Guest Report

[Diane Adams]

Our trip to Tobago started off a little late as two of the three Caribbean Air 'bridge' aircraft from Trinidad to Tobago were down for repair. Still Ancle waited at the airport for an additional 3 hours. We hopped into our Blue Daihatsu, which was in great condition, and made the trek to Castara. Note for Americans - if you DO chose the manual remember that the stick will be on your left hand, since Tobagans drive on the left side of the road. I also recommend making the drive in the day time if possible. We later got to see all of the amazing views and vistas but missed them on the initial drive in the dark.

We stayed in the Blue Marlin Suite which was pretty much as described in the full review. I must warn though, at least in August, if you don't like creepy crawlies then you might want to opt for one of the other apartments. Since the suite is over the kitchen and not air conditioned (it never got too warm that we couldn't sleep), we had some unwelcome visitors. That being said, the location on the beach and incredible view made it all worth it. We considered changing rooms but the deck was just too nice to give up.

We brought our 8 month old who had a great time crawling around the room and deck while we lounged on the deck or took turns snorkeling. We did have to keep an eye on her to make sure she didn't get too close to the railings or find the stairs. As it turns out, she was mobile but not too mobile so it worked out. I wouldn't have been as comfortable with a toddler.

The snorkeling was quite good on the right side of the bay. We also tried Black Rock and Englishman's Bay and ended up preferring what was a couple of steps and an easy swim to beautiful corals and fish in Castara Bay.

We checked out most of the island via our car rental. Castara was by far our favorite spot - there's food, nice people, not too crowded, boats to rent, and a gorgeous beach. If you're looking for a large resort try Turtle Beach area. If you're looking for something a little more authentic but with all the necessities nearby, Castara is just right.