Hi All,
We are going to Tobago for the first time at the beginning of May. We are really looking forward to it and this site has been a godsend!!
However, I have been reading items on the forum. It seems that last year there were several violent assaults and other things happening. I know that everywhere has crime and you have to use your noodle, but it is a bit disconcerting. I was wondering if anything like this has happened recently or was this 2 or 3 guys on a crime spree?
Also, we are staying in a villa in Carnbee. Was wondering if people could let me know what the area is like?
Many thanks
Mike
Current Security
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Joe King
Hi Mike,
To be honest I don't think you have anything to fret about. I do not have any personal experience of Carnbee, but we went to Tobago in May last year, which was just after one of the 'Crime Sprees'. To be honest it did worry me, and I spent my first couple of days in tobago, constantly looking over my shoulder. There was no need for such worry on my part.
As you said in your post, if you 'use your noodle' as you would if you were staying in any other resort in the world.
I believe that this site, being as informative as it is, sometimes gives people too much information (if that is possible
) and can lead to some paranoia with reference to crime. What you need to bear in mind is that the crime figures in Tobago are no where as high as in any of the Mediterranean resorts we frequent. And the only reason you hear about the odd 'crime spree' in Tobago is because this site is so well used.
Stop fretting, look forward to your holiday and just remember to use your 'noodle'!!
I wish I was going back this May
Joe
To be honest I don't think you have anything to fret about. I do not have any personal experience of Carnbee, but we went to Tobago in May last year, which was just after one of the 'Crime Sprees'. To be honest it did worry me, and I spent my first couple of days in tobago, constantly looking over my shoulder. There was no need for such worry on my part.
As you said in your post, if you 'use your noodle' as you would if you were staying in any other resort in the world.
I believe that this site, being as informative as it is, sometimes gives people too much information (if that is possible
) and can lead to some paranoia with reference to crime. What you need to bear in mind is that the crime figures in Tobago are no where as high as in any of the Mediterranean resorts we frequent. And the only reason you hear about the odd 'crime spree' in Tobago is because this site is so well used.Stop fretting, look forward to your holiday and just remember to use your 'noodle'!!
I wish I was going back this May
Joe
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Michael Crowther
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David Watkins
- Bude Cool Boy
- Posts: 1990
- Joined: Sat Nov 01, 2003 12:12 pm
- Location: Bude Cornwall uk
- Contact:
Michael,Don't let those few reports bother you,there are less incidents in a year in Tobago than in a UK TOWN of similar population in a week!!!!!
Carnbee is pleasant but (by Tobago standards) a bit 'suburban'.There are a couple of bars and restaurants actually in the village and also a Pennysavers supermarket.It's about a 10minute drive to Mt Irvine/Buccoo and a bit longer to Scarborough/Crownpoint.A very good restaurant(and in my opinion one of the best)is the MOT-MOT restaurant about 1mile out of Carnbee on the way to Buccoo.A wide range of very good eating places is within a couple of miles-Chinese,Italian,Creole-you name it it is close by.I stayed at Mot-Mot ridge,just outside Carnbee during Carnival and had a good time.
Have a good holiday,make sure you go to Sunday School,
David.
Carnbee is pleasant but (by Tobago standards) a bit 'suburban'.There are a couple of bars and restaurants actually in the village and also a Pennysavers supermarket.It's about a 10minute drive to Mt Irvine/Buccoo and a bit longer to Scarborough/Crownpoint.A very good restaurant(and in my opinion one of the best)is the MOT-MOT restaurant about 1mile out of Carnbee on the way to Buccoo.A wide range of very good eating places is within a couple of miles-Chinese,Italian,Creole-you name it it is close by.I stayed at Mot-Mot ridge,just outside Carnbee during Carnival and had a good time.
Have a good holiday,make sure you go to Sunday School,
David.
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William Glenn
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Gert Lumbye
stabbing - new Tobago trend?
Hi,
have been reading the TT Guardian and Express the last coupple of days - have everyone in TT gone crazy? 80 murders up till now...this year! - and even 3 murders in Tobago - the, at least thats what I thought, most peacefull place on earth.
As the editorial of today in the Guardian (web) says, someone should do something now! I know these 2 newspapers have a tendency to focus on violence...but they can only do so, if there is something to write about. This year, the stories have been floating in...
I hope I won't be scared away...planning to go to Tobago with my little kids and wife beginning 2006. I have travelled a lot to different places in the world, and normally I dont get afraid!. But now beeing a father with bigger responsibility, I need to look at cold data for the destinations - and even wonderful Tobago is working its way up the unsafe-ranking
just my comment on the situation...seen from the almost boringly safe Denmark
Gert
have been reading the TT Guardian and Express the last coupple of days - have everyone in TT gone crazy? 80 murders up till now...this year! - and even 3 murders in Tobago - the, at least thats what I thought, most peacefull place on earth.
As the editorial of today in the Guardian (web) says, someone should do something now! I know these 2 newspapers have a tendency to focus on violence...but they can only do so, if there is something to write about. This year, the stories have been floating in...
I hope I won't be scared away...planning to go to Tobago with my little kids and wife beginning 2006. I have travelled a lot to different places in the world, and normally I dont get afraid!. But now beeing a father with bigger responsibility, I need to look at cold data for the destinations - and even wonderful Tobago is working its way up the unsafe-ranking
just my comment on the situation...seen from the almost boringly safe Denmark
Gert
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Steve Wooler
- myTobago Editor & Chief Anorak
- Posts: 4843
- Joined: Sun Apr 21, 2002 11:00 pm
- Location: Suffolk, England
- Contact:
Hi Gert
Yes its very alarming, but like all these things, not quite what it seems.
Leave Trinidad out of the picture - Trinidad and Tobago are chalk and cheese. Bit like the UK and France, I guess - the countries are the same geographical distance apart and now that Britain and France are effectively under the same government
we bear a lot of similarities - and differences - as Trinidad and Tobago.
The three tragic deaths are another story. The most recent - just yesterday morning - was a purely domestic family issue and the culprit caught within half an hour.
The previous death, and an association serious stabbing, were the result of a Trinidadian house party. A friend on Tobago wrote to me earlier today saying that they'd just had a crazy, long Easter weekend and that he'd never seen so many Trinis on the island. They were having parties and fetes everywhere.
The third death took place on March 17 and allegedly resulted from an altercation between the victim and someone he has recently won a court case against.
So, all these cases were what might be described as "domestic" and certainly not something for visitors to have any concern about.
Yes its very alarming, but like all these things, not quite what it seems.
Leave Trinidad out of the picture - Trinidad and Tobago are chalk and cheese. Bit like the UK and France, I guess - the countries are the same geographical distance apart and now that Britain and France are effectively under the same government
we bear a lot of similarities - and differences - as Trinidad and Tobago.The three tragic deaths are another story. The most recent - just yesterday morning - was a purely domestic family issue and the culprit caught within half an hour.
The previous death, and an association serious stabbing, were the result of a Trinidadian house party. A friend on Tobago wrote to me earlier today saying that they'd just had a crazy, long Easter weekend and that he'd never seen so many Trinis on the island. They were having parties and fetes everywhere.
The third death took place on March 17 and allegedly resulted from an altercation between the victim and someone he has recently won a court case against.
So, all these cases were what might be described as "domestic" and certainly not something for visitors to have any concern about.
Steve Wooler
myTobago.info - the definitive Visitor Guide to Tobago
myTobago.info - the definitive Visitor Guide to Tobago
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Dave B
I believe that crime in Tobago is pretty low and no worse than small towns in the UK. Having just returned from two weeks there I can say that I read the local paper every day and was horrified with reports from Trinidad. There were murders, fatal car crashes and kidnappings virtually every day coupled with a big fire in Port of Spain.
However I don't think Tobago got a mention once apart from possibly the odd small car crash. I think the problem Tobago has is being lumped in with Trinidad and thereby getting some of the flak.
However I don't think Tobago got a mention once apart from possibly the odd small car crash. I think the problem Tobago has is being lumped in with Trinidad and thereby getting some of the flak.
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David Watkins
- Bude Cool Boy
- Posts: 1990
- Joined: Sat Nov 01, 2003 12:12 pm
- Location: Bude Cornwall uk
- Contact:
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Gisela Grell
- Tobago Anorak
- Posts: 576
- Joined: Sun Oct 22, 2006 8:56 pm
- Location: Bonn, Germany
- Contact:
Tobago is save for single traveling woman
Dear all,
as long as I travel to Tobago now - I think I went there in March this year for the 10th time and will be back hopefully in September/October - I never had any bad experiences. Even my few trips to Trinidad where save because I went with some locals and visit an friend in Arima.
Well, I think I would never got to Trinidad alone but in Tobago I went everywhere and felt save even I went as a woman alone.
A friend told me on our last call about that womans murder in march and I was shocked but that will not keep me away from the island. I think, there is much more crime in a middle sized town in Germany a month than on Tobago a year.
I think we should not put too much in this newspaper "bloody" headlines because this is not Tobago. Tobago is the most beautiful and save island I know (and I've been to many islands).
Cheers and have a cold Carib on me
as long as I travel to Tobago now - I think I went there in March this year for the 10th time and will be back hopefully in September/October - I never had any bad experiences. Even my few trips to Trinidad where save because I went with some locals and visit an friend in Arima.
Well, I think I would never got to Trinidad alone but in Tobago I went everywhere and felt save even I went as a woman alone.
A friend told me on our last call about that womans murder in march and I was shocked but that will not keep me away from the island. I think, there is much more crime in a middle sized town in Germany a month than on Tobago a year.
I think we should not put too much in this newspaper "bloody" headlines because this is not Tobago. Tobago is the most beautiful and save island I know (and I've been to many islands).
Cheers and have a cold Carib on me
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Lily Mel
Hello Gert,
In the beginning a "mistake" from me in the first place was to read all the headlines from newspapers.
I discuss with the sensitive topic "Travel advice has changed to Tobago"
Everybody feels safe, if have to experience it for myself.
Although this does not mean that the "crime violence" is not a concern for Tobago itself.
lily
In the beginning a "mistake" from me in the first place was to read all the headlines from newspapers.
I discuss with the sensitive topic "Travel advice has changed to Tobago"
Everybody feels safe, if have to experience it for myself.
Although this does not mean that the "crime violence" is not a concern for Tobago itself.
lily