjoyed independence as a republic for nearly 35 years. 

With its rainforests, dramatic peaks and stunning assortment of wild tropical birds – and the absence of major development and commercialism – Tobago still carries for visitors a sense of romanticism and mystery. Ecotourism is big here, both on land and underwater. The Tobago Forest Reserve is a protected natural playground for hikers, bikers, birders and even those who want to be mesmerized by the flight of butterflies and the throaty mating calls of frogs. Unlike her sister island, Trinidad, the runoff from Venezuela’s Orinoco River doesn’t collect in Tobago’s shores, so the water is ripe for some of the Caribbean’s best diving.

For years, Tobago diving has been synonymous with manta rays making yearly migrations to her waters in early spring. But there’s much more to be savored. The phrase “go with the flow” is to be taken literally while diving here, as the intersection of two large bodies of water means robust currents, which make for exhilarating drift dives near the town of Speyside. The union of the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean also means heaps of nutrients swirling in the waters, attracting big animals, such as reef sharks, hammerhead sharks and dolphins.

Best Dive Resort in Trinidad & Tobago: Our Pick