SANDY POINT BEACH AND ROBINSON'S CAVE

At the end of the tarmac road leading to the Sandy Point hotels, a small path takes a left along the fenced-in airport compound. At a crossroads, a right-hand path leads to the garages that once belonged to the NP (National Petroleum) company and still bear this logo, garages that can be seen from a distance. If you continue straight ahead, you'll come to a dusty track on the right which leads to the sandy beach of Sandy Point, lined with coconut palms and usually deserted because it's off the beaten track.

As you take the road leading to the NP garage, you come across a sign pointing in the direction of Robinson's grotto. Following this direction, you pass a few houses, the last of which is that of the Croocks family, who own the land on which the famous grotto is located, a hole in the limestone ground that is anything but spectacular, especially as there's no guarantee that it's really Robinson's grotto, the latter being only a fictional character. The bottom line is that Mr Croocks, now deceased, was aware of the rumours that Tobago was the famous island described by Defoe. He therefore thought that if Tobago was that island, then his cave could only be that of the bearded man wearing a goatskin cap. Today, Madame Croocks charges TT$10 for the visit. Aside from the grotto, Sandy Point beach is superb.