We have just returned from a one week stay at Adventure Eco Villas in Plymouth (Tobago). We originally planned to have a typical lie-on-the-beach-all-day Caribbean holiday and had to change our plans last minute (literally…see our review of Coco Reef).

Having read only a short review on Adventure Eco Villas in the travel magazine Wanderlust (issue 81), we knew the villas resided amongst the Tropical flora and fauna of a twelve-acre nature reserve and organic farm, so it was with some trepidation that we flew out 6 hours later unsure of what to expect.

From the moment we arrived we were put at our ease. We were picked up by Lee-roy (taxi organised by Eco Villas), who was waiting there already for us when we got through customs. Although not included in the cost of the stay, the fare was fairly inexpensive.

We arrived at the Villas for the 3 o’clock bell (a regular and pleasant feature)-feeding time for the hundreds of tropical birds, and a glass of ice cold, home made juice. Mr. Mackay (Ean-the owner) from the outset was very pleasant and accommodating and made us feel at home immediately.

Accommodation:

The accommodation is situated a short distance from the main house, tucked in behind some mango trees. Comprising of two wooden chalet-style, self contained apartments, both share an open, wooden decking area with tables and chairs over looking the lower (more interesting part) of the nature reserve.

The main living room shares the same view as the decking area (through many open shutters) and includes a dinning table, sofa and coffee table. A small but well resourced kitchen (all mod-cons: gas cooker, microwave, kettle, coffee-maker and a very efficient fridge freezer!) will suffice any traveller who wishes for a self catering trip. The bedroom (with a large en-suite bathroom), has air-con, lots of storage space, safe and (unlike many hotels in the area) a fully functional cable TV. The en-suite bathroom has a decent sized bath and overhead shower.

Overall, the accommodation was very clean (the house was cleaned daily by Petra) and well maintained. Being raised above the ground on “stilts”-it was not prone to any of the general creepy-crawlies one might expect find in a nature reserve (we may though, have been helped by the fact it was the dry season).

There is an incredible amount of tropical fauna and flora to be observed, from the elusive iguanas to the famous Mot Mots. There are one of two resident Woodpeckers in the chalets, so you will not always need to set an alarm, but eating breakfast with a number of hummingbirds buzzing around your head is an experience not to be missed.

Beaches and the Area:

The nearest beach is at Arnos Vale (the beach is situated within the grounds of the Arnos Vale Hotel), about 5-10 minutes walk from the Villas. Freely accessible to all, it is by far one of the more secluded and safe beaches in the area-with incredible snorkelling throughout the entire bay.

Pigeon Point, Stonehaven (Grafton) and especially Englishmans Bay are all beaches that are definitely worth a visit. Pick up some fresh fish from Mount Irvine Bay in the afternoon (after 3pm). If you do want to explore the island, car hire is a must. This can be organised at the Villas for you, but you may find it cheaper to pre-book this through the usual companies (Expedia, Opodo etc.).

If you want a relaxing holiday (not necessarily at the beach) Eco Villas is perfect. You can sit all day and sip fresh, homemade juices and watch the tropical birds, or wander around the reserve itself. If you require a more adventurous trip, Mr. Mackay will help in any way possible, from organising car hire, to suggesting sailing trips, horse riding, best beaches, restaurants etc. and if you are lucky, even turtle watching.