Tobago Main Ridge Forest Reserve

In 1776 the colonial administration on Tobago set aside the island's central ridge as a forest reserve to protect rainfall for the plantations below, a decision that makes this arguably the oldest legally protected forest in the western hemisphere and a remarkably early piece of environmental thinking. The forest survives as a green spine along the island, dripping and dense, with trails leading to waterfalls and viewpoints. Birders come for endemics and specialities including the white-tailed sabrewing hummingbird, and local guides at the trailheads know exactly where the birds are working.

What you actually see

• Gilpin Trace trail - the classic walk into the ridge forest.
• White-tailed sabrewing - the reserve's flagship hummingbird.
• Argyle Waterfall - the island's tallest, near Roxborough.
• The ridge road - the drive across Tobago's forested spine.

When to go

The dry season from January to May makes the trails less slippery, though the forest is wet by nature and rain falls in any month. Early morning is the birding hour. Afternoons often cloud over on the ridge.

Honest expectations

Trails are muddy, steep in places and slick - proper footwear matters and flip-flops are a bad idea. Local guides at the trailheads are informal but genuinely knowledgeable and the fee is modest; going alone means seeing far less wildlife. Rain is frequent. Mosquitoes and chiggers are present, so repellent and covered legs help.

Nearby

Argyle Waterfall, Speyside's reef diving and Charlotteville on the north coast.