Trinidad is a gorgeous Caribbean island located in the far south of the sea – just 20 miles off the coast of Venezuela. Despite being the originator of the famous steel roller coaster, it is not your typical beach destination with white sand, quiet, and serene. Craigie’s beaches, big waves, and rugged, mountainous interior promise more thrills than most islands. Here is a list of my five favorite eco tours to do in Trinidad.
1) Take a boat to Paria Waterfall
While staying at the wonderful Le Grande Almandier, almost all the people in the inn (only 7 people at the time) went on this tour together. We all piled into a small speedboat and raced across the north shore to Paria Falls. Once in the bay we had an easy 30 minute hike to the falls. Paria is particularly admired by tourists and locals because of the beautiful colors of its swimming pool. A few brave travelers climbed and plunged into the slippery rocks. Afterwards we had lunch on the beach complete with some rum, a bit of rock climbing and snorkeling, then headed back to the hotel. On the way back, a huge storm blew up. We bounced so hard in the boat that I thought I broke my ass bone, and then I peed in my swimsuit; But that’s a completely different story for a different day. Don’t let this deter you. It was an amazing trip and I would do it again without hesitation.
2) Watch leatherback sea turtles lay their eggs
This was a special joy when I was in Trinidad. Hell, I didn’t even know that Trinidad and Tobago (TnT) was a prime nesting area for sea turtles, but I was really excited about it when I found out. I have always been an animal lover, and I am captivated by these graceful and mysterious giants. TnT has really been embracing ecotourism lately, and Le Grande Almandier – on the coast of the sleepy fishing village of Grande Riviere, one of Trinidad’s biggest beaches – is centered next to an ecotourism site that can lead you on multiple tours. The guides are amazing and genuinely care about the animals. We managed to sneak (with the evidence leading – it’s illegal and just a bad move to go on your own at night during nesting season) to the back side of the beach and see many skins on the sand. After a bit of searching our guide found a turtle in the middle of laying her eggs and we all got to watch.
I can not start To tell you how the sight of a 2,000-pound turtle digging a hole in the beach and laying its eggs, rhythmically, covering them with sand to hide tracks from predators, and then—exhausted and panting—slowly returning to the surf guided by moonlight, will make you feel. Small and insignificant – in the best possible way – is the only way I can describe it.
3) Mountain Bike / Bushwak New trail on Mt. Harris
When I joined Courtenay Rooks and the Paria Springs Eco Community to do a rainforest MTB ride I thought it would be tough but finally possible. Not even close.
The narrow, technical river trails around Wisconsin clearly didn’t prepare me enough for mountainside climbs in 95°C heat and 90% humidity. The hill was so steep that once you lost your momentum, there was no way to get back up again.
You can try, but your rear tire will just spin and spin on wet vegetation. So we ditch the bikes, break out the machetes, and come up with a new plan. I helped (read: just try not to hurt myself) Courtenay restore an old track he intended to revive for a new run. It was so much fun and the slower pace helped us find exotic birds, hear howls howl, and introduced me to the terrifying Golden Orb-Weaver spider.
4) Discover East Indian culture in Trinidad
Christopher Columbus mistook Trinidad and the rest of the Caribbean for the outskirts of India. This is how the West Indies became known, and even how Native Americans first got the name “Indians”. Somewhat ironically, Trinidad now has a large number of people of East Indian descent living on the island, and their culture now coexists with the rest of the island.
Head to Chaguanas in West-Central Trinidad and you’ll swear you’re in the Ganges Basin. Bollywood movies in theatres, Chutney music on the radio and Hindu temples can be found here. A unique gastronomic experience that blends traditional North Indian cuisine with Caribbean ingredients that make crazy tasty dishes not found anywhere else.
One of the most famous examples of this is the Trinidad “double”: a breakfast sandwich served on the street for $1 each. It’s fried naan, curried chickpeas with chutney (often made with mango, tamarind, or coconut) and a little Scotch Bonnet pepper sauce to heat up. Maybe you want two, and you can wash them down with coconut water from the merchants down the street.
5) Birds at the Asa Wright Nature Center
The Asa Wright Nature Center is an old cocoa, coffee and citrus plantation in the north central area of the island and is believed to be the oldest nature center in the West Indies. Located at an altitude of 1,200 feet above sea level, it lies in the foothills of the Northern Range – the mountains that run across the top of the island, covered in tropical rain forests.
I didn’t make it to the center but wanted to go on a guided tour to see the amazing array of flora and fauna of Trinidad. Because of its continental origins, tropical forests, and now being an island, Trinidad has more biodiversity than you might expect.
According to the center, there are “…97 native mammals, 400 birds, 55 reptiles, 25 amphibians, 617 butterflies, as well as more than 2,200 species of flowering plants.” Which is pretty impressive for an island that’s only 1,841 square miles, or about half the size of Puerto Rico. A day visit is currently $10 and you can hop on on regularly scheduled guided tours. Lunch is served at the center, but not included, so bring a little extra cash.
