Tobago / Bars/Nightlife

By James Henderson

Tobago’s nightlife can be surprisingly lively and the island’s bars see a good mix of locals and visitors. There are many venues, and they go in and out of vogue, but still, after many years, one of the hottest nights of the week is Sunday, when the popular Sunday School street party takes place in Buccoo. Most of the larger hotels have some form of entertainment but this always finishes early to avoid disturbing guests and neighbours. Look out for the various events that take place during the year, including the Great Fete Weekend, Tobago Carnival Regatta and the Carib Beer Great Race, which give the islanders another, barely-needed excuse for a party.

Here is a selection of recommended bars on Tobago:

Bonkers, Crown Point - Friendly, open-sided bar and restaurant located within the Toucan Inn, with live entertainment several nights per week.

Phoenix, Bon Accord - Bar and grill set in a modern house, not just for the après diving crowd. Some late night drinking.

Kariwak Village, Crown Point - Popular for it’s Friday and Saturday night buffet dinner with live soca/jazz/pop music, supplied by in-house band, the Kariwak Players.

Seahorse Inn, Grafton Beach Road - Live steel pan Monday and Thursday, and guitarist Tues nights from 8pm-9pm.

The Shade, Bon Accord - Opposite the Chinese Plaza inland, lively into late evening.

Sunday School, Buccoo - The highlight of the week, a popular street festival, where music pumps out into the night and everyone generally has a fun time eating, drinking and dancing. Lots of food stalls, people selling local handicrafts and even gaming tables. If you want to listen to the steel bands, then get there early. The evening kicks off at around 9pm.

Contributor: Deana Bellamy