myTobago – your questions, review and comment about Tobago

Booked to fly to Tobago on 19/12/04 for 2 weeks on a recommendation at the Dive Show in B/Ham. Should have accommodation organised at Manta Lodge with 10 days diving organised. You've guessed it! Seemd no one knows I am arriving and am sitting here with 8 days to go wondering where to try or if there is a good tour operator that someone could recommend. As I am a slightly mature lady travelling by myself you can imagine I am a bit concerned as don't want to rough it too much but this is my first adventure to Tobago and am worried.
Anyone out there with any suggestions or can validate that Manta Lodge is the type of establishment that can pull the cat out of the bag. If anyone has got any suggestions I would be very happy to hear from them.
Thank you

Hello Anne

Welcome aboard!

Look on the bright side. At least you won't be staying at the Manta Lodge. From everything I've heard, you should be jumping up and down with joy.

Now, where to stay. Well, you're obviously going out at busy time when most accommodation will be booked. I would suggest a multi-pronged attack. Firstly, go through our accommodation listings on the main site and look for properties that take your fancy and fit your budget. Then, use the email addresses or even get on the blower (use TeleDiscount.co.uk for calls at 7p per minute) and see if any have got availability.

Secondly, contact Yes Tourism (http://www.yes-tourism.com) and other accommodation agents on Tobago to see if they can suggest places. They will ring around on your behalf and check who has availability.

One important question. Were you staying in Speyside to dive? If so, you have limited accommodation choices. The Blue Waters Inn is the top of the tree and has a good dive shop. If that's beyond your budget, try Speyside Inn. It may not be open yet, but its been taken over by Extra Divers who are opening it as a proper dive centre.

Good luck and don't worry. You've had a narrow escape but I'm sure you'll find something that will restore your faith in Tobago. Don't hesitate to come back to the forum if you have any other specific questions or we can do anything else to help.

Gosh Steve, Thankyou so much for all your suggestions and you can be assured I will be trying all of them to get sorted.
Is Manta Lodge dodgy then?? Knew it was fairly small and mid priced but got the impression that it was O.K.ish!!
Manta were also supposed to book my diving, so will also be looking for a reputable Dive Club to manage 10 days diving, looking for a bit of variety and wanting to book a Dive guide (same person) for the whole of the 10 days to dive with. Can you recommend in this area also.
I really appreciate your help and will certainly be looking to report back after vacation.
Should have stayed boring and gone back to Dominican, been there 16 times and fancied a bit of a change!!
Many thanks again for your help.
Things are going well as Cressi have lost my Dive Computer as well!, although I think there going to lend me one.

Hi Anne

It would be wrong to descripe the Manta Lodge as 'dodgy' becuase that infers dishonesty and I have no reason whatsoever to apply that term. I can only say that I've never heard a good report of the Manta Lodge. Most complaints revolve around the catering, which is allegedly very poor. Lets just say that you can get considerably better accommodation for the same or less money.

The dive operator connected with Manta Lodge (same ownership for both) is Tobago Dive Experience. Simply search our Sightseeing, Tours, Sport & Activities forum for comments on this outfit. Also, search international dive forums. Everything I have seen and heard gives me serious safety concerns about this organisation. If you are staying in Speyside, your only choice of good operators is Aquamarine and Extra Divers, as mentioned in my reply above. If you choose to stay in the south of the island, you have greater choice - but other top firms are R&Sea Divers, Undersea Tobago and World of Watersports.

Hi Steve,
Really appreciate your comments and if you don't mind need to ask your advice again.
Manta Lodge have now come up with an offer to provide accommodation for the first week with a switch to a differing venue for the second. I have spent most of the weekend looking for availability and not a lot left a this late juncture. They are also looking for at least 25% deposit for the cost of the stay. Am keeping them waiting as I have put a request in at the Hilton, who are trying to find me something, but will have to tell Manta something by Wednesday I reckon. Have had a look at some of the forums but can't find anything on the dive operation but maybe better to assess once I'm there. Do you think I should hold out and keep searching and just tell Manta not to bother. As you can imagine, feel like just not going as the excitement of going now has just become so much hassle. Am also concerned re. diving as I am used to hiring a dive guide to work with me for the duration and get the impression that this doesn't usually happen and I will be at the mercies of a group. Gosh this all sounds a bit whiney, sorry but not sure what to do.
Anne.

Hi Anne.
If you want to go to Speyside phone or email the Bluewaters Inn I have booked all my holidays with them direct and they can do some really good deals.


Regards
Kevin

Hi Anne

You are right that it is not normal practise for the Tobago dive operations to allocate a single divemaster to a visitor, although I am sure this can probably be arranged if you ask around. You will normally be part of a group.

Did you contact Yes Tourism? With the time pressures you really need to speak to someone on the ground over there who can ring around and see who has availability at this late stage.

Check out http://www.mytobago.info/forum/viewtopi ... =5277#5277

Hi Anne,
Sorry I missed the bit on dive guides.
The normal practice at Aquamarine who work out of BWI is to dive in groups with a dive guide at the head and a guide at the rear to make sure no one strays too far, you still dive in buddy pairs. I take it from your email you are a single diver and will be looking for a buddy for all your dives, I'm the same what normally happens is you end up diving with a few different buddies. It's not as bad as it sounds as they do try and match diver’s abilities so it's very unlikely you'll end up with a complete Muppet .

Most of the time when I was there in October there were an odd number of divers and I ended up with the divemaster at the rear as my buddy which was great as you get longer dives that way as he was always the last one to surface.

Not all dive centers dive with two guides often they just use one at the head of the group and hope the buddy system to keep everyone together.

Regards
Kevin

Hi Anne
Sorry about the hassles you're experiencing. Just in case you're really stuck for accommodation, here's a little place I stayed incredibly cheaply a couple of years ago in Buccoo. It's a residential guest house with about 5 or 6 self-catering mini-apartments in a line. Entirely pleasant, feels like living with a local family, easier access to everything than Speyside.

It's called 'Casablanca' (not on any of the myTobago lists I don;t think) and the lady you could talk to is Kerry Baksh on 1 868 639 0081. It was about $12 US a night.. they picked me up from the airport and gave me lifts out to the supermarket and arranged a jeep etc. Local friendly people.

Worth a call if you're right out of Hilton-style options - and actually, I know which I'd prefer myself whatever my budget.

Good luck, hope you have a lovely time relaxing after all the troubles.

Sam

Hello all you really, REALLY helpful people out there. Guess what, I am feeling a bit more cheered up, yes you've guessed it!!
A)> Not stayng at Manta Lodge - thank you God
B)> Hilton have got me the first 8 nights, so at least I can find my feet.
Give me a chance to chill out and sus out the Diving.
C)>Feel I've joined a really great club where people are kind enough
to help a not so confident solo trying to be adventurous.
I hope you all have a brilliant Christmas and New Year, I'm sure once I'm there it will all fall into place and I will raise a glass of something bubbly to salute you all - again thank you as I did feel very desperate. Shall keep a diary and hopefully have some good observations and some silly quips when I get back, which will give you a smile through January!!
Note for Steve - been a good girl and registered my flag!! - keep up the good work N.B. Dive Computer is still in Italy being mended, but been assured I will have something on my wristby the time I dive - CONCRETE!