EDITOR’S PICK: Untouched Paradise in Tobago

This week, Wanderlust founding editor Lyn Hughes is bringing back one of her favourite episodes from the last ten series all about the beautiful Caribbean island of Tobago.  "If you want big resorts and all-inclusive hotels," she says, "Tobago is not for you. But if you love wildlife, rainforest, authenticity and culture, you will absolutely love it." Tobago is a small, jewel-bright island in the Caribbean, seemingly untouched by time. Birds call in lush rainforests, warm seas wash over white sands, and music echoes from every town and village. It is one of those rare places that still feels genuinely itself. In this episode of Wanderlust: Off the Page, host Aaron Millar speaks with several Tobago natives and residents to explore the island's abundant offerings. Alicia Edwards and John Arnold take us into Tobago's vibrant cultural traditions, from the longstanding rituals of goat and crab racing to Ole Time Wedding reenactments, and a tradition called Sunday School that has nothing to do with church. Then lifelong birder Zolani Frank leads us through vivid rainforests, across hidden beaches and under rushing waterfalls, sharing his best tips for experiencing everything Tobago's natural world has to offer. Pour a drink, put your feet up, and let Tobago work its magic. **Highlights include:** - **Goat racing, crab racing and the Ole Time Wedding.** The cultural festivals that make Tobago like nowhere else: deeply rooted traditions that the whole island turns out for, and that no visitor who witnesses them ever forgets. - **Sunday School: not what you think.** A weekly open-air street party in Buccoo that starts on Sunday night and, if you're not careful, runs well into Monday morning. One of the most exuberant and welcoming events in the Caribbean. - **Birding with Zolani Frank.** Tobago has one of the highest concentrations of bird species per square kilometer in the world. Zolani, a lifelong birder and guide, takes us into the rainforest to hear why this small island punches so far above its weight for wildlife. - **Hidden beaches and rushing waterfalls.** Tobago's interior is a genuine rainforest, and its coastline hides coves that most visitors never find. Zolani's routes take you to both, away from the beaten track and into the island at its most beautiful. - **Why Tobago is not for everyone, and exactly why that is its greatest asset.** No mega-resorts, no all-inclusives, no manufactured experience. What it has instead is authenticity, warmth and a way of life that the Caribbean has largely lost elsewhere. **Find Out More** Plan your Tobago adventure at visittobago.gov.tt Find out more about Tobago's festivals and upcoming events at tobagofestivalscommission.com Book a nature and birding tour with Zolani Frank at Zee Birding Tours and Nature Hikes on Facebook: ZeeBirding, or book through a local Tobagonian provider. **Thank You to Our Guests** Alicia Edwards, Tobago Tourism Agency — find out more at visittobago.gov.tt John Arnold, Tobago Festivals Commission — see the events calendar at tobagofestivalscommission.com Zolani Frank, Zee Birding Tours and Nature Hikes — find him on Facebook: ZeeBirding **Intrepid Travel** Thanks to our series sponsor Intrepid, the leading specialists in small group adventures. To plan an adventure of your own, check out their small group trips at intrepidtravel.com **Wanderlust: Off the Page** Take the road less travelled with us and subscribe to the show so you never miss an adventure. **Wanderlust Magazine** Wanderlust is the UK's leading independent travel magazine, taking the road less travelled since 1993. Find out more at wanderlustmagazine.com Become a Wanderlust Club Member to join a community of passionate travellers, with print editions, exclusive content and more. **Credits** This episode was produced by Armchair Productions, the audio experts for the travel industry. Lyn Hughes and Rosie Fitzgerald introduce the show. Aaron Millar is the interviewer and script editor. Audio production by Charles Tyrie.