Visiting Argyle Falls, Tobago

Our rental car was dropped off Thursday morning and like eager beavers, we hopped in ready to hit the road. Tobago can be difficult to get around within a car of your own and so for a modest fee of $300 TT per day, or roughly $60 Canadian, we opted to go on a road trip of the entire island. Narrow, windy roads featuring excessive honking, a few gasps of terror, and stunning coastal views took us from the south of the island all the way around it’s perimeter. Along the way we stopped at countless bays and beaches, walking barefoot through the sand and dipping our toes into the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea.

While it was all a joyous adventure, what I really wanted to share with you today was our visit to Argyle Falls. There’s something about a waterfall that reminds me of fairytales. They have a magical quality about them that I can’t explain and the second I reach one, all my worries instantly fade away. Friends and I carefully made our way down a steep and rocky path hidden in the bamboo, led by our encouraging guide for the day, to the bottom of the falls. Being sure of our footing, we took a step back and looked up at the fresh water pouring down.

Like anyone would be, I was instantly transported to being in the mermaid lagoon from Peter Pan. With the big pool of water to swim in, the boulders to sunbathe on, and the waterfall flowing in the background, the three of us became mermaids of the falls. Balancing on bamboo, floating in the calm pools, and getting our massages from the waterfall spraying onto our backs, we lounged in this little bit of paradise.

The falls are 54m in height, starting from the very top and going down a few different cascades to reach the bottom, where we chose to spend our time. It’s easy to access, just outside of Roxborough with signs that you can’t miss. When we went, a small group of people were there who soon left, leaving us to our very own private lagoon. The water is very cool but welcomed and refreshing on a hot day of 33 degrees and humidity! You could probably get away with going there on your own, but we enjoyed having a guide to help us get down to the bottom of the falls. He also made an excellent photographer while we splashed in the water.

Once we’d had our fill of the waterfall, we scrambled back up the path and hit the road towards Charlotteville… but that’s a story for another day!