myTobago – your questions, review and comment about Tobago

Hi all just booked up Tobago for December 8th with Virgin staying at LGC,read about 30 reports most good few bad on hotel but will go with open mind.I have been to Domincan Republic,Barbados,and Cuba and enjoyed all.I hope to be doing a few excusion trips whilst there and also hire a car for a few days.have read reports on a number of bays i would like to check out Back Bay,plymouth,Arnos vale and Englishmans bay.Some are described as deserted remote etc,but reading on web site page it does say avoid deserted beaches,go in groups etc.It will be just my wife and I going, do you recomend going to those places named (shooting at Englishmans bay) .I take it you can leave your car on the road close by most of these ?.The north part of the Island seems like maybe road is not good 4x4 only ?.What do you think any places that you recomend to visit that maybe is not listed on site or are a must.Also is 3 days enough for car hire or more.I take it most place takes credit card, petrol etc.Sorry for the long paragraph, been reading up on the web site and forums for the last few days very good lots of good info.Look forward to helpfull tips and advice.Oh yeh i will be there for 2 weeks.

Hi Martin

Welcome aboard!

Ignore the shooting at Englishman's Bay. There’s more to that than meets the eye. It was not a situation that would affect 'normal' visitors. The only other incident I know of in the Englishman's Bay area was a young Swedish (?) couple who were robbed a few months ago. A lad with VERY close connections to that beach was arrested just a couple of weeks ago for burglaries a little further down the coast. Nudge, nudge! Wink, wink!

The warnings that we issue are cautionary. Yes, there have been a few cases over the years where visitors have gone for a swim and come back to find their possessions missing. Of course we shouldn’t ignore theft by other tourists, but the general indication is that these cases have been perpetrated by young local men who hide in the mangroves and bush behind the beach. However, these incidents are few and far between. None that I know of have involved violence. The advice I would offer would be the same for holiday destinations anywhere in the world: leave your valuables at home, carry only one credit card, take only as much money (cash) as you are likely to need and avoid carrying/wearing jewellery. Cash, jewellery and mobile phones are what the rogues are after. When going to the beach take nothing but a few dollars for beach bar purchases.

All I can tell you is that I personally regularly visit all of these remote beaches.

Don’t expect ‘regular’ car parks. You'll have no problem parking near/at all of these beaches.

4x4s are the most popular rental vehicle. I seldom, if ever use them. Unless you go for the very top of the range, most expensive, toy 4x4s, a decent saloon car gives a far superior ride and is more secure. It’s all a matter of personal choice. Anyone who tells you that you will need a 4x4 to tour Tobago is simply proving that they are a townie who thinks 4x4s were invented to take the kids to school.

Tobago is a very small island. You can tour it comfortably in 3 days. Cash is the norm at petrol stations. A full tank is only £10-£12. All the hotels and main restaurants and shops take cards, but beach bars, small local shops and restaurants don’t.

Have a great trip and let us know how you get on.

Thanks steve will tell you all when i get back.reading these forums will keep me busy until i go