Trinidad Tobago

[Aplmac]

that's the plan - we'll spend the day at Pigeon Point - looks wonderful.

It is wonderful - you'll have a good time.

 

While you're there you'll no doubt have the opportunity to visit Nylon Pool and Buccoo Reef

- by boat(not far away).

 

Take pics to show us later!

[loriva]

goneclear or aplmac:

 

Do you now about how much a taxi to Pigeon Point would be? Are there cabs there for return or would it be best to arrange to have same driver come back?

 

You mentioned going out to the reefs, so I presume there is some sort of boat rental service there. Any idea how much these trips might be?

 

Also, what do you know about Speyside and swimming with the manta rays there?

 

Many thanks for any insight you can provide,

[goneclear]

Lorvia, taxi fare to Pigeon point should be about $20 U.S and there is an entrance fee to Pigeon point that is $3.00 U.S. It will be best to arange for the taxi to pick you up at an arranged time. There are glass bottom boats at Pigeon point that charge $15-20 U.S to take you out to the Buccoo reef and nylon pool. Google Manta Lodge Tobago. They are a hotel but also have a dive shop that does tours and they know all about the mantas and when to see them etc. Note in Trinidad & Tobago $1 U.S = $6.30 TT so make sure what currency they are quoting you in as they can use any one. So if the cab tells you $120 TT dont be to worried its really only $20 U.S as they usually round it off at $6TT to $1 U.S.

[BBQ Lover]

Windstar cruises routinely ports at Charlotteville Tobago. We will be there in December and are curious as to what the best things to do in that part of the island are. The Travel Channel lists Englishman's Bay as one of the top 10 beaches in the Caribbean, but we are not sure that might be better off exploring somewhere else. Any ideas?

[goneclear]

Charlotteville is a small fishing village on the north western tip of Tobago. Not much to do there except for good snorkeling, diving and maybe some rainforest tour's. Several good beaches around also. Google mytobago.info and check the Out & About section, sight seeing, North End.

It will give you an idea of what is available. They also have a list of tour guides and contact info so if you want you can communicate with one and get some ideas. Charlotteville is about as old Caribbean as you will get it, Not the heavy commercial stuff that dishes out to large cruise traffic.

[BBQ Lover]

Tobago Now Tourism Services. We are thinking of doing an excursion with them and was wandering if anyone can give us any feedback on them. Thank you, BBQ Lover.

[Aplmac]

N.Coast road in Tobago is scenic, as it runs past bays and headlands

coz it runs on average about 200 ft. above sea-level

so you get all those nice views dowwwn, as you round corners.

Take the camera.

 

From Charlotteville to Speyside(South-East coast)

is also high(higher) in and thru the rain forest..

and if the Immortelle trees are in bloom during Dry Season

you won't forget that drive in a hurry!

[ginagirl]

WE will be on the Grand and were wondering if we could catch a ferry over to Tobago from Trinidad. We always take a tender over to St. John when we dock in St. Thomas and would love to do the same in Trinidad. Any feedback on this would be so much appreciated. Thank you.

[goneclear]

WE will be on the Grand and were wondering if we could catch a ferry over to Tobago from Trinidad. We always take a tender over to St. John when we dock in St. Thomas and would love to do the same in Trinidad. Any feedback on this would be so much appreciated. Thank you.

 

Unfortunately if you are only visiting Trinidad for a day you will not have time to go to Tobago by ferry. From the Ferry Port in Port Of Spain to Tobago it is aproximately 100 Nautical Miles or a 2 1/2 hour run by fast ferry one way and add another hour to check inn before the Ferry leaves.

[Aplmac]

Gina,

He's right.

 

There's no way you have the time.

It's not a quick half-hour skip-over-there!

Trinidad and Tobago are something like about 30 miles apart.

 

I'm glad to hear the new fast ferries make it in about 2.5 hours.

The older slow boats used to take 5-6 hrs. ea.way! :eek:

 

Your best bet on Trinidad is to grab a taximan who looks businesslike

and get him to take you over to MARACAS Bay

where you can swim(careful), have Lunch at Richard's Shark & Bake

and then he'll bring you back to Port of Spain where your ship docks.

Automatically, he'll stop at the Maracas Lookout along the way

(one of my pics below)

 

 

There's lots more you could do if you had the time

but this is a big island with crazy traffic tie-ups in the East-West direction

which is where Caroni Bird Sanctuary and Asa Wright Nature place is located,unfortunately.

 

 

You need a week!

- and someone like me or GoneClear to show you around.

 

 

 

____________________________________________

If you look around on the CruiseCritic Photo Gallery

under the Ports of Call section

I've posted a few scenic Maracas Bay(and Lookout) shots in the past

which should illustrate why I recommend that particular trek

 

click here..

http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/showphoto.php?photo=1449

http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/showphoto.php?photo=1413

http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/showphoto.php?photo=1455

http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/showphoto.php?photo=1404

http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/showphoto.php?photo=1403

[ginagirl]

I see your point regarding the time involved in taking the ferry, and thank you so much for your information and advice.

 

Aplmac, your photos are absolutely beautiful. Now I really want to go to Maracas Bay. One question - why did you specify "careful" with regard to swimming there??? :0( Undertow, rough waves, sharks, rocks and other sharp debris, or Creature from the Black Lagoon?????:p

 

Again, thank you both so much for your kind responses to my inquiry.

[Aplmac]

Aplmac, your photos are absolutely beautiful.

Now I really want to go to Maracas Bay. ===> Glad U like! :)

 

One question - why did you specify "careful" with regard to swimming there???

- Undertow, rough waves, sharks, rocks and other sharp debris,

- or Creature from the Black Lagoon???:p ===> ALL of the above?? just kidding..

The Careful bit was because it's a surfy beach

-although the day those pics were taken was perhaps the mellowest day I've ever seen it-

 

but yes it can be quite surfy at times (depends on the day!)

and the lifeguards will run red flags up the poles along the length of the beach...so look out for those.

That's all really.

 

Don't think most ppl understand that surf conditions bring lots of water IN..

heaping it up somewhere

and eventually that water must get back OUT -somewhere-

and it'll then create a rip-current/exit channel somewhere (all part of Nature's circulation pattern).

 

Those who know how to 'read' water conditions look for where that exit-channel is, and avoid it

(all part of living in the islands,I guess..)

 

 

Maracas Bay has a nice clean sandy bottom (no rocks, no Creatures!)

but don't go out any further than you see most locals going -usually about waist-deep

[ginagirl]

I hear you and am certainly one to respect the whims of the ocean. Thank you so much the headsup on this important issue. It certainly did look calm in your photos. I remember the first time we vacationed in Barbados. We had split our stay with 1 week on one side of the island and the 2nd week on the Sam Lord's Castle side. Wow, what a difference in the ocean beaches. We never even went in the ocean while staying at Sam Lord's because it was too rough to even chance it. So I do know what your are referring to. Again, thank you so much for your help.:o

[Aplmac]

To add visually to what sea conditions you might expect..

I did some searching for Maracas Bay photos via Google Images

and came up with these five below.

 

None are my shots, and I apologise to their owners

pleading tourism necessity!

 

 

As you can see, Maracas is a moderately-surfy beach most days

although I have seen it big on rare occasion

as well as placid(my pics above).

 

I notice red flags flying in one of these shots below

but judging from the surf conditions seen in the background

I have to wonder what's that all about??

[ginagirl]

Aplmac - Again, my sincere thanks to you for the time and effort spent in providing me with visual and intellectual information on Trinidad. You are the Best!!!:)

[LiznMartin]

Aplmac, we will have a full day (8am to 5pm) in Trinidad next April and would love to spend the day at Maracas beach (your beautiful photos convinced us!). Is it "safe" to just get a taxi at the port? I've read a couple of "scare stories" and as there will only be the two of us (safety in numbers....:rolleyes: ) I don't want to take any risks! Once there, would it be easy enough to get a taxi back? Or do we ask the first taxi driver to come back for us? How long should be allow to get back to the ship? Or do you - or anyone else - know of anyone we could contact in advance to arrange to take us? Any advice would be much appreciated!:) Thanks!

[hcat]

Celebrity Constellation is visiting Tobago at least on her 14 day cruise Feb. 14,2010.

 

We'll also be doing that port Jan 31, 2010 cruise on Connie..anyone else on that cruise is welcome to join the Roll Call board already up & running!

 

Hoping to go on an excurison that includes lots of beautiful places--& birds!

[dbail4]

Where would the best place to snorkle in Tobaggo. The Celebrity Summit will be taking us there in April and there is no info on this Island. The pictures I see on the internet are beautiful.

[BabySis]

Where would the best place to snorkle in Tobaggo. The Celebrity Summit will be taking us there in April and there is no info on this Island. The pictures I see on the internet are beautiful.

dbail4, we are on Summit January 17 and are frantically searching for information. Nothing much, yet, but surely our cruisecritic friends who go there before we sail will share with us. In the meantime, we'll all keep looking.

 

Dinah

[globalnomads]

Or do you - or anyone else - know of anyone we could contact in advance to arrange to take us? Any advice would be much appreciated!:) Thanks!

 

 

In September we had a few days' holiday in Trinidad (by air, not cruise) as my husband had some business there. I have a great recommendation for a tour guide - Andrew Welch who owns Banwari Experience Limited. We stayed at the new Hyatt in Port-of-Spain and asked the concierge for a tour. What a find!

 

Andrew is passionate about his country, and seems to know everyone. He guided Rachel Ray of Food Network and Andrew Zimmern of Bizarre Foods when each visited. We had a great half-day driving to Maracas Bay (stopping at a local outdoor market along the way) and eating Richard's Bake and Shark. He took the time to figure out what we would enjoy the most, and surprised us by returning to the city via a small road through the mountains. Spectacular scenery.

 

Hope you have the opportunity to see Trinidad with him!

[LiznMartin]

Thanks globalnomads, that definitely sounds worth looking into! Don't suppose you have a website or email address.... :)

[goneclear]

Thanks globalnomads, that definitely sounds worth looking into! Don't suppose you have a website or email address.... :)

 

globalnomads experience was in Trinidad. Your ship is going to be in Tobago. You will not have time to fly to Trinidad and go to Maracas and then fly back to Tobago. Google Tobago rain forest tours if you want a tour or go to Pigeon Point which has been mentioned here before if you want a beach day. There are boat tours that take you out to buccoo reef and nylon pool from Pigeon Point.

[LiznMartin]

Are you sure our ship is going to Tobago.... the itinerary on the Princess website says "Trinidad", but maybe there is some more up to date information I'm not aware of.:o Thanks!

[globalnomads]

Liz,

 

From what I saw on the Princess website of your itinerary, and the associated ships' tours offered, it looks as if you'll definitely be in Trinidad. You can contact Banwari Tours on their website, banwari.com. Be sure to ask for Andrew himself to do the tour, as I can't vouch personally for anyone else... although I imagine if he hires someone he/she would be equally enthusiastic and competent.

 

Sounds like a fantastic cruise!

[goneclear]

Are you sure our ship is going to Tobago.... the itinerary on the Princess website says "Trinidad", but maybe there is some more up to date information I'm not aware of.:o Thanks!

 

Sorry I was mixing you up with another poster that is going to tobago. If you are comming to Trinidad, Maracas beach is the recomended tour. There will be taxis at the port. Tell your Taxi driver that you will like to go to Maracas beach to try the shark and bake. (put all the dressing on it).

After about 15-20 mins driving you will start to go over the northern mountain range and drive through some natural rain forest. After getting to the north coast you will start to descend to Maracas bay. There will be many places for photo ops on the drive. Just tell the taxi to stop when you want.

Sorry again about the tobago confusion. If you have any other questions feel free to ask.