Store Bay is the face of Tobago, the place everyone who has ever been to Tobago should recognise. And why not? It's a fairly small, cozy beach nestled on the western side of the island's southern toe. Oh, and it's barely five minutes walk from the airport.

If you've ever said “I wish I could step off the plane and onto the beach”, Store Bay, and Tobago is the place for you.

With such a recognisable mien Store Bay is probably the best representation of the changing face of Tobago, and has been for decades. And in today's world, changing face often means commercialisation. Long gone are the days where the beach was an expanse of open sand, dotted by towels and sandcastles. Now the hawkers deck the sand with their chairs and umbrellas for rent — a concession that can be sorely tempting under the hot Caribbean sun.

The glass bottomed boats, seen anchored offshore, bearing names such as Sun Fun and Island Queen, vie for passengers with offers of “free drinks” and complimentary barbecue on board while touring the Buccoo Reef. Just what you need, chicken bones and rum bottles tossed overboard while inebriated visitors stumble over the priceless coral of one of the Western Hemisphere's most spectacular reefs.

Yes, Tobago is changing, but some things remain the same, like the pristine blueness of the Store Bay water, and the waves that barely caress you as they slide past on their way up the fine sand shores of Paradise.