Mt Irvine Beach

Mt Irvine is the rare Tobago beach that does three things at once and does them all honestly. It sits on the calm leeward coast of the southwest, a broad half mile of soft sand backed by palms and sea grape, with fringing reef at both ends of the bay. For most of the year the water is shallow and gentle, which makes the public side a genuine family beach, but the north corner also holds the best known surf break on the island, a right hander over reef that wakes up through the winter. The same stretch of sand serves a paddling toddler and a surfer waiting on a set.

The honest read is that this is the natural, unfussy alternative to Pigeon Point a few minutes away. Pigeon Point has the postcard jetty and the crowds and an entry fee to match, while Mt Irvine is free, quieter and, to my eye, the better beach for nature. The reefs at either arm give real snorkelling close to shore, with damselfish and parrotfish, the odd squid and a chance of a green turtle or a southern stingray resting on the sand. There are proper facilities too, lifeguards in the day, showers, cabanas and a bar, which is more than most Tobago beaches offer, so you lose very little by skipping the famous one.

For a slow naturalist day, come early to the south end while the water is glassy, snorkel the reef gently with your hands tucked in and let the fish settle around you, then take the shade of the sea grape through the midday heat. If you surf and it is winter, the north corner is your spot, and the local guides on the bay can sort a lesson or a board. Keep off the coral, give any turtle room, and take your litter home. Treated kindly, Mt Irvine quietly outperforms its more famous neighbour.