Our Villa Story

After holidaying in Tobago for three years we decided to buy a property there which would allow us to spend a few months a year away from the English winter!

The builder of Villa Frangipani had just put it up for sale, and after viewing a number of other properties, this was by far the best in terms of location (on the windward side of the island so plenty of sea breeze), size, garden and views.  As soon as we had completed the purchase we hired a local interior designer to create the sort of interior we wanted. 

We decided to have a largely white backdrop to which we could add bright Caribbean colours with tiling, curtaining and soft fabrics.  The interior storage units were made and installed by a locally recommended carpenter and the furniture and artifacts were bought from local interior design and crafts shops.  We installed air-conditioning in all 4 bedrooms and left the rest to be cooled by having all the doors and windows open to the breeze.  We decided to create a study area on the first floor (there is good wifi) leading out on to the upper verandah and this is where we spend most of our time.  The hammock and swing seat there make it a lovely place to relax in the warmth overlooking the garden and the bay, but out of blazing sun. It’s also a great area for entertaining.

We put an island in the kitchen to make it more efficient to work in, with the main dining area on the verandah outside where we have taken almost all our meals.  There are steps to the pool and garden.  We planted bananas which fruit all year, and various fruit trees - mango, orange, lime and two avocados, which are all seasonal and prolific.

We installed electrically-operated gates and a security system, and purchased two vehicles – one as a small run-about and one Ford Ranger for carrying larger loads and the longer, up-country journeys.  Driving is on the left-hand side as in the UK, and we decided to take our theory driving tests (practical tests not required for those with overseas licences) in order to get some local formal identification, although it is perfectly ok to drive with a UK driving licence for 3 months.

We found our favourite places for days out, one being Englishman’s Bay which has a wonderful restaurant and craft shop on the long, sandy beach, where they hire out sunbeds, and which is generally not at all busy.  Another is Castara which is busier but with a similar beach and has lots of eating places.  There are many others to explore, plenty of boat trips to enjoy and, of course, snorkelling on the reefs.  The government is strongly promoting environmentally sustainable tourism so many guesthouses are promoting this aspect of their properties.

There are turtle-watching beaches on the Caribbean side of the island, where they  come ashore at night to lay eggs from around March – June each year. Pigeon Point is the most popular beach area on the Caribbean side of the island, where there are cabins which can be reserved for the day, plenty of food outlets and shops, and a shallow, safe bathing area.  There are places to hire jet-skis, and go on boat trips.

One of the main attractions on the island is the rainforest, reputed to be one of the oldest in the world, which attracts large numbers of bird-watching tourists.  There are guided tours through the forest with professional bird-watchers, exploring the forest canopy and various magnificent waterfalls.

The island has a mixture of eating places, both with local food or more international cuisine. There are some coffee shops and cafes – our favourite is Shore Things which serves breakfast and lunch overlooking the sea, and sells local craftworks.

There are a number of supermarkets, two of which sell a large range of international goods, lots of roadside fruit and vegetable stalls selling local produce, as well as the daily fresh fish markets in almost all towns and villages.  There are plenty of pharmacies, clothes and electronics shops, particularly in the main Mall. 

For evening entertainment there are plenty of bars in Crown Point, about 25 minutes drive from Bacolet, as well as numerous casinos.  There are plenty of banks and ATMs throughout the island.