First visit to Tobago

[Tracy Conaghan]

Hello to all,

I must start by saying the information that is provided on this site is fabulous. My husband and myself are arriving mid April for one week, staying at the Turtle Beach by Rex. We have arranged land transfers through Yes Tourisim, and they have responded to every email and flight change that we have had so far, very pleased.

We think we would like to book a snorkling tour over at Speyside, and see Goat island, little Tobago. We would like to do one other tour of some sort in order to see more Tobago, locals, sights. Open for any suggestions. Possibly hire a driver for the day to check out the unspoiled beaches. I have been reading all the warnings that have been posted, don't worry it does not bother us, but are there any other places we should stay clear of. We are walkers, on the beach, through the streets, ect, love to feel the real charm of an island, instead of staying on the resort the whole time.

One last question, currency, we are canadian, so we won't bring that, but should we be bring US dollars, TT dollars, or both. Is there a Scotia Bank on Tobago, just for curiosity. We are really looking forward to our visit to Tobago. Thanks, Tracy & Lloyd

[Steve Wooler]

Hi Tracy

Welcome aboard - and thanks for your kind words.

If you are staying at the Turtle Beach Hotel then I think that I would recommend Peter Cox (www.TobagoNatureTours.com ) as he is based locally to the hotel and is the most truly knowledgeable and reliable guide in that area. At all costs, avoid the rogues (most) who tout for business on the beach. If you tell Peter what you are most interested in, he will try to arrange a custom tour based around the time available and your interests.

If you are with a local guide/person, you can forget about places 'not to visit' because they will not take you there. The truth is that simply having a local present normally always prevents trouble. It's a sad fact of life, but the bad guys know that you will be gone in a week or two so their chances of being identified are pretty low. If a local has seen them, can identify them and is here to testify to the police/magistrate, then its a different story.

As regards money, it makes no sense to change Canadian dollars into US dollars only to pay a conversion rate to have them changed yet again into US dollars. The local TT rate will always be cheaper than paying in USD. So, bring an initial 'stock' of TT dollars and then draw from the bank or an ATM machine as required.

Yes, there are branches of Scotiabank here. See menu: Information > Money Matters for locations of the different branches. The most convenient and easy-to-find branch of Scotia Bank is in the new Gulf City Mall in Lowlands. You can't miss it.

[Paul Tallet]

This brings back memories ...

The Rex Turtle Resort was the place I went to when I first visited Tobago about 10 years ago and I just stayed for a week too.

Like Steve says ... I used recommended guides for specific tours. The best one was a Catamarran Trip from Pigeon Point up the Caribbean Coast and we also did a tour of the Island in a bus and this included a snorkelling trip to the Reef off Goat Island.

But one of the most rewarding and probably irresponsible things I did on day one was to hire an open top jeep for the day and drive aimlessly around the Island to explore ... I went east, saw Castara (bimbled about), saw beautiful Englishmans Bay (another bimble), a good soaking from a heavy shower in the middle of the rainforest and then a drive along the windswept Atlantic Coast before somehow making myself back to the resort after dark.

That one day gave me everything I needed for my return trips to Tobago.

Plus ... the Rex Turtle Breakfasts are so good that I go back there every year for another taste.

If you are touring about there are very few no-go areas ... there are posts here about a nutter in Plymouth and there have been some concerns about Englishman's Bay but I have never had any trouble ... I look like a scruff and I am always smiling insanely at everyone so the baddies probably think I am best left alone

Regards

[Tracy Conaghan]

We are back from our first visit to Tobago, and it will not be our last. Where do I start, first again many thanks to all for the information, that we learned and followed. We stayed at the Rex, as mentioned, no problems, staff was super, security guys were awesome, maids were great. Very clean, basic hotel, and the locals crusing around were great to talk with. Pool is beautiful, for a 2.5 star hotel, very pleased. Would I stay here again, yup, but I would not do all inclusive again, we had no appetite due to the heat, so fruit, water, and basics was all we really wanted, but not fault to the hotel, the food was fine.

Yes Tourisim, was great, punctual, and Dennis our guide was very nice and full of information. He provided us a full day tour around the island and it was fantastic, and very interesting, thanks again Dennis. Airport transfers went nice and smooth.

We flew with Caribbean airlines, direct to Trinidad, and then the island hopper over again with caribbean airlines over to Tobago, great flight, they even managed to get us on an earlier flight over to Tobago. We were not so lucky to get an extended stay as many of our fellow guests at the Rex did, from the iceland volcano. We met some lovely people from around the world during our stay. Never felt threatened, never worried about our safety, the local people were warm and friendly. Sure you saw the local town idiot, or drunk, but such is life, you find this everywhere and anywhere, you see it in my small backwards town that I live in, and again it was never an issue, or problem.

We were lucky and had some rain while we were there, and believe me it was really nice, then as fast as it came it was gone. We witnessed the leatherback turtles, in early morning on our beach, what a sight to see this living creature, just beautiful, we were lucky enough to see a Mot Mot bird, plus many other types.
Great time, Tracy & Lloyd

[GazHorton]

hi tracey and lloyd

We off to tobago in feb for the first time, nice to read your first post and then your last post with positives about tobago.With the money did you take ttd and then take out of atm as Steve Wooler suggested ( do you get charged for using the atm )

many thanks Gary and Helen

[RosyV]

Hi all, I really do agree with Tracey. I honesty feel that the warnings re crime on Tobago are over emphasised and are doing so much harm to the tourist industry on this lovely island and causing unnecessary worry to first time visitors. We nearly cancelled our holiday last year because of it. Thank goodness we saw sense! We hired a jeep and travelled around the island and can honestly say there wasn't one time when we felt at risk or found ourselves in any dodgy situations. Yes, we too have encountered the chap in Plymouth and yes he asked us for money, was persistent and shouted a bit but hey as Tracey says you can come across similar characters just about anywhere in the world. Hasn't most city's, towns, villages got its own eccentric/drunk etc? We hired a jeep too and had a couple of days touring the island, enjoying Castara and other beautiful places. We didn't go to King Peters Bay or Buccoo Bay or a couple of other places on the advice of locals (including Sheppey) because they advised against it. If visitors came to me in I would probably advise them against one or two places to avoid. We did hire a hard top jeep though because of fishing equipment and bags etc but again I wouldn't recommend parking-up an open top car and leaving it anywhere with valuables on display. The advice on the Foreign Office site is that Trinidad and Tobago has high levels of crime "partcularly in Tobago". Ok, I'm not an expert, I've only been twice (to date!), yes there have been incidents and I wouldn't want to trivialise the experience of those victims. But to suggest to tourists that Tobago is more dangerous in comparison to Trinidad seems ridiculous to me. Just go out there excercise normal common sense, listen to the locals, who are the friendliest bunch we've ever come across and just enjoy this lovely place!

[RosyV]

Sorry Tracy (not Tracey)... my apologies

[GazHorton]

Hi Rosy v

Getting Tracys name wrong makes you as bad as me i think i think i named you rossy v
But then i named her tracey as well

[Tracy Conaghan]

No problem with the incorrect spelling of my name. I used my credit cards when needed, and I brought down american money. I only converted to trini dollors when needed, like for the side trips through tobago country side, to deal with the local markets and people. I found Tobago quite inexpensive compared to other islands that I have visited. Enjoy the island, beautiful people, rainforests, a warm feeling through out. Tracy&Lloyd