Trinidad and Tobago are an exercise in beautiful contradiction. In Trinidad, pristine mangrove swamps and rainforested hills sit side by side with smoke-belching oil refineries and unpretty industrial estates. Tobago has everything you’d expect from a Caribbean island, with palm trees and white sand aplenty, yet it’s relatively unchanged by the tourist industry. Combined, this twin-island republic offers unparalleled birdwatching; first-class diving; and luxuriant rainforests perfect for hiking and waterfall swimming. Then there's the electric nightlife and a fabulous Carnival, easily the biggest and best of the region’s annual blowouts. And thanks to the legacy of TnT's melting-pot population, the cuisine is a foodie dream, from sensational curries to the freshest of fish.