Discover Speyside: Reefs and Hummingbirds

Speyside combines reef experiences with birdwatching and distinctive places in the area itself. Diving and snorkeling are available at Speyside Reef; a glass-bottom boat trip runs from Speyside to Little Tobago Island. There is also a panoramic view from the Speyside Lookout and the Hummingbird Gallery. This gives you a range of interests to consider when planning, from the underwater world to birds at their nesting sites.

Reef, Views, and Birdwatching

Diving and snorkeling are available at Speyside Reef. The reef is also home to a brain coral described as the largest in the Western Hemisphere. This makes the reef a striking natural attraction for anyone interested in the underwater world.

The Speyside Lookout offers a panoramic view across East Tobago. This provides a different experience from the activities at the reef: rather than diving or snorkeling, the focus here is on views of the wider landscape.

At the Hummingbird Gallery, visitors can see six hummingbird species up close: White-Tailed Sabrewing, Black Throated Mango, Ruby Topaz, White Necked Jacobin, Rufous Breasted Hermit, and Copper Rumped. Dianne George founded the gallery in 2012; it is located at #3 Tophill Street in Speyside, Tobago. The species list gives a concrete sense of what makes the gallery distinctive, while the lookout offers views across East Tobago.

Another birdwatching option is the glass-bottom boat trip from Speyside to Little Tobago Island. There, visitors can observe red-billed tropicbirds, Sandwich terns, and frigatebirds at their nesting sites. The difference from the Hummingbird Gallery is clear: the gallery is about seeing six hummingbird species up close; on Little Tobago, the focus is on seabirds at their nesting sites.

When looking for a vacation rental in Speyside, these interests can help shape your choice of location. Consider whether you would like to include diving and snorkeling, close-up encounters with hummingbirds, or the birdwatching boat trip in your travel plans. These activities appeal to different nature interests and offer a concrete starting point for choosing the focus of your vacation.

Dining and Distinctive Places

Speyside’s eateries also offer different experiences. Birdwatcher’s Café serves gourmet dishes prepared by Chef Don and offers local beers. Jemma’s Tree House Restaurant serves a Creole lunch. Built on a tree trunk, it offers a view of the Atlantic Ocean. If you plan to visit either restaurant, check its opening hours and current offerings before you go.

Tobago in a Wider Context

Across Tobago as a whole, cocoa and its history are also part of the island’s identity. Tobago’s cocoa industry was revived in 2005 through the initiative of young Tobagonian and sommelier Duane Dove. In Roxborough, Tobago Cocoa Estate grows a type of cocoa known as “fine” or “flavour” cocoa in the green hills overlooking the Atlantic. It is used to make chocolate.

The Tobago Harvest Festival began as a religious harvest thanksgiving for the produce of the island’s villages. The program described includes a morning service to bless the food and an afternoon concert featuring skits, poems, and a cantata by the village choir. This description highlights the festival’s connection with the villages’ produce and cultural life.

Other historical topics on Tobago include Buccoo Historical Park on Golden Grove Estate in Buccoo. The historic nature park contains the remains of two water mills, a copra-drying area, and an old cocoa building. In Tobago’s fishing communities, people also bring the day’s catch ashore together using a method called “pulling seine,” also known as the “tradition of lending hands.”

For travel between the islands, the Trinidad and Tobago Inter-Island Ferry Service operates daily ferry services between Trinidad and Tobago. As schedules may change, check with the operator before travelling.

Explore more destinations: Belle Garden, Charlotteville.

For the broader travel overview: Eastern Tobago.