Diving, Excursions and Eating Out
Posted: Fri Nov 16, 2012 5:32 pm
Hi all,
Some general info that may be of use….
Diving:
We used Extra Divers (Pigeon Point), who are a well run outfit. Markus, the manager, picked us up from Toucan Inn everyday and dropped us off early afternoon after 2 morning dives. I would recommend Extra Divers everytime. They also have a dive centre in Speyside which we visited twice during our stay. Run by Tanya, equally as professional. Speyside has the best diving, and I would probably stay at Speyside for this reason alone if I every returned to Tobago.
The other dive centres are probably best avoided. Most seem to run to Markus at Extra Divers for support/assistance when things go wrong with their boat/compressor. While we were there we had a guy diving with us who had booked his diving with R&Sea Divers at Toucan Inn (where we stayed). He dived with us as (so I was told) their boat had a broken engine (and their compressor was broken as well). PM me if you want further info about the diving/dive centres.
Excursions:
I recommend taking the day trip (by taxi/people carrier) around the island in your first few days. Leave around 9:00, up the Caribbean side, across the rain forest and lunch at Jemma’s in Speyside, then down the Atlantic side, back in time for late afternoon. On the way you will stop off at forts, beaches, Jemmas is a wonderful restaurant, see the sights, travel through the villages, visit forts. All good stuff. Our driver was a fella called Lester. Great fun and he knew his stuff.
Mister B (from Toucan Inn) offers a trip to Sacrborough to visit the forts and botanical gardens. Well worth a visit, but the highlight of the trip was a visit to the Adventure Farm where you will be surrounded by humming birds as they feed. This experience will live with me forever and is an essential visit. After this ask Mister B to take you to eat some soursap ice cream (a local delicacy) at Shore Things.
Bagos Bar is on the way to Pigeon Point (approx. 30 mins gentle walk from Toucan Inn) and worth a visit to watch the sunset over a beer or cocktail.
Pigeon Point is the best beach in the area. Ask reception at Toucan Inn for a taxi as it is a little far to walk in the heat!
Restaurants
We mostly dined at Toucan Inn/Bonkers, but also visited Dillons and La Cantina. Dillons are a seafood restaurant. The food was beautifully cooked, the cocktails strong and the service warm and friendly. La Cantina is an Italian pizza restaurant. Splendid pizza, drinks. A single starter and single pizza will be enough for 2 people. Both of these restaurants is walking distance (20 mins or so) from Toucan Inn.
Other stuff;
A pharmacy and a general store are both within easy walking distance from Toucan Inn.
Hope this is of help.
Nigel
Some general info that may be of use….
Diving:
We used Extra Divers (Pigeon Point), who are a well run outfit. Markus, the manager, picked us up from Toucan Inn everyday and dropped us off early afternoon after 2 morning dives. I would recommend Extra Divers everytime. They also have a dive centre in Speyside which we visited twice during our stay. Run by Tanya, equally as professional. Speyside has the best diving, and I would probably stay at Speyside for this reason alone if I every returned to Tobago.
The other dive centres are probably best avoided. Most seem to run to Markus at Extra Divers for support/assistance when things go wrong with their boat/compressor. While we were there we had a guy diving with us who had booked his diving with R&Sea Divers at Toucan Inn (where we stayed). He dived with us as (so I was told) their boat had a broken engine (and their compressor was broken as well). PM me if you want further info about the diving/dive centres.
Excursions:
I recommend taking the day trip (by taxi/people carrier) around the island in your first few days. Leave around 9:00, up the Caribbean side, across the rain forest and lunch at Jemma’s in Speyside, then down the Atlantic side, back in time for late afternoon. On the way you will stop off at forts, beaches, Jemmas is a wonderful restaurant, see the sights, travel through the villages, visit forts. All good stuff. Our driver was a fella called Lester. Great fun and he knew his stuff.
Mister B (from Toucan Inn) offers a trip to Sacrborough to visit the forts and botanical gardens. Well worth a visit, but the highlight of the trip was a visit to the Adventure Farm where you will be surrounded by humming birds as they feed. This experience will live with me forever and is an essential visit. After this ask Mister B to take you to eat some soursap ice cream (a local delicacy) at Shore Things.
Bagos Bar is on the way to Pigeon Point (approx. 30 mins gentle walk from Toucan Inn) and worth a visit to watch the sunset over a beer or cocktail.
Pigeon Point is the best beach in the area. Ask reception at Toucan Inn for a taxi as it is a little far to walk in the heat!
Restaurants
We mostly dined at Toucan Inn/Bonkers, but also visited Dillons and La Cantina. Dillons are a seafood restaurant. The food was beautifully cooked, the cocktails strong and the service warm and friendly. La Cantina is an Italian pizza restaurant. Splendid pizza, drinks. A single starter and single pizza will be enough for 2 people. Both of these restaurants is walking distance (20 mins or so) from Toucan Inn.
Other stuff;
A pharmacy and a general store are both within easy walking distance from Toucan Inn.
Hope this is of help.
Nigel