Diving Into the Far Reaches of the Caribbean

When you mention Caribbean vacations and water sports, a lot of the same names come up - Grand Cayman, Nassau, Aruba, even Bonaire for the most avid divers. But there are other locations around the bright blue sea that are underused, but becoming ever more accessible.

Trinidad & Tobago may not spring immediately to mind when you think of a scuba vacation, but there's no reason to keep this destination off your list of dive sites. First of all, consider its location: neighboring islands are Grenada and Barbados to the north, and the ABC islands of Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao to the west, and to the south, you have the lovely coast of Venezuela. So why aren't more divers plowing through the pristine waters?

Consider again, the location: Trinidad & Tobago are about as far away from the US as you can get and still be regarded in the Caribbean. And in point of fact, it's just a location that's not all that well-known in the US as a vacation or adventure destination. The folks in charge of tourism development are ready to change all that.

New hotels are coming into service this year, among them, the 428 room, 5-star Hyatt Regency Hotel and Conference Center, which is part of the Port of Spain's International Waterfront Development initiative.The hotel will include luxury amenities as well as complete convention and business facilities. The Hyatt is expected to open in the fall of 2007. See the links listed at the end of this article for more details.

For dive enthusiasts, you'll be happy to know that US-valid dive certifications can be obtained in the warm tropical waters through DiveTNT. This 17-year old diving operation has locations on both islands - at the Coral Cove Marina in Trinindad and in the town of Charlotteville in Tobago. DiveTNT has certification programs to suit beginners and pros, ranging from simple Resort Dive training to Rescue Diving.

Links:
DiveTNT
Hyatt Regency
Neighboring Aruba
Lodging Options:
Ancon Club All Inclusive
Trinidad Hilton