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Love Jamaica? Why not try Trinidad


and Tobago? The birthplace of reggae and Rastafarianism, of dancehall and ska music, Jamaica has a special place in the Caribbean’s cultural jigsaw. But curious travellers will also find much to discover in the twin-island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. Kissing the northern tip of South America, the islands’ multicultural past has produced a fascinating culture of its own, with a mouthwatering cuisine and lively festivals to rival anywhere else in the region. Aside from its natural wonders — glorious beaches, mangrove


forests, a wealth of colourful birdlife — Trinidad and Tobago is a simmering stew of cultures, shaped by centuries of immigration from India, Africa, Europe and Latin America. Amble through the streets of Port of Spain, the capital, and admire the French-style villas on Maraval Road and Stollmeyer’s Castle, built in the Scottish baronial fashion, before a tour of the National Museum and Art Gallery. It retraces the nation’s


patchwork history, from early Indigenous settlers to the buzzy, modern art scene of today. Along with Crown Point on the island of Tobago, the capital


offers an immersion in the islands’ mouthwatering cuisine. Shaped by the food of Africa, Europe and the Americas, Trinidadian fare takes a strong cue from the subcontinent, too: classic dishes include curry crab and dumpling, rotis and parathas, aloo pie (pastry stuffed with spiced mashed potatoes) and doubles, a pair of bara flatbreads loaded with spiced chickpeas, fresh cucumbers and a fiery mango relish called kuchela. Rustled up at streetside shacks all year round, they’re the quintessential Trini snack. Naturally, the Indian influence can be felt in the islands’


events, with Diwali and Holi firm fixtures on the local calendar. The biggest celebration of all, meanwhile, is Carnival, held in the run-up to Lent. Defined by the hip-swaying rhythms of calypso and soca music — both of which originated in these islands — it’s an exuberant festival of parades, limbo, steel pans and larger-than-life costumes depicting Trinidadian characters from Carnivals past.


NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELLER – CARIBBEAN COLLECTION 11


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