Tobago alternative?

[Mel M]

Hello all,
I'm hoping to return to Tobago in April for a family holiday but my husband is keen to take in another island for a week too. Does anyone have an opinions or recommendations for a Caribbean island similar in feel to Tobago - quiet beaches, no cruise ships, interesting interior, independent accommodation options etc?

Mel

[Gisela Grell]

Hi Mel,

I made a sailtrip from Grenada to Martinique in 2002. Most of the islands have nice beaches and the spirit of the Caribbean is everywhere but .... as far as I can say nothing compares to Tobago.

Grenada is nice, Mustique is pretty but expencive, Martinique is very european, Union Island is simple but with the Tobago Keys (nothing to do with Tobago!) in front a paradise for snorkeling and diving.
Bequia is nice too.

I spend a first week on tobago before my two-week-sailtrip and thought I would find another island for the last week of my 4-week-Caribbean-holidays. Guess where I end up?

Whereever you will go, enjoy and try to keep yourself the option to spend the whole holidays on Tobago.

Cheers
Gisela

[Mel M]

Thanks Gisela,
That gives us a good place to start - we loked at Grenada last night and Carriacou looks very pretty. I would gladly spend every holiday on Tobago but I guess I do have to take the other members of my family into consideration occasionally

Our other problem looks like we may have to go wherever we can get flights - they are disappearing very quickly. It loks like people are all going on holiday in April this year!

Mel

[Hugh S]

We took a three-day jaunt to St. Vincent last summer and it was enchanting. Dark sand beaches, volcanic mountains, Walliabou Bay (where they filmed Pirates of the Caribbean 1 & 2) and close to the rest of the Grenadines mean that we will be back. We also plan to explore Grenada soon.

Have fun figuring this one out, Hugh

[Ronald]

When staying in St Vincent, you also have the possibility to travel in the Grenadines using the ferry. An old post boat which goes twice a week up-down the Islands of Grenadines. You can choose some or all of the Islands, it all depend on how long vacation you have.
Ronald

[Mel M]

Ronald and Hugh,
Thanks for those ideas - a bit of island hopping sounds like a plan and anything connected to Pirates of the Caribbean will go down well with the kids. Yes, we will have fun working on it!

Mel

[Hugh S]

Here's a shot of the piers left over from the movies.

PS. This is my 100th post!!!!!

[Mel M]

Thanks Hugh........... and congratulations on the 100

[Ronald]

St Vincente is an volcanic island with many mountains, no roads across the island, all roads follow the coast. There´s a volcano in the north, Soufriere, there´s guided tours, at least it was.

South of Kingstown you find beaches with black or almost black sand, like Indian Bay. There´s also waterfalls on the island.

After Indian Bay you have Young Island, a private island, the whole island is a hotel (expensive at leat for me). Guest´s are allowed to visit their beach after breakfast, they acll from a pier and the hotel send a small boat across.

North Kingstown you have Fort Charlotte on a mountain top, overlooking the town and a big part of the island. Outside Young Island you find Fort Duvernette, a stone fort out at sea.

A picture of the area at Indian Bay neraby Youbng island.

[Mel M]

These photos are really wetting (is it wetting or whetting? I've never really known! ) my appitite for the Caribbean. Thank you Ronald for that and the info. The black sand beaches sound fabulous. It's on with the googling for now!

Thank you all for your help and comments.
Mel

[Paul Makin]

i think its whetting - as in sharpening.

anyhow, bit on the beaten track, but i always liked st lucia. got a bit of everything i thought.

paul

[Mel M]

Thanks Paul for both the quick spelling/vocab tip and the St Lucia tip. My daughter wants to go there because it is on the primary school geography curriculum and so she has many,many facts she could tell us constantly - population, rainfall, main food sources etc!!
We are still googling and looking at photos every evening so the search goes on. We are taking all your suggestions on board, though, so thank you everyone.

Mel

[Jo B]

Mel

If you are thinking of going to St Lucia I suggest you look at accommodation on the south side of Castries, avoiding the Rodney Bay area. If you like Tobago, I suspect you will find the north coast of St Lucia too over-developed for your taste.

Marigot Bay is lovely, although getting more developed - try googling Marigot Bay Villas - the website you want has the same name, then anywhere further south will be interesting - Ti Kaye on Anse la Raye beach, or around Soufrieres.

But I think I still prefer Tobago!

Jo x