By 
Trinidad is a wonderful Caribbean island at the southern end of the sea, just 20 miles from the coast of Venezuela. Despite being the creator of the iconic steel drum, they are not your typical laid-back, happy-go-lucky white-sand beach destination. Jagged coastlines, big waves, and a rugged, mountainous interior promise more excitement than most islands. Here is a list of my 5 favorite eco tours to do in Trinidad.
1) Take a boat to the Paria waterfall
While staying at the amazing Le Grande Almandier, virtually everyone at the inn (only 7 people at the time) went on this tour together. We all piled into a small fast boat and sped across the north shore to Paria Falls. Once we got to the bay, we had an easy 30 minute walk to the falls. Paria is especially appreciated by tourists and locals for the beautiful colors of its pool. Some of the brave travelers climbed over the slippery rocks and went under. After this we had lunch on the beach with some rum punch, some more rock climbing and scuba diving, then headed back to the hotel. On the way back a big storm broke out. We were thrown so hard on the boat that I thought my butt was broken, and then I peed on my bathing suit; but that’s a whole different story for a different day. Don’t let this determine you. It was a great trip and I would do it again without hesitation.
2) Watch leatherback sea turtles lay their eggs
This was a particular joy while in Trinidad. Hell, I didn’t even know that Trinidad and Tobago (TnT) was an important nesting area for sea turtles, but I was super excited when I found out. I have always been an animal lover, and these graceful and mysterious giants captivate me. TnT has really been embracing ecotourism lately, and Le Grande Almandier, on the shoreline of the sleepy fishing village of Grande Riviere, one of Trinidad’s biggest nesting beaches, is parked right next to an ecotourism stand that can take you us multiple rounds. The guides are amazing and really care about the animals. We were able to sneak (with the guides leading us – it’s illegal and just plain bad move to go alone at night during nesting season) to the back of the beach and see several leatherback turtles in the sand. After some searching, our guide found a turtle in the middle of laying its eggs and we all got to watch.
I i can’t start to tell you how to watch a 2,000-pound turtle dig a hole on the beach and lay its eggs, rhythmically, purposefully covering it with sand to hide the tracks of predators, and then, exhausted and panting, slowly return to the waves guided by The moonlight will make you feel. Small and insignificant, in the best possible way, is the only way I can describe it.
3) Mountain Bike/Bushwack A new trail on Mt. Harris
When I joined Courtenay Rooks and the Paria Springs Eco Community for a mountain bike ride through the rainforest, I thought it would be difficult but ultimately doable. Not even close.
Apparently the narrow and technical river trails around Wisconsin didn’t adequately prepare me for climbing a mountainside in 95ยบ heat and 90% humidity. The hill was steep enough that once you lost momentum, there was no way to get going again.
You could try, but your rear tire would spin and spin on wet vegetation. So we ditched the bikes, got out the machetes, and hatched a new plan. I helped (read: just tried not to get hurt) Courtenay bring back an old track that he was going to revive for a new tour. It was a lot of fun and the slower pace helped us spot exotic birds, listen to howling monekys, and introduced me to the terrifying Golden Orb-Weaver spider.
4) Explore the East Indian culture of Trinidad
Christopher Columbus mistook Trinidad and the rest of the Caribbean for the outskirts of India. This is how they became known as the West Indies, and even how Native Americans first got the name “Indians.” Ironically, Trinidad now has a large population of people with East Indian descent living on the island, and their culture is now present throughout the rest of the island.
Head to Chaguanas in west-central Trinidad and you’ll see that you’re in the Ganges basin. Here you can find Bollywood movies in the cinemas, Chutney music on the radio and Hindu temples. A unique dining experience that combines traditional North Indian cuisine with Caribbean ingredients to create delicious dishes found nowhere else.
One of the most popular examples of this is the Trinidad “Double”: a breakfast sandwich served on the street for around $1 each. It’s fried na’an, curried chickpeas with chutney (often made with mango, tamarind, or coconut) and a bit of Scotch Bonnet pepper sauce for heat. You’ll probably want two, and you can wash it down with coconut water from the vendors down the street.
5) Bird Watching at the Asa Wright Nature Center
The Asa Wright Nature Center is a former cocoa, coffee and citrus plantation in the north-central region of the island and is believed to be the oldest nature center in the West Indies. Located 1,200 feet above sea level, it is located in the foothills of the Cordillera Norte, the mountains that run across the top of the island, covered in tropical jungle.
I couldn’t get to the center, but I would have loved to take a guided tour to see Trinidad’s splendid variety of flora and fauna. Due to 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, and 617 butterflies, as well as more than 2,200 species of flowering plants.” which is extremely impressive for an island just 1,841 square miles, or about half the size of Puerto Rico. Currently, a day tour is $10 and you can join the regularly scheduled guided tours. Lunch is served in the center, but it is not included, so bring a little extra money.