Budget for Tobago

[alwayssummer]

Hi Caribbean experts! I need to buy a plane ticket pretty soon and I am wondering how cheap I can do Tobago. Most of the lodging options I have seen recommended here are quite expensive.

All I really need is a place to rest my head and the security that my gear is not going to walk away. Beyond that, I would like to do Tobago on a shoestring. Does anyone have recommendations and cost estimates regarding just how cheap I can go?

Thanks!

 

[alwayssummer]

Anyone?

Couple more Qs? Do I need a rental car to get to Speyside? Are there any budget friendly places to stay out there?

Should I take my gear or rent? I have a full kit.

 

[Doc]

I couldn't offer exact specifics, but here are some generalities....

You can get transportation by car to Speyside, there and back. I don't know the current price, but it's quite a bunch. Ask your lodging provider for suggestions. It is about a 1.5 hr ride when I'm driving. Locals will drive faster, but the point is- it's a haul.

There are a few guest houses that dot Speyside. For my money, this is the hamlet you want to be in. If you are up North in this district without a car, diving access from Speyside is preferable to being in Charlottesville or any of the other coastal communities to the South.

I would think the least expensive housing might be found near Pigeon Point (near the Southern population center of the airport). You would have to figure out where that is among the otherwise high priced and cruise-ship oriented fare. The diving there is not the same as you will see in Speyside, and no matter what they say, since they are closer to the South- that's the dive sites that you will see with them.

Doing a quick GOOGLE search using Speyside guest houses came up with quite a few likely candidates. The center of diver focus there is (AI) Manta Lodge, so you might use their price structure as a starting point.

I have heard that "Red Man" is still up and running. He has a dive shack, restaurant (Jemmas) and goat farm right in the middle of downtown Speyside (such as it is). That's the guy I spend time with. He would probably even rent you a room, who knows!

I appreciate your desire to do it on the cheap, but Tobago is one of those places that is more of an effort to get to- most North Americans are lucky to see it once (Brits are surprisingly prevalent)... so you might want to consider getting into some kind of breakfast package with your lodging. Maximize your dive time and daily plan to have easiest access to their boat schedules. It's really all about eating and food access: It may have changed since my last visit, but the only real grocery store was a 15 miniute ride over the ridge of the mountain to the shoreline settlement of Charlottesville.

Otherwise, there were many places to eat cheaply that dot Speyside... even while "eating out".

 

[alwayssummer]

Thanks RoatanMan. Looks like I need to get in touch with an operator of some sort.

Have you seen this site? Diving on Tobago - the definitive myTobago guide to Scuba Diving on Tobago

My idea of trying to cut the budget are to save a few $ on rental car and not buying an expensive hotel. I hope I can do these in order to prolong my trip a little.

OH! I almost forgot. Any other divers gonna be in the area? Jan 23-26 are my days to play.

 

[Brian Sharpe]

Hi Caribbean experts! I need to buy a plane ticket pretty soon and I am wondering how cheap I can do Tobago. Most of the lodging options I have seen recommended here are quite expensive.

All I really need is a place to rest my head and the security that my gear is not going to walk away. Beyond that, I would like to do Tobago on a shoestring. Does anyone have recommendations and cost estimates regarding just how cheap I can go?

Thanks!

OK I'll preface my comments with: I haven't been in TT since 1993 and that was in my pre-diving life.

If you're flying in to Port of Spain take the ferry to Tobago. Go 2nd class - it's (was?) dead cheap and the trip along the coast line is worth it plus in 2nd class you'll be rubbing shoulders with locals which is IMO much more fun. (just don't leave your luggage unattended)

Don't be afraid to eat local. Shark & bake, crab & dumplings and (sorry I can't remember the name of the place) the best roti in the universe was at a little restaurant in Scarborough. (OMG - I'm drooling on my keyboard).

When I was there we stayed in Crown Point & snorkeled on the Buccoo Reef - it was spectacular (but again we're talking 16 years ago).

IIRC Tobago was mentioned in the most recent issue of Sport Diver as a great dive destination.

Sorry I couldn't be more helpful.

 

[alwayssummer]

Thanks Brian. Every little bit helps. Especially with respect to getting the logistics down. I need to figure out my costs and my price to get in, dive, and get out. And the ferry recommendation is excellent, especially since I've heard the locals are friendly. Cheers!

Update: I'm currently thinking of staying at the Manta Lodge as they have a 'breakfast package' as mentioned above. Only problem is that their "dive" package only includes one dive per day?



Are they joking? I would think 3/day is pretty conservative.

 

[Doc]

Have you seen this site? Diving on Tobago - the definitive myTobago guide to Scuba Diving on Tobago

Yes, the owner (or the lady with the hat, anyway) used to post here on occasion. It has any number of good maps and info, it is heavily biased towards the more commercial and established operations.

Update: I'm currently thinking of staying at the Manta Lodge as they have a 'breakfast package' as mentioned above. Only problem is that their "dive" package only includes one dive per day?

Shop a bit harder. Manta Lodge is a good place to dive with, but I think you might do better prices for lodging at a guest house in Speyside... breakfast included.

All dive package prices are quite negotiable. Go in knowing what you have in mind. When we arrive at such a similar destination, on the first day we'll look over the recommended dive-ops pretty quickly and if we are interested, we ask... how much for a dive? Then how much for 5. Then the question we really want to know the answer for... How much for 3 a day plus a night dive each night?

Negotiate on scene, with cash. Pay it out as you go. Unless something unlikely and awful happens, keep to your bargain.

Because of the limited infrastructure (boat sizes, tank reserve, etc) and the bias towards European style diving, you are going to find a lot of single-tank boat dives, with the dive boat returning to shore after every dive.

Understand that "North End" operations in Speyside inhabit an entirely different world and business model than the firmly established business concerns on the South end that have catered to Cruise Ship divers for many years in Crown Point/Pigeon Point.

The American dive model of dive-dive-dive is not unknown to Tobago providers, but the bulk of their trade is British. Two-a-day is fairly common. They might offer three boats, but if you watch the clock, it can be a real hump for a Nitrogen Junkie American to get himself seated on all three departures. Factor in a lunch there and you are running at a quick pace.

I would get there and then bargain for your dive packages. Again, not for the feignt of heart, but I would check out Red-M (Red Man) dive op, just South of Manta Lodge. I have often stayed right next door at Speyside Lodge with good success. Lots of options are available.

Get lined up for a traditional Caribe slave food, the Roti. It is a mix of Asian and Caribbean, with chick peas, curry, indecipherable pieces of chicken rolled into their burrito, their national "big mac" if you will.

Then there is Carib Beer where the stirring tag line is splashed everywhere in blue and gold, "Caribe- is a beer".

I guess some of the excitement gets lost in the translation.

Maybe not.

 

[alwayssummer]

Shop a bit harder. Manta Lodge is a good place to dive with, but I think you might do better prices for lodging at a guest house in Speyside... breakfast included.

All dive package prices are quite negotiable.

Thank you so much. This information is priceless. I'm glad I did not settle on a package yet. Will continue looking into lodging for now and deal with the diving when I arrive.

Do you have any experience taking the bus to Speyside? I don't want to rent a car as the expense seems a little much for one person to bear. If only I had a travel buddy for this one.

 

[alwayssummer]

I would get there and then bargain for your dive packages. Again, not for the feignt of heart, but I would check out Red-M (Red Man) dive op, just South of Manta Lodge. I have often stayed right next door at Speyside Lodge with good success. Lots of options are available.

It's actually pretty difficult to determine where these hotels are located because most of them don't show up in google maps. I will not have a car, so it would be ideal to walk to a dive shop. I think that makes a place next door ideal.

BTW, do you mean Speyside Inn? They look pretty clean. Prices are affordable. I am hoping I can make it over to Tobago Friday evening. I'm not sure what my time of arrival would be or what kind of transport options I might have at that time.

Update: Plan is to hop the plane to Tobago as soon as I can Friday evening, since the Ferry schedule does not show an early evening departure. Although information is somewhat sparse, it seems likely I can find a MaxiTaxi to get me to Speyside Friday evening. Then get a decent night of sleep and be prepared to go check out dive shops the next morning. I almost have a plan.

 

[Shanjazz2]

If you are arriving at night you definitely don't want to drive. The roads are very narrow, lots of cliffs and not many lights. A taxi is a good idea, but it might be a bit pricey.
Speyside Inn is a good choice and I believe there is a dive shop that runs directly out of that hotel. If not, they can pick you up on the way to the dive site. CaribStu has a good reputation and is located at the north end of the island.
I used to dive with Richie, from Wild Turtle Dive but that shop is located at Pigeon Point. All dive operators go to Speyside and Charlotteville, but if you want a shop close to where you are staying, CaribStu or Aquamarine Dive.
Let us know how your visit is, I really miss Tobago, I did a lot of diving there and would love to see any pics or hear about your experience.