Travel Advice to Tobago has changed.

[Cornelia Montgomery]

One night, maybe three Februaries ago, my husband and I set out in our rental car from our hotel. We'd decided to have dinner at the Blue Haven, which we had visited before during the day. Well, the sun was setting, my husband was driving, and I had the map. We got lost in the hills of Scarborough at dark. There are few street signs, and when we did find them, some were at a tilt and made us unsure of which street was which. The residential roads above Scarborough are quite narrow; many have sharp drop-offs into drainage ditches, and of course, many cars were parked along these narrow streets. Keep in mind that we usually drive on the right, and so you might expect that husband and wife would be getting a bit cranky with each other. So somehow we ended up going in this circle over and over, passing from time to time the same group of four or five men on a corner. After a while, they'd all wave and say: There they are again. Finally, we stopped when they waved us over. We told them we just wanted to get back to our hotel. As it turned out, one of the guys needed a lift into downtown Scarborough and offered to direct us to the right road back home. So he got in and the whole car filled with the smell of rum. I had heard some bad stories, and for a minute I was worried. As it turned out, the guy kept us laughing all the way to the point where we let him off. And he gave us good directions. However, we never made it to the Blue Haven for dinner.
At another time, however, we were at Pennysaver's late on a Saturday; there's a bar next door and the young drunk people were getting a bit threatening, demanding money. Again, everything turned out OK. However, that was a new experience for us in our several trips to Tobago. I think things are changing, and from what I read in the local newspapers, most people in Tobago are concerned also about the increase in crime. As a woman, I hope that somehow a more enlightened attitude will prevail among some Tobago men who do not have a wholesome attitude.
My point is this: You should be just fine. Be more careful than before.

[Cornelia Montgomery]

ADDENDUM: To explain my squeamishness, we NEVER pick up hitchhikers at home.

[Dr Stefan Rustscheff]

Hi everyone,
Just out of curiosity, since I always stay in one of the villas above Englishman´s bay, does anyone know of which two villas have been "crime scenes" there? From what I gather, the Italian couple were assaulted in their own home, which I believe normally isn´t for rent. Does anyone have tidings about the Swedish couple that were allegedly robbed and assaulted and which villa they staid in?

Incidentally, I will be trying a new villa this year which is as far back as possible into the mountainside. It was called Rx sunshine before and is now Tanager Ridge.Fitting for a doctor. Interestingly enough the owner has added a few extra amenities this year. These amenities turned out to be a shed for the nightwatchman! Where are we heading? I have always felt perfectly safe in and around the NW of the emerald isle but things does make one wonder. And I didn´t even want the bloody road to Charlotteville! Speaking of safety issues-one of my very dear friends is a female painter, a white lass who lives all alone óutside l´Anse fourmi along this road but nobody has molested her, even though she is white, alone and shockingly attractive, so I suppose things have to be taken at a perspective. But still, a murder rate 10 times NYC is 10 times NYC...I will nevertheless go back, sun myself on my patio clothes optional (great white whale...) and introduce my new fiancée to the pleasures of Englishman´s bay. Wish me luck, folks! I need it.

[Steve Wooler]

Hi Stefan

It would be unfair of me to mention the villa's name. There is a lot more to that story than meets the eye, but for legal reasons I can say no more. I'm just dreadfully sorry for the poor people who were visiting the owners that evening and who suffered so dreadfully for something they had no part in.

As I understand it, the Swedish couple were just day-visitors passing through. I'm also told that "knife" became "weapon" or "armed" and that in turn became "gun". Who knows? Frankly, I find it far more believable that it was some young druggie waving a cutlass rather than armed gang with guns. Not that that is an excuse of course.

Yes, we've all heard the stories and must ask where's it going. The sooner Tobago goes independent and shuts the doors to Trinidad and her influences the better, but I don't see that happening, sadly.

Just for your records, no tourists have ever been murdered in Tobago. Statistics are just so misleading when you're looking at single figures. I remain totally confident that my personal safety is greater in ANY part of Tobago than in most parts of the UK.

[Brian Taylor]

Posted: Sun Jul 17, 2005 11:31 pm Post subject:

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Hello,
I don´t want to follow Your discussion. But the people, local and tourists, in the north-west-aerea (Cascara, Parlatuvier, Bloody Bay etc) should know : Since several days the police and the military is hunting a murder in this aerea. This man killed his former wife, chopped her six year old son and a police-man. He was seen this morning in Parlatuvier.
Be careful !
For details please read the local newspapers.We got this information just a few minutes ago.
Take care.
Horst Heiser

little comment on this:

1. THEY GOT THE GUY LONGTIME!!!
2. he never went to a next village, he was in parlatouvier at all times, never in castara
3. this is an example for local domestic violence, that would not affect any tourist as long as they don't get involved!!! this is not to justify anything this man did, but he was angry at a special group of people (friends of his former wife) and was after them. at no time he was after any tourist. and whenever the police was chasing him, all touristes were kept our of the area.

tobago is still a very safe place, so no worries. just enjoy!