First timer this New Year - what to do?

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Mark R

First timer this New Year - what to do?

Post by Mark R »

Hi
Great website, very informative.

We are making our first ever visit to Tobago (in fact, first time in the Caribbean) over New Year. It's a special trip for my wife's 40th. We will be staying in Sea Shells Villas for a week. As it is likely to be a 'once in a lifetime' holiday we really want to get the most out of our time without rushing around and coming home worn out!

Can anyone recommend any 'must see/must do' things for us (we have two girls aged 16 & 12) that will give us a real taste of what the island can offer.

Also any suggestions for a family friendly New Year's Eve.

Thanks
Mark
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Steve Wooler
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Post by Steve Wooler »

Hi Mark

Welcome aboard! :lol:

You're in for a treat. You will be ideally placed for everything and within walking distance of Pigeon Point and even Store Bay.

Musts? Well, as this is your first visit you must take and island tour with a reputable tour operator to give you an overview of the island. Then, a second must is to hire a car and get out there and explore it in more detail, based on what the tour guide had shown you.

Check out the various pages available via the menu bar at the top of each page. There's more than a quarter million words of information there, but only you will know what type of topics appeal to your family. With girls of that age, one thing I would particularly recommend is an off-road safari - that will give you a real taste of the island, but in a totally different way to an island and/or rainforest tour and driving around yourself.

As far as New Year's Eve goes, I imagine you will want to dine at one of the better restaurants. Its essential to book now for all the good restaurants. Sadly few are available by email, but we do give telephone numbers (see menu: Odds & Sods/Practicalities/Communications for details of cheap phone services that allow you to ring Tobago for next to nothing).
Steve Wooler
myTobago.info - the definitive Visitor Guide to Tobago
Mark R

Post by Mark R »

Steve

Thanks for the incredibly prompt response. I'll spend some time going through the website and post back if I can't find the answers.

Are there any restaurants within walking distance of Sea Shells that you would particularly recommend?

thanks
Mark
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Steve Wooler
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Post by Steve Wooler »

Hi Mark

Well, we have to be speedy to make up for how slow everything is on Tobago - but that's why we all love it so much, so I'm not complaining. :wink:

Any recommended restaurants within walking distance of Sea Shells?

The problem is that it gets dark at 6:30pm and not all roads are lit. The roads on the Bon Accord development are not fully lit and I'm not really over-happy to recommend that one guy and three ladies should walk unlit streets after dark. On top of that, although there's a host of fast food outlets around that area, there are very few good restaurants. The only exceptions are Cafe Coco, Panache Creole and the Pelican Reef. For light local lunch, try Bago's Beach Bar in Pigeon Point Road. For breakfast, you must go to House of Pancakes, which is directly opposite the road into the Bon Accord development.
Steve Wooler
myTobago.info - the definitive Visitor Guide to Tobago
Mark R

Post by Mark R »

Hi Steve
Thanks for that, perhaps a barbecue and a few bottles of the local brew back at the villa may be a better idea. Do the locals bother much with New Year?

regards
Mark
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Steve Wooler
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Post by Steve Wooler »

Do parrots have wings?

Believe you me, Tobagonians need very little excuse to throw a fete (party).
Steve Wooler
myTobago.info - the definitive Visitor Guide to Tobago
David Watkins
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Post by David Watkins »

Hi Mark amd family,Iagree with Steve.On that night(Old Years in Tobago) it would be unwise to go walking at night.Talk to whomever you are renting from they may be able to advise you on what to do on that night.
Or look around a couple of days before and decide where you want to go,get a tame driver who will take you there and return you home to at specified times,oh and don't pay until you get back to your place.
Old Years Night is great fun! So enjoy it.
David
Mark R

Post by Mark R »

Well, here we are back in a depressingly grey UK after an absolutely stunning week in Tobago. The island was everything we hoped for and more. As far as New Years Eve was concerned we ended up at Cafe Coco which was ok but the entertainment was a bit naff (with such great local music why get someone crooning through Elton John and Sade :?: ).

The one thing I must emphasise is the complete 100% friendliness we met from everyone, there was never the slightest hint of nastiness or intimidation and we always felt safe.

I would also urge any first timers to get out and about, hire a car if you can. There is so much more to the island than just stunning beaches.

One small worry - looking through some paperwork in the villa it seems planning permission has been granted for a 52 room hotel at Englishman's Bay. I am so glad we came now and saw it pretty much as nature intended.

Many thanks for all the advice contained within this website, it certainly enabled us to get the most out of our all too brief stay.
Mark Farrington
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Post by Mark Farrington »

<< planning permission has been granted for a 52 room hotel at Englishman's Bay >>

Oh :evil:

There goes my no. 1 all-time favourite deserted beach! We'll be sure to go while we're on the island in a couple of weeks...
Regards, Mark
David Watkins
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Post by David Watkins »

Hi all,the "planning permission"is at this stage outline only, for a resort and a number of villas.That's the not so good news,the better news is that it is not at Englishman's per se, but on the inland side of the road(Mrs Mills Trace).As there is a glut of hotel/stroke holiday beds I can't see anything much happening for some years ye
Ragards David :D 8)
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