The most beautiful natural sites to discover Crown Point

Pigeon Point beach is one of Tobago's most emblematic beaches, unmissable, magical and incomparable to any other on the island, a true jewel now protected. Blindingly white sand, coconut groves and a crystal-clear turquoise lagoon: there's nothing missing from this picture-postcard setting. It lies at the heart of a nature reserve (a forest of coconut palms and other trees that blossom all year round), protecting it from the construction that has disfigured much of the Crown Point coastline. We recommend a tour of the peninsula on arrival, in the morning when it's deserted. The final beach point offers a fantastic view of the reef and nylon pool.

Owned by a controversial landowner on the island for some years, since 2005 it has been the property of the State, which bought it for 106 million Trinidadian dollars and turned it into a national park.

Admission is charged, but the price is derisory, and the money is used to maintain this immense park and to pay security guards, who allow tourists to enjoy the beach in peace without being canvassed by street vendors, or for the girls not to be constantly hit on like at Store Bay. There's no sound system on the beach, just absolute peace and quiet. Those who don't want to stay on the main beach can relax in the coconut palms in complete privacy without the risk of being robbed (access is supervised)... Vacations are also about relaxing! If you're staying for more than 5 days, a special price is available.

Practical. Around the main lagoon, you'll find a number of souvenir and beachwear stands, as well as a number of inexpensive and good snack bars. If you've forgotten to withdraw cash, you can pay by credit card. On-site: showers, WC, parking. Cabs and maxi-taxis return to Crown Point at closing time with staff.

Activities. On the final beach at the tip, you'll find the Radical Sports sailing club, which offers windsurfing and kiteboarding rentals, as well as course + equipment packages, sailing, sea kayaking, diving and mountain bikes for hire. Since 2021, Radical has even been offering wingfoils, those new machines with a long foil that take off thanks to an inflatable wing carried at arm's length! Jet-ski rental companies will pop up on the beach and insist on asking you if you're interested in a ride. They're not licensed to do so, but there's no marine boundary to stop them from coming all the way from Store Bay to this remote beach in the reserve, where no one is watching on that side. Their practices are more than questionable: from an ecological point of view, jet-skiing on the reef is a polluting aberration, what's more, they're very noisy and safety conditions are not guaranteed.

On the other hand, the boat companies that pick up tourists from the central pontoon are serious, and the staff are friendly. As in Store Bay, you can take a boat to explore the reef as far as Buccoo, with lunch, a swim in the Nylon Pool and a snorkeling session on the corals included for a good price (negotiate! around TT$150 for the maximum tour).

To get back to Crown Point, if you're staying there, prefer cycling or walking: it's less than 2 km from this little paradise.

Located just a hundred meters from the airport and very close to many of Crown Point's hotels and guesthouses, Store Bay beach is perhaps the island's most popular and busiest. Named after Jan Stoer, one of the first Dutch settlers in Tobago, this small beach (200 m) is one of the few on the island to be supervised. It is also particularly well equipped. There are cabins for changing and showering, small stalls serving cheap local specialities, and picnic tables. Store Bay is also the finishing line for the great sailing race between Trinidad and Tobago, which takes place every August and culminates in a weekend-long beach party. Finally, in Store Bay, it's possible to find a glass-bottomed boat to take a closer look at the Buccoo reef, with a swim in the Nylon Pool, lunch and snorkeling included (negotiable at between TT$80 and TT$120 a trip). Deckchairs for a few TT. It's easy to find something to eat in Store Bay: 5 or 6 small local restaurants are housed in brightly-colored bungalows and offer classic local recipes. (Jamaican-style chicken, fried or grilled fish, shrimps and other local produce) Beware, as soon as the sun goes down in the evening, sandflies will bite you in the sand. It's best to sit on a deckchair.

At the end of the tarmac road leading to the Sandy Point hotels, a small path takes a left along the fenced-in airport compound. At a crossroads, a right-hand path leads to the garages that once belonged to the NP (National Petroleum) company and still bear this logo, garages that can be seen from a distance. If you continue straight ahead, you'll come to a dusty track on the right which leads to the sandy beach of Sandy Point, lined with coconut palms and usually deserted because it's off the beaten track.

As you take the road leading to the NP garage, you come across a sign pointing in the direction of Robinson's grotto. Following this direction, you pass a few houses, the last of which is that of the Croocks family, who own the land on which the famous grotto is located, a hole in the limestone ground that is anything but spectacular, especially as there's no guarantee that it's really Robinson's grotto, the latter being only a fictional character. The bottom line is that Mr Croocks, now deceased, was aware of the rumours that Tobago was the famous island described by Defoe. He therefore thought that if Tobago was that island, then his cave could only be that of the bearded man wearing a goatskin cap. Today, Madame Croocks charges TT$10 for the visit. Aside from the grotto, Sandy Point beach is superb.