Honeymoon in Tobago?

[Catch&Release]

I am looking for a quiet slice of the Caribbean to spend our 7-10 day honeymoon. I don't like all inclusives and we like quiet, sleepy places that are naturally beautiful. We LOVED Anguilla and I love southern Belize for the mix of beautiful snorkeling and lots of nature oriented activities, but we'd like to go somewhere new.

Have any of you even been to Tobago? I am intrigued by the fact that it sounds kind of off the beaten path and it has a rain forest where we can do some birding/nature hikes.

Would this be a good place for a honeymoon? Are the people friendly or, based on their proximity to Venezuela, are they buying into Hugo Chavez's anti gringoism? We don't have the budget for Necker Island or the ultra luxurious sort but can do something a little nicer than Hedonism, etc.

Thanks for your suggestions!

[Snowparrot]

Tobago is wonderful, like the rest of Tridindad and Tobago. Speyside is particularly nice. Charlotteville is exceptionally quiet.
Highly recommended. We stayed at the Bluewaters resort in Speyside quite a few years ago.

[mommar]

By all means GO!!!!!!!!!

I was there in 1973, so it was much different then than it is now. It was very laid back and quiet. I don't even think there were any hotels on Tobago at the time, only a few B&B's from what I remember. As a matter of fact, the big talk on the island then was the Upside Down Hilton in Trinidad. The residents were fine then, no problems, actually now that I think about it, they were super nice. Th only thing was that females couldn't be unescorted in the evening. I was also there with a native, don't know if that made a difference I don't think it did, or didn't feel that it did.

There were many beaches that were basically empty. Some of them were not like our beaches(with parking lots & restrooms & concession stands) they were just there, on the side of the road and the neighborhood children roamed them naked

The snorkeling was GREAT!!!!!! So Beautiful! I've never seen anything like it again. Well..........I'm not a diver, and do live in New England, so that might explain that

I ate my first mango right off the tree on one of these beaches, I think it was Tobago. Some kids that were hanging out there just took out their knife and cut it down and peeled it for us.

I forget whether it was Trinidad, or Tobago, but, you could walk into the rain forest and swim in the water under the water-fall... ahhhhhh

Back then you could go to a music store in Trinidad, pick out the songs you wanted, and go back later to pick up your custom-made Trinidadian 8-track tape Damb I wish I still had it And that my friend is when/where my love of Steel Pan music began.

Also back then the only entertainment that I remember was a little hut-type place Bucco Village maybe was the name of it. It was musical entertainment, just a steel pan show/concert. It was Superb!!!!!

Enjoy and Congrats!!!!!!!

[MacPhin]

go to bequia.

http://www.burke-house.com/BurkeHouse/photos1.asp

www.bequia.net

carol

I am looking for a quiet slice of the Caribbean to spend our 7-10 day honeymoon. I don't like all inclusives and we like quiet, sleepy places that are naturally beautiful. We LOVED Anguilla and I love southern Belize for the mix of beautiful snorkeling and lots of nature oriented activities, but we'd like to go somewhere new.

Have any of you even been to Tobago? I am intrigued by the fact that it sounds kind of off the beaten path and it has a rain forest where we can do some birding/nature hikes.

Would this be a good place for a honeymoon? Are the people friendly or, based on their proximity to Venezuela, are they buying into Hugo Chavez's anti gringoism? We don't have the budget for Necker Island or the ultra luxurious sort but can do something a little nicer than Hedonism, etc.

Thanks for your suggestions!

[Skibo]

On the other hand, kidnapping for ransom is a popular past time there. This is one of the spots I have highlighted as a place to go. That has moved down in the list for now. If you loved Anguilla (who wouldn't), look into Barbados or Grenada. Both were wonderful islands. Grenada was my favorite of the two.

[Catch&Release]

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_t ... _1043.html

Wow. Thanks, Skibo. Tobago is NOT where we will be going. That sent chills down my spine.

MacPhin, Bequia looks stunning. It is a strong contender if I can figure out how to get to St. Vincent from Detroit.

Thanks, everyone.

[Afternoon Golfer]

Would this be a good place for a honeymoon? Are the people friendly or, based on their proximity to Venezuela, are they buying into Hugo Chavez's anti gringoism? We don't have the budget for Necker Island or the ultra luxurious sort but can do something a little nicer than Hedonism, etc.

Thanks for your suggestions!

You might like St Lucia or the British Virgin Islands. Check out www.scubamom.com. She has some great reviews of lots of resorts in those areas.

[Snowparrot]

I'm so sorry to read that US State Dept stuff about Trinidad & Tobago: it was a very peaceful place in 1990.

[Missing B'dos]

Go to Bequia!!!

We lived on Barbados for two years and loved it, but it is not the quiet place you are looking for.
We know many Trinis, too (people from Trinidad and Tobago) and that is not the quiet place you want.

You want Bequia! We used to vacation there when we lived on Barbados.
Stay at the Frangipani. Get one of the rooms up the hill, the view of Admiralty Bay... wow! There's a great bar up among the trees at the far end of Princess Margaret beach (you get to the beach by water taxi).
Visit the boat carvers, visit the turtle sanctuary, visit the hotel at Friendship Bay and sit in the tire swing bar stools by the sea (you will need to hire a friendly canvas top taxi-truck to go over to the turtles and FB.) Visit the tiny whale museum. Take a day sail over to Mustique and rub shoulders with the rich. Take a really really wonderful day sail, all day, with Marty on 'Passion' to the Tobago Cays and Mayreau, have lunch snorkel sport fish off a sailing catamaran! Enjoy the lovely stores.... there is even a bookshop on a tiny Caribbean island! There are bars and hotels and restaurants all along the harbourside walkway, and all low key and all great. Pizza. Beautiful handicrafts. Great Caribbean lobster, in season. Bequia is very affordable and the best of the Grenadines... we've been to St. vincent, Grenada, and the other islands, too.

You really do want to go to Bequia.

Oh, and folks, don't read the state department sites. If you followed their advice, you would never go anywhere. Go to Talesmag if you want an expat view on an island, but not the government site.