myTobago – your questions, review and comment about Tobago

Dear all,

There seems to be so much to do on Tobago. Just three quick queries.

Is there anything in particular that would be fun for a child of nine to do (with us rather than at a kid's club). In short, what is your recommended number one activity (apart from beach and sea)?

We'd quite like to go to church on the Sunday morning. We are staying at the Rex Turtle Beach Hotel. Are there any churches/church services that anyone would recommend?

Incidently, the reason that we decided to have a holiday in Tobago rather than the Dominican Republic was that it was recommended by someone I met through work who is doing a Phd on manta rays. She's actually a diver from the Maldives but has travelled throughout the Caribbean too. She insisted that I'd enjoy Tobago much more than the DM and I agreed - I didn't much like the idea of being in a holiday compound.

She made manta rays sound absolutely fascinating; they are 15-20ft across, eat plankton, display lots of benign curiosity in divers, enjoy swimming through divers' air bubbles and she reckons that they are about as intelligent as a large dog. Where is the best place to see manta rays? Do you have to dive to see them?

Sorry about all the questions but who else could I ask.

With very best wishes,

Sue

Hello Susan

Speyside has long been noted for the families of Manta Rays that take up residence in the bay every winter. Sadly, their visits have become less and less frequent over recent years (despite the claims of certain dive operators who give the opposite impression). I have never been lucky enough to see one of these wondeful creatures, but believe you can only see them whilst diving.

Hi Susan,there are churches within easy reach of RTB.There is an Angican(Episcopalian),Moravian and Methodist in BlackRock,a Cof E(St Davids)and Methodist,SDA and fringe sects in Plymouth.I think the nearest RC is in Scarborough.As for what to do with a nine year old child 'I couldn't possibly comment'
Enjoy,David

Hi Sue

We travelled to RTB in April with our 7 & 9 year old daughters. When we asked them the highlight of their holiday was seeing the leatherback turtles, also the ISLAND GIRL trip although expensive really was worth every penny we all came away saying could we possibly go again the following week. Although it is very 'staged' from a convenience & safety point of view Pigeon Point was fantastic for the children as the water was so safe that they spent practically the whole day in the water. I know this is possibly a subject for debate for a family with children our childrens ages it was a good beach. Apart from the suggestions mentioned I would say just go with the flow on the island as generally they are child friendly.

Donna

hello sue
i know it's a while ago but we saw a manta ray just off mount irvine beach in august 2002
we had been diving mount irvine wall with rachel crew when she was with wild turtle dive and as we got back into the boat the captain spotted it
we all jumped back in the water with with our fins masks and snorkels and swam with it for 5 minutes at the surface
it was a truely amazing experience and i live in hope that i'll do it again someday-if not i count myself very lucky to be able to visit tobago (this july will be our 10th visit) and see all the fantastic marine life
you dont have to dive the snorkelling is great but i would recommend everyone who can tries a dive its amazing
i'm sure you'll have a great time
mary

For a child of 9?

It has to be a Rainforest Tour.

See the amazing Leaf Cutter Ants ... spot the beautiful birds ... listen to the exquisite sounds and check out all those unusual plants.

Then ... if you are lucky ... experience the heaviest downpour of rain ever.

Then go dry out at the Sunshine Resturant near Bloody Bay and sit above the rainforest canopy watching the parrots and seeing the views.

When it gets dark ... travel back by car and stop on the road by Englishmans Bay ... turn off the headlights ... and see if you can tell the difference between the stars and the fireflies.

Truly awesome ... an experience that no 9 year old would ever forget.

Regards

Ah...I wish I was nine again - sounds great Paul.
By the way, exactly where is the Sunshine Restaurant, the views must be very scenic.

Regards
Roger.

Hi Roger

If you are coming/going from Castara ... take the road east past Englishman's, turn right up the hill from Parlatuvier and when you get to the T-Junction turn left towards Bloody Bay ... Sunshine is immediately on your left.

If you are coming/going down from the Rainforest towards Bloody Bay you will see Sunshine ahead just before you would turn left to go back to Castara etc.

Last time I was there they had built a long extension that you can walk down with panoramic views of the Rainforest.

Not for those that fear heights.

Regards

Hi,

We did a boat trip from Pigeon Point in March and when snorkelling, we we lucky enough to see turtles, and a manta ray. It was definitely the highlight of our stay. If your 9 year old is not a good enough swimmer to snorkel, then you may be lucky enough to catch sight of a manta ray from the glass bottom boat that takes you out snorkelling.

Agree with the posts above that the water at Pigeon Point would be great for a child to swim in safely all day.

As with the other post, the day finishing at Englishman's bay sounds like a perfect day for a nine year old!

Have a great time.

Hi Susan

I asked my 10 year old son what his favourite activity was (we're staying on the island for a year). He said Ciao Cafe, Scarborough (for the ice cream)!

But I agree with Paul - a rainforest tour is a must. There are lots of good guides (see web pages) - we have had a number of trips with William Trim all of which have been excellent. And anything to do with the sea here is fantastic - sailing (Island Girl), boat trips, fishing trips, glass bottom boats. This being the low season, we recently had a trip along the coast with Ali Baba all to ourselves - and now the children keep asking to go again.

Steve

we dived mount irvine reef and wall pretty much all last week and saw a solitary medium sized manta on thursday. needless to say he wasnt around on friday when i was in the water !!

paul

Hi Susan,

There were mantas in Speyside a couple of weeks ago. They ARE, as Steve says, becoming less frequent over the last few years, but they are still around! The one we saw, we could see from the beach - although, I must admit, only a wing or two (I 'think' that's the right terminology!)! But it is very much a 'hit and miss' affair, after all, it IS the ocean, and not a zoo (my husband's a regular diver and that's what he tells me every time I moan that I haven't seen something!).

I'm sure you'll have a great time in Tobago, irrespective of whether you see the mantas or not!

Lisa.