Getting around from Black Rock

[Elina]

We'll be arriving to Tobago in just a few days (for the first time!) and we'll be staying most of the time in the Black Rock area. We're still wondering wether we should rent a car or not. Is there any other way to get around? Does anyone know a good taxi driver that operates from Black Rock?

[Steve Wooler]

Hello Elina

Welcome aboard!

You can't beat the convenience of a self-drive car. Why waste valuable holiday time waiting for taxis? Driving is easy in Tobago, with none of the parking or traffic hassles we are used to at home. However, if you don't fancy driving yourself around, then have a word with the owner of your Black Rock accommodation as they will almost certainly have a local taxi driver that they can recommend.

[GervaisAlkins]

If you're staying close enough to the main road in Black Rock I learnt something from living there. There's bus that comes from Scarborough, passing through Mt. Pleasant, Grange Bay, Mt. Irvine, Black Rock then Plymouth every 30mins. The bus passes through Black Rock going north then gets to Plymouth turns around and heads back to Black Rock and eventually Scarborough. Once u time the process or ask some friendly local you can easily time the bus. Yes, this may be sorta different but it's a good way of experiencing island life. You can purchase bus tickets at two venues in Black Rock, ask a local again. Enjoy your stay!

[Ronald]

Hi Elena,

So you are running away from the cold for a while?

Both Steve and Gervais does give you very good advices, to have a car or not also depend on what you are going to do in Tobago, and how long you are going to be here.
The bus is more trusted now a days, but there´s no specific time table to read, locals can tell you when it is supposed to come, but there no "just-in-time" here in Tobago! And you must buy bus-tickets in Black Rock, not ON the bus, they don´t sell tickets on the buses here.

Gervais did tell you the bus route for that area, but I must point out one important thing. Let say you would like to go by bus to an area, outside what Gervais say, then you must go to Scarborough first. Almost all bus routes start and end in Scarborough, so to travel by bus from the Black Rock area down to (example) Crown Point, you maybe first have to go to Scarborough and than take a new bus down, that can mean waiting for buses! I´e seen buses in Crown Point with a sign "Black Rock" but I don´t know any time table, myself mostly walking on the road.

Depending on how long you are going to stay in Tobago, and what you want to see and do, a rented cars might be the best. It might be that you start your vacation in Black Rock, walking around, spend time around there and on the very big beach, get some tan (it´s a strong tropic sun here) and when that is done you want to see more of Tobago, because there much more to see and discover.

Black Rock Beach is big, not many use that beach, there´s a beach restaurant there, own by the hotel so do not expect cheap prices. Better to buy what you need for the day at the shop in Black Rock.
As Gervais mention Grange Bay, a word of warning. It´s not a beach with life guards, and there´s sometimes very strong currents there, one Trini did die there last week, and he was a good swimmer!

Don´t take a chance, use Mt irvine beach instead than. There are two such beaches, to local beach which has a local restaurant/bar and showers/toilets, but it has a lot of smaller stones in the sea. The other one is the hotel beach, but everyone can use that beach. The sand is much better there, and the hotel has a bar/restaurant there.

There´s much more to tell, but I don´t want to write a boook here! Feel free to write to my own e-mail address if you want that: [email protected]

Hope you will like your stay and that you will be back some other year.
I have been travelling to West Indies since late 80´s, to Trinidad since 1990, Tobago since 1992.

Ronald

[Elina]

Thanks for all the helpul answers! And all the other excellent tips, too! We'll keep them in mind.

I did contact my accommodation about the issue and they recommended we should rent a car, but they also had a taxi driver to recommend. I think we'll decide what we're going to do after we settle in.