The home of carnival, steel bands, calypso and limbo dancing, Trinidad and Tobago's blend of different cultures gives them an air of cosmopolitan excitement. Liming, or talking for talking's sake, is a popular pastime, as is chatting about, watching and playing cricket.

Port of Spain, surrounded by lush green hills, is the capital and business hub of oil-rich Trinidad. Bazaars throng beneath modern skyscrapers and mosques rub shoulders with cathedrals. San Fernando is the island's second town and the main commercial centre in the south. Close by is the fascinating natural phenomenon of the Pitch Lake, a 36-hectare (90-acre) lake of asphalt which constantly replenishes itself.

Tobago, some 32km (20 miles) to the northeast of Trinidad, is very different from her sister isle. The island is so beautiful and fertile that just about every western European colonial power has fought to have it. It is a tranquil island with calm waters and a number of fine beaches, each with their own flavour.

The story of Trinidad and Tobago has been one of invasion and conquest since its discovery by Christopher Columbus, who claimed it for Spain in 1498. The British captured Trinidad in 1797 after settling Tobago in 1642. In 1888, Tobago was amalgamated with Trinidad and administered as a single colony thereafter. The islands achieved full independence in 1962.