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Diving Holiday to Tobago
Deep in the southern Caribbean Sea you will find the popular diving destination of Tobago. The islet, as its name suggests, belongs to the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. The tropical island is not very large. To put it in Dutch perspective; Tobago is about twice the size of Texel and about sixty thousand people live there.
As a visitor on Tobago, besides very beautiful diving, you can enjoy the peace and green nature on the island. It is truly a classic tropical dream island with clear turquoise waters and pearly white beaches.
Whether you are looking for an active vacation or just want to relax, Tobago offers both. There are several hiking trails through the rainforest and there is also a lot to explore on a bicycle. Thus, there are several waterfalls on the island, the highest (54m) (and, according to many, the most beautiful) being Argyle Falls. And yes, you can swim underneath, so bring swimwear! Just want to take it easy after diving? No problem, the bounty beaches are waiting for you.
English is the language of communication on the island, but it could have been Dutch. Or French. Or Spanish. Tobago has an eventful history in terms of occupations and European influences. After Christopher Columbus discovered the island in 1498 and the Spaniards took up residence, it came into the hands of the Dutch who lost it to the French in 1678. It eventually became British property in 1814, making the language of communication English. Meanwhile, Trinidad and Tobago has been fully independent (since 1962).
Also experience this diving trip?
There are actually two locations on Tobago where there is a lot of diving. Crown Point and Speyside. Both places offer delicious Caribbean diving, yet both are slightly different. Which side do you choose? Should you not be able to choose, no problem either. We can combine the two locations just fine.
Diving at Crown Point - southwest Tobago
The town of Crown Point is where you’ll find most of the accommodations and dive the southern dive sites. Here you make mostly relatively shallow dives, about 16-18m. This makes southwest Tobago an ideal destination for novice divers. Most dive sites can be reached within 15 minutes by boat from Crown Point. Underwater you will encounter stingrays, lobsters and nurse sharks in addition to beautiful soft coral. By the way, did you know that Tobago has more lobsters per square meter than any other reef? A very popular diving site is Cove Crack;here you will find large schools of fish including barracudas, Wrasse Creole and the slower Bermuda Chubs. For more experienced divers, the dive sites “Diver’s Dream & Diver’s Thirst” are great for drift diving. Fierce currents can occasionally throw a spanner in the works, but adventurers can look forward to siesta-holding nurse sharks and sea turtles in favorable conditions. Also be careful not to miss passing eagle rays! For seahorse lovers, we also have a tip: Mount Irvine Wall. Between 8 and 18 meters, these little equestrian ninjas are hidden, but the guide is sure to find them. There are also 2 wrecks around Mount Irvine. There is the Maverick, an old ferry , AND another ship on the Dutchman’s reef, of which it is not certain whether it is a Man-O-War or a Merchantman. So plenty to do in southern Tobago.
Diving on Speyside - northeast Tobago
In the north of Tobago you can also dive beautifully. There you dive into the Atlantic Ocean, while Crown Point is still the Caribbean Sea. Diving is different in the northeast and you can see that right away, because of all the dive sites, the visibility is the very best on Speyside. Most diving is done directly from the shore off Speyside (perfect for beginners) and around Goat Island and Little Tobago (more suitable for experienced divers due to currents). Goat Island and Little Tobago are small islands located just outside Speyside Bay. Most dive sites here can also be reached within 10 minutes by boat or sometimes even faster with the wind at your back. The water temperature is 25 to 19 degrees Celsius, so it feels wonderfully pleasant. During your dives in Speyside, Tobago you will enjoy parrotfish, coral butterflies, moonfish, barracuda and eagle rays. With any luck, a nurse shark or sea turtle will swim past you.
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