Festive Season in Tobago

Together with Trinidad, its sister isle, the paradise island of Tobago is a wonderfully vibrant place to spend the festive season. Forget the chill and cold of the Northern Hemisphere, the warm tropical climate here means that temperatures hover at an average of over 30 degrees year round, so holidaymakers visiting Tobago during the festive season can expect to spend Christmas and New Year basking in warm sunshine rather than shivering in the winter cold.

The island's vibrant culture revolves around music, dance and street parties and Christmas and New Year see Tobago explode into full-on party mode. The festive season sees some of the year's biggest parties taking place, with hordes of locals and tourists alike taking to the streets to dance the day and night away to the sound of steel drums and Calypso music.

The party-loving island embraces the festive season with great enthusiasm and Christmas and New Year are two of the biggest celebrations of the year. The entire month of December is dedicated to preparing the food, drink and public parties that will take place over Christmas and New Year, as the population of Trinidad and Tobago gear themselves up to see in the New Year in style.

Christmas in Trinidad and Tobago is quite a family-oriented affair, with loved ones getting together at home or on the beach to eat, drink and make merry. Forget worrying about the beach body - visitors will be expected to indulge in a great deal of hearty Caribbean cuisine along with lots of rum-based cocktails. Expect lots of colourful costumes and dancing in the streets throughout the month of December, culminating in lively parties on New Year's eve itself. Many visitors to Tobago will want to hop across to Trinidad, where the most lavish of the New Year fireworks displays take place and the whole island comes alive to the sound of Calypso and jazz - prepare to put your limbo dancing skills to the test!

As tourists flock to Trinidad and Tobago during the festive season, competition for accommodation can be intense and holiday-makers should book their hotel beds well in advance where possible. Last minute deals are usually available but visitors to the island may well find themselves paying well over the odds for both flights and accommodation. Quite apart from the lively celebrations themselves, Trinidad and Tobago have plenty to offer the visitor. The laid-back Caribbean vibe enchants every visitor, while the calm clear waters of the Caribbean teem with colourful marine life. Scuba diving and snorkelling are very popular activities here, while the rich, verdant inland of Tobago makes for beautiful walks and horse riding. The year-round hot weather means that visitors will want to take life as slowly as the locals and the many bars and restaurants are wonderfully laid-back places to just sit back and enjoy the calm natural beauty of Tobago.

Accommodation options for holidays range from friendly little bed and breakfasts and guest houses right on the beach to large resort hotels and their are choices to suit most budgets - a little forward planning can help to find the best deals on flights and accommodation.



Your Ideal Caribbean Beach Vacation

What are the basic essentials that will make an exciting Caribbean vacation? Endless stretches of beaches, crystal clear blue/green seas, boats, bikinis and luxurious resorts, are Caribbean vacation essentials. There are so many things to do, see and enjoy, in a place termed as heaven-on-earth due to its scenic natural beauty. The islands to visit on your typical Caribbean beach vacation would have to be Trinidad and Tobago. These tropical islands are vacation hotspots for tourists around the world. If you are planning a honeymoon or a vacation with your family, then Trinidad and Tobago is the place to be. There is always something for everyone and you will never be able to resist staying in some of the best Trinidad and Tobago resorts, known for its beautiful spacious suites nestled among dense tropical vegetation, overlooking the beach and the horizon. To stay in one of the best Tobago resorts, here’s a little secret...Half Moon Blue Resorts is the perfect nook for you to stay, fraught with luxury and class that satisfies your deepest and innermost desires.

Why stay at Half Moon Blue?

As the name suggests, this Tobago resort known originally as “The Old Donkey Cart House” is situated beneath the hill of historical Fort George, amidst beautiful palm trees, bougainvillea and bamboo. Gloria Jones-Knapp, a former fashion model in Europe started the Old Donkey Cart House in 1980 as a wine bistro and now it is an elegant small resort rechristened as Half Moon Blue. The suites are colonial styled, done up with plush interiors and décor with jalousied windows and doors opening onto verandahs with rattan chaise-lounges that immediately sets the mood for relaxation. The penthouse overlooks the horizon and the famous half moon shaped Bacolet Bay, from which the resort got its name. The beach is easily accessible from the privacy of your own balcony and the sister isle of Trinidad can be visibly seen on a clear day which adds to the breathtaking panoramic view of the gentle washed up shores of the Tobago beaches. The Tobago beaches are famous for diving tours, taken by most of the tourists who visit the island. You will get a chance to see and feel the beautiful marine life and coral reefs which are spread 20,000 square miles across the Caribbean Sea. So don’t miss out on these diving tours which should be experienced by everyone who visits this island. To get a taste of the famous Tobago recipes, you must make reservations at Café Havana which serves mouthwatering Asian-Cuban delicacies in a tropical setting. Enjoy the views of the Caribbean Sea and tropical gardens on the open terraces at Cafe Havana. This restaurant and bar serves the “Soul Food of Tobago” so don’t forget to dig in! The friendly natives enjoy their guests and would love to share their famous Tobago recipes with all their visitors.

How to Get There

There are cheap flights to Trinidad and Tobago from most of the major cities in the U.S and around the world. But you have to make sure that you book your reservations early during the peak season of summer when school gives out. The United States and Trinidad and Tobago enjoy good relations, so it’s relatively easy for American, Canadian and E.U citizens to plan a visit as they only need a valid passport to enter the country. Over 20,000 businessman plan a visit to these sister islands every year and there are over 4,500 residents American residents. It was once conceived that this was the place Robert Louis Stevenson had in mind when he wrote ‘Treasure Island’. So it is not a lost paradise but something which can be experienced in reality. From beautiful beaches, rainforests, mountain tops and lush scenery, it is indeed a “Treasure Island” with a diverse mix of cultures and ethnic groups.

To make reservations call 868.639.3551, Fax 868.639.6124 or email holidays@halfmoonblue.com for more information on the resort and their services. Visit their website at www.halfmoonblue.com and take a look at the gallery of differently styled suites and the choices of menu from Garden fresh produce, seafood platters to homemade breads and pastas, to name a few.

Check out the sites http://resortstobago.com/ and http://www.halfmoonblue.com/ for more details on the resort and the amenities.

There are 10 beautifully furnished rooms. Make your reservations online today after checking out the decor and the beauty of Half Moon Blue. Click here to view the rates. (View Gallery) Also visit http://resortstobago.com/ for more details on the resort and the amenities.