Best things to do in Trinidad & Tobago
21.07.2023 - 08:41
/ roughguides.com
Sitting pretty just off the coast of the South American mainland Trinidad and Tobago is one of the Caribbean’s most diverse and underexplored destinations. The islands boast spectacular rainforests, waterfalls, savannas and reefs, and endless undeveloped beaches. T&T is also a cultural pacemaker for the Caribbean. Read on to find out the best things to do in Trinidad and Tobago.
The information in this article is inspired by the Rough Guide to Trinidad & Tobago — your essential guide for visiting Trinidad and Tobago.
Squeezed in between the Caribbean Sea and the Northern Range, with fleeting views of the glittering, island-studded ocean to one side and cliffs with tangled jungle on the other. The North Coast Road stands out as a truly spectacular experience and is among the top things to do in Trinidad and Tobago.
Bois Cano trees drop claw-like leaves onto the tarmac and mineral springs pour down into roadside gullies. The water is chilled, delicious and safe to drink, and many locals stop off to fill up bottles or take a freshwater shower. Be warned that at weekends, the road between Port of Spain and Maracas can get quite busy and is prone to frequent landslides during the rainy season.
Parlatuvier bay © Claudio306/Shutterstock
Among the captivating things to do in Trinidad and Tobago, exploring the Northern Range hills of Trinidad is a must for hiking enthusiasts, with hundreds of trails through the lush forest. A good guide is essential if you intend to go hiking in the Northern Range. Trails to places such as Guanapo Gorge, La Laja and Sombasson waterfalls and Aripo Caves are unmarked and impossible to follow without local knowledge.
Apart from being able to tell the difference between a harmless rainbow boa and a venomous mapepire snake, a guide will also be able to enrich your hike with background on the fauna and flora of the forests.
Temple in the sea, Trinidad © pansticks/Shutterstock
A visit to Carapichaima is one of the best things to do in Trinidad and Tobago for an introduction to Indo-Trinidadian culture, from the Temple in the Sea at Waterloo to the gigantic Hanuman Murti statue. This was once prime sugar territory, first planted with fields of swaying sugar cane when the land was owned by the Tate & Lyle sugar producers.
Today, Carapichaima is wholeheartedly Trinidadian melange. Along the central Waterloo Main Road, the Church of Zion and Presbyterian school sit side by side with a healthy quota of rum shops. Nowhere else is the creative potential of Trinidad’s cosmopolitan cultural mix more clearly visible than at Carapichaima’s Carnival celebrations, combined with Indian drumming and costume, which draws hundreds of visitors.
Colourful ceiling with Hindu deities at Dattatreya Temple