Tobago, the little sister island to Trinidad, West Indies, is located about 1,650 miles southeast of Miami—about a 3.5–hour jet ride away. Tobago, along with Trinidad, are unusual for Caribbean Islands—geologically they were once part of South America and you can see the Andes reflected in the high mountains of both islands. Tobago has the oldest protected rain forest (since 1776) in the western hemisphere. Tobago is ideal for nature-lovers—above water and below water—with an abundance of various birds and plants as well as the whole spectrum of warm-water sealife.

Why is Tobago a world-class dive destination?

• The Guyana Current moves slowly up the eastern coast of South America, divides around Trinidad and washes the south and east coasts of Tobago. Fed by the Orinoco River, the water is warm and rich in nutrients, ideally suited to sustain a wide range of marine life. Many deep sea fish are found here much closer to the surface than normal. Divers have little difficulty sighting barracudas, dolphins, whale sharks and turtles as well as manta rays. Smaller fish abound—butterfly fish, Queen and French angels, damsels, parrotfish, grunts. Rarer species such as tarpon and trigger fish are regular residents.
  
• A mainly volcanic island, with green hills falling steeply into the sea, below the surface the cliffs form rocky canyons, underwater tunnels, deep and shallow caves. The currents drift past sheer walls and giant rock-faces. Every known species of hard coral and most of the soft corals—as well as the world's largest known brain coral, 12–feet high and 16–feet across, dwarfing the divers who explore it, are found here.
  
• The visibility regularly reaches 130–150 feet and 40 feet is considered a really bad day.

Diving!—Divers and underwater photographers are enthralled with the visibility of Tobago's waters. Water is in constant motion and the corals gorge themselves on the abundant nutrients becoming large, healthy, colorful gardens where one can become lost in wonder and meditation drifting effortlessly with the current.

Most dive sites are about a 15– to 20–minute boat ride away. The small, fast, safe, relatively comfortable, and very seaworthy boats used by most operators provide short rides and provide very safe, rewarding underwater experience. The exceptional expertise of the DMs is matched by their knowledge, friendliness and ability to work with and guide every level of diver experience.

However, while Tobago's dive sites are better appreciated by the intermediate to advanced diver, there are sufficient sites to enthrall the newly-certified diver. AND, the larger, more comfortable dive boats are beginning to show up amongst Tobago's operators. With the advent of these larger, social boats, the option of a giant stride off a dive platform is provided, instead of only a backward roll entry off the side of a smaller boat.

Weather & Water—Year round air temperature averages—70–90 deg.F. with lows ~60 deg.F. and highs ~90 deg.F. Water temperature ranges between 72 deg.F. to 82 deg.F. Visibility runs between 60 to 130+ feet, and is usually around 90 feet.

Price Validity—All Package Prices are subject to change without notice, unless Paid-In-Full. Changes may be required in the event of increases or decreases in the cost of services imposed by hotels, dive operators, air carriers (if included in package), or other contractors. Government taxes can change at any time.

• Mt. Irvine Wall—35–70sw, beginner–intermediate, land extends down into the sea, rocks, coral, fingers, caves, crevasses, lobster, crabs, octopus, moray eels, schools of silversides. Great for night dives.
• Flying Reef—40–80fsw, intermediate–advanced 4+–knot drift dive, canyon-like crevasses, cave-like ledges and overhangs, greens, yellows and pinks, giant boulders, rock spires.
• Buccoo Reef—15–30fsw, beginner, shallow, protected reef, many juvenile tropicals and corals.
• Kariwak Reef—15–30fsw, beginner, shallow reef, easy shore dive, many juvenile tropicals and corals.

• Sisters—50–130fsw, intermediate–advanced, maze of canyons and alpine slopes, pinnacles, mantas, eagle rays, barracuda, tarpon, jewfish and shark.
• Keliston Drain—20–80fsw, intermediate, world's largest known brain coral, nurse sharks, mantas.
• London Bridge—30–40fsw, intermediate–advanced, natural arch that extends down 40 feet underwater, water creates sort of a venturi effect and whips you through the arch. On the other side it's calm and filled with large pelagics, schooling tarpons (4–8 foot range).
• Japanese Gardens—30–50fsw, beginner–intermediate, lies off tip of Goat Island, mantas, mild current, very colorful, soft corals, sponges, vases, current sometimes increases and you fly around some corners.

• Manta City—intermediate–advanced
• Blackjack Hole—intermediate–advanced
• Book Ends—intermediate
• Arnos Valebeginner
• Englishman's Bay—beginner–intermediate
• Batteaux Bay—intermediate–advanced
• The Alps—intermediate–advanced
• Scarlett Ibis Wreck—beginner–intermediate
• Angel Reef—beginner–intermediate

Located in Speyside, this small comfortable resort hotel has all the modern facilities to make your Caribbean holiday memorable and relaxing. Nestled between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mountain Rain Forest Reserve (est. 1776), Manta Lodge is the ideal place for scuba divers, birders, and families.

For birders and hikers, the estate surrounding the lodge is a cornucopia of tropical flora and fauna, with nature trails starting right outside the guest rooms. The trails are perfect for individual exploration, or let the staff arrange a professional guide, for bird watching and nature tours of the nearby Little Tobago Island or the Mountain Rain Forest, the western hemisphere's oldest rain forest preserve!

Opened in 1995 with only 22 rooms, Manta Lodge has been designed for guest comfort and ease. Modern facilities include air conditioned guest rooms, freshwater swimming pool, soft sandy beach, full service restaurant (Green Moray Bar & Restaurant), premium brand bar, local water taxi, nature trails, full service scuba diving & snorkeling including PADI, BSAC, NAUI scuba training. Rooms offer a choice of ceiling fans or quiet split-unit air conditioning, and all include en-suite facilities, daily maid service, and private verandas with breathtaking Atlantic ocean views. Sunrise from your veranda is spectacular everyday!

Enjoy a lively 'lime' (hang out) at our Green Moray Bar, where you are sure to be entertained by the colorful characters we employ. Spend some time trying to decipher our local dialect, peppered with phrases such as:

• "I eh know" — I don't know (commonly used when questioned by a superior)
• "Ent ah tell yuh so" — Didn't I already say that to you.
• "Naah maaaaan" — No (Nah has two meanings Please and No)

• Buljol and fried or roast bake: Salted fish combined with various seasonings served in heavy bread.
• Pigeon peas soup: rich soup made with local peas full of vegetables and dumplings.
• Choka and Sada Roti: Fried tomatoes or eggplant highly seasoned and served with a soft thin bread.
• Pelau: A combination of rice, vegetables and one or more types of meat cooked in a rich coconut milk.

We prepare to start diving from 8:30 every morning, and the boats leave from the Speyside jetty. Most dive sites are located within a 5 to 20 minute boat trip. There are a large number of beautiful reefs in Tobago, located in and around Goat Island and Little Tobago. Ask to go to "Japanese Gardens", a relaxing dive, with the most beautiful short corals in every color imaginable, and thousands of different types of fish. Go to "Kelliston Drain" and see one of the largest Brain Corals in the world. If large fish and shark are what you are looking for, then maybe "Shark Bank" or "Bookends" are the dives for you.

There are no guarantees. We can't control everything. Don't be surprised to see an abundance of Turtles, Lobster, Nurse Shark, Reef Shark, Morays, Stingrays, Eagle Ray's and perhaps Manta Rays. You may have already heard that some of our dives are drift dives. Given the right weather conditions, drift dives one day, may not be a drift dive the following. Some dives are best seen as a drift dive. You enter the water, and the gentle current means there is barely any need to fin, as you drift along at a nice gentle pace, leaving you amazed at the natural beauty of our reefs.

When your first dive is completed, we take a surface interval break in the shadow of "b>Little Tobago, allowing those who would like to take a look at this beautiful island a brief land break, whilst we take on fruit and refreshment. Sometimes we take a break in front of Goat Island, where you can see a beautiful house, reported to be Ian Flemings (James Bond author) old residence, nestled between the two halves of Goat Island. And below us is probably the best reef for snorkeling in Tobago, so if you just can't get enough, jump in and have a swim around marveling at its natural beauty and abundance of fish.

On completion of your second dive, we return to Manta Lodge via the Speyside Jetty, to clean off the kit and prepare for the afternoon. As most morning dives are finished by 1:00. This leaves you the rest of the day to enjoy the land based activities.