Tobago...... Recommendation??

[merganser1]

We have a group of divers that usually go diving 3 to 4 times a year (2 - 3 times to Cozumel each year since we have a place there) and usually 1 or 2 other places. In the last 12 months the group went to: Little Cayman, Dominica, Palau, and Cozumel a couple of times.

We are considering going to Tobago in August and have been doing on some research on the diving and where to stay. Sounds like the diving is very good ...somewhat like Little Cayman.

Can someone recommend where to stay and who best to dive with? We are considering CoCo Reef based on a recommendation from a travel group. Any thoughts on staying at the CoCo Reef?

thanks.

Morris

 

[Capt Gary]

We stayed at Palms Villa Luxury Resort Rental Tobago. Caribbean's newest holiday accommodation rentals. and dove with Wild Turtle Dive - Tobago . Can't say enough good things about both places.

Ask about them taking you to Spreyside for a day of diving. It's at the North end of the island, but well worth the trip.

Have fun and Good Diving/Hunting,

 

[Doc]

Loads of stuff in the Lesser Antilles forum, including this recent thread http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/lesser-antilles/224534-tobago-speyside-bwi.html

Tobago can be similar to Little Cayman, but that not the end of the island that sets it apart from the rest of the Caribbean. CoCo Reef is in the population center of Pigeon Point on the SW side. Mr. Toad's Wild Ride is on the North East end, quite a long ways away.

Different is good, right?

Even if the calm gentle currentless dives of the SW are your cup of tea- there is so much more to do in Tobago beyond diving- and usually I don't say that about many other destination islands. Tobago is a dreamland of waterfalls and delightful islanders. It is a safe place to drive slowly and with care~ well worth the risk and expense of a rental car... unlike so many other islands.

Check out the other thread and do a careful search here. Not a widely travelled destination by SCUBABoarders , but you'll find some good sufficient info here.

 

[kime]

The Coco Reef Resort & Spa is a beautiful place to stay... check out hte wbsite, I don't want to sound like one of those vacation ads that you see on TV. What you see on the website is what you get. (Cocoreef Splash Page) The Resort does also comw with it's own Dive shop and the crew there is good. There are other Dive companies located nearby as well that are also just as good. I'd like to say tha World of Watersports are the best , but then again I'm biased. on the site myTobago - Tobago Tourist Information Guide you can find a listing of all the other dive shops and their ratings so take a look there too. But as for the Coco Reef, it would be a good choice in accomodation, I haven't heard anything bad about it. :chillin6)

 

[Doc]

on the site myTobago - Tobago Tourist Information Guide you can find a listing of all the other dive shops and their ratings so take a look there too.

Usually website such as this are rather cockeyed, but this is the best I have seen for any Caribbean diver destination island.

Keep updating it, this is going to be a lot of work for you!

 

[petermichelle]

Hi Kime -- I remember you! We dove with you and Marvin and Dion in December! Peter and Michelle from Canada in case you remember (also with b-in-law Gerry from Holland) I agree World of Watersports is the best! What a great bunch of people who take a personal interest in you and make sure you have a great time in Tobago -- diving and surface interval!

In terms of places to stay, we rented our apartment from Victor Forde and stayed in his Arnos Vale apartments. Victor and his wife Ursaline were terrific and the place was very comfortable. It is not on the beach but convenient to great beaches and diving. We loved it.

 

[Bosun]

After a lot of research we booked into a hotel in Speyside (Manta Lodge) the diving was spectacular and the drift dives in heavy current a thrill. We saw plenty of nurse sharks and a Manta. Topside the Bird life was amazing and a trip to Little Tobaga a must. Would we go back - Yes in a shot.

 

[kime]

Hi Peter & Michelle,
It's great to hear from, glad to know you had such a wonderful time with us. I'll have to let the guys know you send your greetings. Hopefully we'll get to do it again!!
Victor's place (Arnos Vale Vacation Apartments) is an excellent choice Tobago Bed & Breakfast Association and just ten minutes walk away, is some of the best snorkelling around the Island.

 

[petermichelle]

I thought this note that I sent to a member would be helpful for those considering Tobago

We were there for 2 1/2 weeks and did 20 dives each. The dive sites are varied from shallow easy toodle around and look at the brittle worms and cleaner shrimps right through to a screaming current over an ocean shelf. We saw lots of turtles and a couple of sleepy reef sharks. A huge manta, an eagle ray and several southern stingrays. Many of dives are like aquariums there are so many fish -- French Angels are everywhere!

Sites vary by island locale. In the south, where most of the tourists are, there are two or three very good sites that have a bit of current -- Airport and Stingray Alley in particular. We did see stingrays! The beach down there at Pigeon Point is very nice.

On the west coast around Mt Irvine the diving was on an easier level still with lots of fish and a wreck that's a very easy penetration. Designed for beginner wreck divers. The diving here is fairly close to shore so there are interesting rock and coral formations to swim through and around and it tends to be around 50 feet. The beach at Mt Irvine was our favourite and we did a lot of snorkeling there with my sister who can't dive anymore. While snorkeling we saw lots of smaller turtles and several really big rays just under us in 20 feet of water.

Up on the north coast the diving is more challenging and deeper. We went to 110 feet on our deepest. But that's not necessary if you want to stay higher. There are beautiful sloping shelves here that are covered in coral. One called Japanese Gardens is just that and incredibly colourful and rich with fish. North end is also where you see the huge brain corals. The currents are interesting here -- we didn't find them overly challenging but they made for some fun. Note that its a 1 1/2 hour drive from the south to the north on roads that make diving look like a dawdle.

The most challenging dives were out in the open ocean about 40 minutes offshore between Tobago and Trinidad. Here, at Diver's Dream we met with a terrific current and on one dive, completely overshot the reef. The 3 dives at DD were the most challenging I've experienced but I loved them because they tested our skills. Lots of big turtles out on the shelf.

We went with the guys from World of Watersports -- Marvin, Dion and Kim took care of us for our whole stay and they were terrific. They got to know us and progressively got us to more challenging dives as they better understood our skills. They had the nicest dive boat that we saw. Some of them are nothing more than a rowboat! Note that all the dives in Tobago are backward roll.

What else can I tell you? We loved it there -- under water and above. Not a lot to do topside except sun, eat and drink but we found that relaxing.

Cheers and enjoy that diving!

 

[Doc]

We were there for 2 1/2 weeks and did 20 dives each. ...... Not a lot to do topside except sun, eat and drink but we found that relaxing.

We do 20 dives in our first four days and with that rented Samurai- we go all over sightseeing!

In the Caribbean there is no other place that matches Tobago.

When I do dive travel, I put diving above all other pursuits, but the sightseeing on Tobago is well worth the time out of the ocean.

We enjoy taking our Samurai on drives out of our Speyside base, doing little trips to see Charlottesville (and the incredible road to get there). From Charlottesville, I am told that the road South along the Caribbean side has been much improved, but not so long ago it was for the experienced four wheeler only. If you were brave enough to make the journey, you could drive under cascades of mountain water and were treated to vistas of Charlottesville and the Caribbean Sea.

Visiting with the local folks alone made it worth our while. There are many easier to reach sights along the main road that traces the Atlantic side, lovely waterfall parks and more.

Unfortunately- to get a lunchtime Roti, we had to ask for some to be put aside- lest they all be eaten before our morning dives were over.

It was well worth the effort. Tobago offers lots to do.