Why? It's so beautiful and lush. The beaches are glorious and the water is wonderful. It's also rather small - you can cover the whole island by car in about three hours.

The best thing? The air - it is very clear. I also like the climate as it is not too hot. I think the sun there shines with great clarity. The locals are friendly and hospitable, as well.

My ideal day: First, I'd go and have a swim and then breakfast on fresh fruit at one of the local mango farms or fruit groves, both of which are gloriously fragrant. Next I would take to a hammock for several hours to read - I am very fond of biographies. Later, I'd head off to dine on local dishes at one of the island's small family restaurants.

My advice: Rather than a big hotel, if you can, stay in one of the small cottages or bed and breakfast houses. It is more unique then. And if you get the chance, take a boat tour around the island.

Getting there: Cheapflights (cheapflights.com) offers return flights between Gatwick and Tobago from around £518 return.

Where was your best holiday? Staying in a small cottage on Corfu. While I was there, I read the script for Room With A View, which I would later make into a film.

What is the best hotel you have ever stayed in? The Taj Mahal Hotel, Bombay. It is a grand Victorian building with a wonderful rotunda.

Where do you want to go next? To one of the small Turkish islands.

What do you never travel without? Traveller's cheques, books and CDs of Mozart and Indian classical music.

· Ismail Merchant's biography, My Passage from India: A Filmmaker's Journey from Bombay to Hollywood and Beyond, is published by Penguin, priced £20.