Kami Allong and Alexandra Gray

While TT is often called a "twin-island republic," this label barely scratches the surface of its true geographical diversity.

Scattered throughout TT waters are numerous smaller islands, each with its own unique history, unknown to even some of the nation’s citizens.

Most of these islands remain uninhabited and untouched by modern development, serving as sanctuaries for wildlife and havens for exploration.

For the most part, our little sister isles are grouped based on proximity and shared discoveries. There are six groupings:

D Bocas

The Bocas Islands or Las Bocas del Dragón (the Dragon's Mouth) are affectionately referred to as "D Bocas."

These little wonders are in the northwestern marine territory of Trinidad, with Chacachacare being the westernmost of that group as recently as 1942, when Patos Island was traded for Soldado Rock in a show of camaraderie between the TT and Venezuelan governments.

The other islands of D Bocas include Monos, Huevos, Gaspar Grande and Gasparillo Island (Centipede Island).

Five Islands

We shouldn’t let this name fool us, as there are in fact six little sisters in this grouping: Caledonia Island, Craig Island, Lenegan Island, Nelson Island, Pelican Island and Rock Island, the first two of which are joined by a man-made causeway.

San Diego Islands

This pair of islands, Carrera and Cronstadt, are within closest proximity to Trinidad’s northwestern peninsula and are the first landmarks on any voyage "down de islands."

Gulf of Paria Islands

Situated in the Gulf of Paria, Farallon Rock and Soldado Rock hold geological and historical importance in TT’s maritime landscape.

Soldado Rock, in particular, has been pivotal in defining the maritime boundary between Venezuela and TT.

North Coast Island

Saut d’Eau, the lone island off Trinidad’s northern coast, stands as another distinctive feature along Trinidad's coastline.

Off Tobago Islands

Little Tobago, St Giles Island and Goat Island, just off Tobago’s northeastern shores and Sisters’ Rock on the west, offer opportunities for exploration, wildlife observation and marine adventures.

These four islands, steeped in natural splendour and biodiversity, contribute to Tobago's reputation as a tropical paradise and a haven for eco-tourism enthusiasts.

For the first part of our Hidden Gems series, we will be taking a closer look at the San Diego Islands both of which, as mentioned, lie off the west coast of Trinidad:

Cronstadt Island

Cronstadt, nestled between the Bocas Islands and the Five Islands, boasts scenic beauty with its mountainous terrain formed from limestone remnants of a reef.

Along with Carrera Island, Cronstadt has been identified as lower cretaceous laventille formation fossiliferous limestone on the geological map.

Positioned south of Chaguaramas Bay, this islet is adorned with lush vegetation, which, according to some sources, conceals a small crater from an extinct volcano.

[caption id="attachment_1085128" align="alignnone" width="960"] Cronstadt