THE NORTH COAST CIRCUIT
Port of Spain-Maracas-Blanchisseuse-Arima-Port of Spain

1 Maracas Bay
Trinidad’s most popular beach is 35 minutes from the city along a scenic coastal road. Recent improvements have enhanced both the beach and the facilities. Beyond Maracas are Tyrico Bay and Las Cuevas beaches; there are many more small beaches and bays along the road to Blanchisseuse.

2 Asa Wright Nature Centre
360 metres up in the Northern Range, the Centre is a 200-acre conservation and study area, catering for both professional and amateur naturalists and for visitors interested in birds and wildlife. There are eight trails, including one to the home of the world’s most accessible colony of oilbirds, and comfortable accommodation. Open daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with guided tours at 10 a.m. and 1.30 p.m.; book in advance (667–4655). Admission US$6 (children under 12, US$4).

3 Lopinot Complex
Five miles off the Eastern Main Road up the Lopinot valley is the restored estate house of a French count, Charles Joseph de Lopinot, who arrived in Trinidad in 1800 and planted cocoa on this magnificent site. His ghost is said to appear on stormy nights, and his house has been made into a small museum. Lopinot is one of the main centres of parang, the traditional music of Christmas. Open 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Free.

4 Mount St Benedict
The oldest Benedictine monastery in the Caribbean, founded in 1912, lies on the flank of the Northern Range 800 feet above St Augustine, with spectacular views over the central plains, beautiful gardens and nature trails. There is a small guesthouse (Pax), with simple but comfortable accommodation. The teashop serves traditional Pax Tea every day from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Access is via St John’s Road from St Augustine. Tel. 662–4084.

5 Maracas Waterfall
In the Northern Range north of St Joseph, this 91-metre fall is the country’s highest, and a popular spot for picnickers, campers, swimmers and bird-watchers. It is an easy 2.4 km. hike from the road.

HEADING WEST
Port of Spain-Chaguaramas-Down the Islands

6 Fort George
Overlooking Port of Spain and its approaches, this fort dates from the earliest British days; some buildings and armaments remain, but it is mainly the view that attracts visitors now, and the cool mountain air. Closes 6 p.m. No admission charge.

7 Chaguaramas Military History and Aviation Museum
The Caribbean’s only military history museum is near the helicopter hangar in Chaguaramas, about 20 minutes from Port of Spain. A labour of love, it covers centuries of military action on land, sea and air. Open daily 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Admission TT$10, children TT$5. Tel. 634–4391.

8 Gasparee Caves
Trinidad’s offshore islands are like another world (when people say they’re going “down the islands”, this is where they’re heading). The nearest, Gaspar Grande (Gasparee), a short boat ride from Chaguaramas, has an easily accessible cave complex as well as picnic facilities and ruins of colonial fortifications. Tour guide and entrance fee to the caves TT$10 (children TT$5). Open 9 a.m. to 2.30 p.m. weekdays and to 3 p.m. weekends. Tel. 634–4364 (Chaguaramas Development Authority).

9 River Estate Water Wheel, Diego Martin
A monument to the old days when sugar estates prevailed and massive water wheels supplied their energy. This wheel, at the far end of the Diego Martin valley, is part of a restored estate house and museum, with picnic facilities.

HEADING EAST
Port of Spain-Arima-Valencia-Toco-Grande Rivière-Matelot

10 Aripo Caves
Reaching Trinidad’s largest cave system requires a lengthy hike and a good guide, but for the adventurous, or the naturalist, the trek and the caves with their flocks of oilbirds can be richly rewarding.

11 Hollis Reservoir
A rich birdwatching area in the foothills of the Northern Range. Clearance from WASA, the water authority in St Joseph, is needed to enter the reservoir area.

12 13 14 Matura, Grande Rivière and Matelot
Three wild and beautiful beaches, the first two being nesting sites for several turtle species including the endangered Leatherback. To protect them, Matura is a protected area — permits must be obtained from the Wildlife Division of the Forestry Department (622–7476). Bathe with caution — these waters can be treacherous.

15 Paria Waterfall
A popular destination for hardy hikers, this beautiful waterfall is accessible only on foot or by boat along the north coast. You need a knowledgeable guide.

16 Galera Point
One of the most dramatic spots in Trinidad: an old lighthouse overlooks the point where the Atlantic meets the Caribbean, waves crashing on the rocks. The nearby Salybia beach is a popular and safe bathing spot.

THE EAST COAST
Arima-Sangre Grande-Manzanilla-Mayaro

17 18 Manzanilla and Mayaro
These are two of the longest beaches in Trinidad — miles of sand lined with coconut palms (this was once estate land) facing the Atlantic. The water is rougher than on the west coast — watch out for currents — but the space and the Atlantic seabreeze are wonderful.

19 Nariva Swamp
A complex freshwater system which includes the Bush Bush Wildlife Sanctuary, a haven for Red Howler monkeys, caiman and manatee, among much else. Permits are required for a visit (contact a reputable tour operator or the Wildlife Division of the Forestry Department, 662–5114).

HEADING SOUTH
Port of Spain-Chaguanas-San Fernando-La Brea

20 Caroni Bird Sanctuary
The home of the Scarlet Ibis is a large wetland area on the north-west coast, and a place of striking stillness and beauty. The birds return to roost at sunset; boat tours start in the late afternoon (US$10, children half price). The Sanctuary is about 30 minutes from the city. Contact Winston Nanan (645–1305).

21 Chaguanas
The fastest-growing urban area in Trinidad, Chaguanas is the heart of the sugar-belt, crowded and bustling. Novelist V. S. Naipaul’s family lived in the Lion House, not far from the highway. A mile or two south, on the Southern Main Road, traditional potters produce and sell Indian craft.

22 La Vega Garden Centre
Established in 1988, La Vega now has a huge collection of tropical plants and flowers, and is a good place to relax in or picnic among the bamboo groves. It is near Gran Couva, about 45 minutes from Port of Spain. There is no admission charge to the sales area, but tours of the estate should be booked in advance (tel. 653–6120; TT$10 per person for a group of 10, children under 12 TT$6).

23 Point Lisas
A massive industrial estate on the west coast near Couva, fuelled by offshore natural gas; it is a world-ranking exporter of methanol, ammonia, fertiliser and steel.

24 Sewdass Sadhu Shiv Mandir
The temple stands in the sea a few hundred yards off the west coast at Waterloo. Built single-handedly in the 1930s by a devout Hindu, it replaced an earlier temple which was destroyed by the colonial authorities; Sadhu was determined to create a place of worship but had no land on which to build. It attracted pilgrims for many years, and has recently been restored and renovated.

25 Pointe-à-Pierre Wild Fowl Trust
A research and conservation centre on 26 hectares of the Petrotrin oil refinery, with trails and a learning centre, dedicated to protecting endangered waterfowl and other birds and reintroducing them into the natural environment. Open Monday to Friday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday 12 to 4, Sunday 10.30 to 6. Tours daily for schoolchildren and visitors, for a small fee. Book in advance (662–4040 before 8 a.m., or 637–5145).

26 San Fernando
Trinidad's second city is the focus of the oil industry. This is a convenient base for the Pitch Lake and Wild Fowl Trust. Overlooking the town is the much-quarried San Fernando Hill, thought to have been sacred to the original Amerindian settlers.

27 Devil's Woodyard
An area of bubbling mud volcanoes near Princes Town; eruptions are infrequent but dramatic.

Photo: Gulf of Paria: Mark Meredith

28 Pitch Lake
A dark mass of imperceptibly churning natural asphalt near the town of La Brea. It doesn’t look like much at first glance. You can walk on the surface — but a car would sink to its axles in a few minutes; sticks soon disappear. Objects vanish and reappear years later as the pitch slowly swirls. The source is a fault line in the sandstone 250 feet down, through which crude oil or bitumen seeps, providing an endlessly replenished pool of bitumen for roads and mastic asphalt roofs. There is a small museum. Open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. TT$15 (children TT$10). Bookings 648–7697.

29 Palmiste National Park
Recently launched and still in the early stages of development, the park covers 40 acres of land on the edge of San Fernando. During the year work is expected to proceed on a jogging track, picnic areas, eco trails, recreation areas and an arboretum.

30 Quinam Recreational Park
Quinam Recreational Park is a new eco park, in a forested area near the Quinam beach in south Trinidad. Includes rustic picnic shelters, an information centre and nature trails. Newly developed by the Forestry deparment (622–3217).