Guest Report

[Philip Gould]

We spent the majority of our time on Tobago staying in Speyside on the eastern side of the island. This gave us easy access to our excellent birding guide, Newton George, who lives over there and allowed for a quick and easy trip to Little Tobago.

However, we had left our last few nights unbooked and, thankfully, we decided to spend them in Castara. On the recommendation of our landlady in Speyside, we contacted Ancle and were lucky enough to find that he had room for us.

We arrived before the room had been cleaned after its previous occupants had moved out. No problem - we sat and chatted with Ancle who, although he had only just met us, was generous in sharing useful information ... and some of his favourite whiskey!

The very reasonably priced room was basic but clean. We had one of the downstairs rooms in the original building and, to be fair, it had probably seen better days. However, with the beach only a few metres away and lots of other things to see and do, all we were going to use it for was sleeping, so it was perfect! There are also newer rooms and small apartments at the Naturalist, so there should be something for everyone.

The beach is beautiful and the sea warm and clear, with some excellent snorkelling to be had. There is an easy and enjoyable walk to a small waterfall, and other small beaches can be reached on foot. There are several small shops in Castara where supplies can be bought, and various restaurants provide a mixture of tasty dishes ... definitely check out Hazel's rotis and fresh bread at Bingi the Fruit King!

We shall certainly return to Castara one day and, if there's room for us, we will be sure to partake of Ancle's hospitality and friendliness again!

Thanks again for a great stay, Phil & Becky