Trinidad

Trinidad_and_Tobago

Trinidad is the larger of the two islands that make up the Caribbean island nation of Trinidad and Tobago.

  • North Trinidad - Mostly busy and urban, but with some rural and laid back places as well as the north coast beaches and rainforest. Highest peak in the northern mountain range.
  • East Trinidad - somewhat suburban, and the University of the West Indies is located there.
  • Central Trinidad - Lots of agriculture and heavy industry, central range with rainforest.
  • South Trinidad - Center of petroleum production and the labour movement.
  • South East Trinidad - Rural and mostly undeveloped, most business centers around offshore oil drilling

  • Maracas National Park

  • Mount Saint Benedict is a Catholic monastery located high in the Northern Range, near the village of Arima. Visitors are warmly welcomed. There is a lovely guest house, Pax Guest House, where a scrumptious tea is served on Sunday afternoons to all visitors. (Meals are also regularly available to overnight guests.) The breads and sweets are baked by the Benetictine monks, so they're fresh and delicious. The cost is minimal for the tea service. The entire complex is peaceful and because it is situated so high on the mountain, it is wonderfully cool. (One might even require a sweater in the evenings.) For the physically fit, there are Stations of the Cross that begin at the bottom of the mountain and end at the church. The Stations are along a rather steep road, requiring exercise for the body and soul.
  • Asa Wright Nature Center. Is a birdwatching center of the world. There are cottages to stay in, but one doesn't need to be an overnight guest to visit. Knowledgable guides will lead you through this former cocoa plantation, pointing out interesting species of birds, lizards, and other animals that you may encounter on the way. Staff put out fresh fruit everyday to attract birds, so that even sitting on the wide and comfortable veranda, a guest will be entertained by the local fauna. The entry cost is 60TTD (10 usd) for foreigners and 30TTD (5 USD) for locals. This is for a day pass. Overview of Maracas Bay
  • Toco/Matelot/Grand Riviere - superb scenery, some beaches, leatherbacks which come up every night to lay their eggs during esting season.
  • Nature trails - small waterfalls & streams for bathing
  • Pitch Lake
  • Maracas/Tyrico/Las Cuevas - scenery & sea
  • Carnival/Divali celebrations
  • Caroni Bird Sanctuary
  • Tobago beaches/Bucco reef

Mount Saint Benedict is a Catholic monastery located high in the Northern Range, near the village of Arima. Visitors are warmly welcomed. There is a lovely guest house, Pax Guest House, where a scrumptious tea is served on Sunday afternoons to all visitors. (Meals are also regularly available to overnight guests.) The breads and sweets are baked by the Benetictine monks, so they're fresh and delicious. The cost is minimal for the tea service. The entire complex is peaceful and because it is situated so high on the mountain, it is wonderfully cool. (One might even require a sweater in the evenings.) For the physically fit, there are Stations of the Cross that begin at the bottom of the mountain and end at the church. The Stations are along a rather steep road, requiring exercise for the body and soul.

Asa Wright Nature Center. Is a birdwatching center of the world. There are cottages to stay in, but one doesn't need to be an overnight guest to visit. Knowledgable guides will lead you through this former cocoa plantation, pointing out interesting species of birds, lizards, and other animals that you may encounter on the way. Staff put out fresh fruit everyday to attract birds, so that even sitting on the wide and comfortable veranda, a guest will be entertained by the local fauna. The entry cost is 60TTD (10 usd) for foreigners and 30TTD (5 USD) for locals. This is for a day pass.

Trinidad cuisine is influenced by many cultures, but primarily Indian and African (referred to as Creole cuisine). Other influences include Chinese (fast food Chinese places are only outnumbered by bars), and to some extent English and French. Relatively recently there has been a strong influx of American fast food: Subway, KFC and Pizza Hut are common sights. Most Trinidadians love meats of all kinds, but due to a significant Hindu population, there are many good vegetarian offerings.

Doubles are a typical street food. India has some similar street fare, which is its probable origin. Tasty and cheap, many consider doubles a good quick meal or snack. They consist of curried channa (a.k.a chickpeas or garbanzo beans) sandwiched between two fried 'bara' (a puffy soft fried quickbread) wrapped in wax paper. Extra toppings include mango and other chutneys, as well as pepper sauce. In local lingo, doubles are ordered by referring to how much pepper is desired. One may order a "without", which refers to no pepper, a "slight", a small dab of pepper, while a "blaze" calls for a spoonful of pepper. Doubles vendors usually also sell fried potato pies, called "aloo pies" which can take the same toppings. Prices are around $3 _4 TT.

How to eat: Doubles are eaten by first unwrapping, then separating one bara to reveal the channa and sauce sitting on the bottom bara. Then, tear a piece from the top 'free' bara (if you ordered pepper or chutney, now is the time to distribute it evenly) and then use it to scoop up some channa before consumption. The process continues with the 'bottom' bara until all the channa is consumed. Practice will enable you to get some channa with every bite with none left over. This process can be messy, so it is always wise to spot a source of water for washing hands before you start eating. A warning: one grain of channa will almost invariably roll off the wax paper and drop on your shoe.

Trinidad has a mind boggling number of bars. In some places, there might be 20 bars in a stretch of less than a mile. This makes bar-hopping easy. Bars constantly blast soca, reggae, dancehall and calypso music to attract customers. Don't expect cocktails in most bars, as most bartenders have little or no mixing skills.

  • Beer - Trinidad prides itself on its local beer. Carib is a sweet, nutty lager, probably the most popular. Stag has a slightly deeper flavor. Also try a Shandy Carib: Carib mixed with ginger or sorrel extracts.
  • Coconut Water - Straight from the coconut. Coconut vendors typically stack hundreds of coconuts on their trucks, and let you choose your own. Chug, or drink with a straw. When you are done, the vendor will chop your coconut in half, then cut a thin wedge for you to use as a spoon to eat the jelly. Bottled coconut water is almost always stale, flat and diluted.
  • Mauby - a brisk, ice-tea like drink made from a bark extract. If made prepared directly from the bark expect a bitter taste. The concentrate form is sweeter and easier on virgin taste buds.
  • Peanut Punch - A rich, cold blended milk drink flavored with peanuts, sold in cafes and by road side vendors. A light meal substitute.
  • Peardrax - A local soft drink (soda). Partially fermented pear juice, which is pasteurized and carbonated. A unique local favorite.
  • Rum - In the Caribbean, rum is the obvious drink of choice. Angostura is the biggest provider on the island, with Royal Oak (very decent, simple rum), 1919 (vanilla escences), and 1824 (dark rum, heavy in molasses, an excellent rum). A local favorite is Royal Oak and coconut water, simply delicious and refreshing! Puncheon is a high-proof rum for serious benders. One combination, called "brass and steel", involves shots of puncheon chased by beer. You may also try babash (bush-rum) which is only available under-the-counter. Babash is also a local cure-all (and solvent). Rum and coke is also a local favourite.
  • Seamoss - A thick blended drink made from seamoss (a component of which is agar, which is very gelatinous) and condensed milk. Sold at the same places as peanut punch.

Beer - Trinidad prides itself on its local beer. Carib is a sweet, nutty lager, probably the most popular. Stag has a slightly deeper flavor. Also try a Shandy Carib: Carib mixed with ginger or sorrel extracts.

Coconut Water - Straight from the coconut. Coconut vendors typically stack hundreds of coconuts on their trucks, and let you choose your own. Chug, or drink with a straw. When you are done, the vendor will chop your coconut in half, then cut a thin wedge for you to use as a spoon to eat the jelly. Bottled coconut water is almost always stale, flat and diluted.

Mauby - a brisk, ice-tea like drink made from a bark extract. If made prepared directly from the bark expect a bitter taste. The concentrate form is sweeter and easier on virgin taste buds.

Peanut Punch - A rich, cold blended milk drink flavored with peanuts, sold in cafes and by road side vendors. A light meal substitute.

Peardrax - A local soft drink (soda). Partially fermented pear juice, which is pasteurized and carbonated. A unique local favorite.

Rum - In the Caribbean, rum is the obvious drink of choice. Angostura is the biggest provider on the island, with Royal Oak (very decent, simple rum), 1919 (vanilla escences), and 1824 (dark rum, heavy in molasses, an excellent rum). A local favorite is Royal Oak and coconut water, simply delicious and refreshing! Puncheon is a high-proof rum for serious benders. One combination, called "brass and steel", involves shots of puncheon chased by beer. You may also try babash (bush-rum) which is only available under-the-counter. Babash is also a local cure-all (and solvent). Rum and coke is also a local favourite.

Seamoss - A thick blended drink made from seamoss (a component of which is agar, which is very gelatinous) and condensed milk. Sold at the same places as peanut punch.

Caution is required in much of Port of Spain. At night avoid walking...take a taxi. Armed guards are often posted at banks and shopping centres. The following areas are known as crime hot-spots and should be avoided both during the day and night:

  • Lavantille has frequent gang related murders, almost on a daily basis
  • Beetham a den for criminals, mainly thieves
  • Maloney & La Horquetta located around Arima

Lavantille has frequent gang related murders, almost on a daily basis

Beetham a den for criminals, mainly thieves

Maloney & La Horquetta located around Arima

  • Tobago, the sister isle. More touristy than Trinidad but not as congested as islands such as Barbados.
  • Guiria, Venezuala - there may or may not be ferries.