Home   Beaches   Caves   Reefs   Down The Islands   Museums   Nature Reserves   Swamps   Volcanoes   Waterfalls   Pitch Lake   Gallery   Bibliography   Interviews   Project Narrative   Maps   Blanchisseuse The Blanchisseuse area is a popular getaway boasting many small beaches and bays. Blanchisseuse is scenic and unspoilt. Guesthouses and vacation homes exist in harmony with the natural beauty of the area. Luxuriant tropical rain forest cradle many beaches and bays creating an atmosphere of tranquillity and peace. Maracas Lookout Just before reaching Maracas, near the peak of the mountain, the Maracas Lookout is a well- known look out point that cannot be missed. This stop offers a breathtaking view of the beach. The look out gives a panoramic view of Maracas Bay and Balata Bay. At the look out, one can purchase delectable Trinidadian snacks and preservatives like salt prunes, red mango and the ever popular, fast selling mango, pineapple and plum chows. However, world popular snacks are also sold here like gummy bears and sour rings. You can find anything to satisfy your snack craving while enjoying a magnificent view. Maracas Beach Maracas Beach is the most popular beach on the North Coast of the larger island of Trinidad. It is a gorgeous beach about an hour away from the nation’s capital, Port of Spain. Maracas Beach is located in a deep bay and is about one and a quarter (1 ¼) miles long with beautiful, warm, off white sand. Maracas boasts waves that are ideal for surfing but if you prefer, you can just relax in the cool, inviting waters of the Caribbean Sea. Safety is important, so to ensure the safety of all, lifeguards are always on duty. Bake and Shark is a delicacy that is almost synonymous with Maracas Beach. Many vendors at the beach sell this sumptuous dish. Tyrico Tyrico Bay is located near to Maracas Bay. The beach has fine grayish brown sand. Tyrico Bay is an excellent bathing spot with cool, sparkling water. Las Cuevas Near Maracas Bay, further along the road, one can find another popular beach, Las Cuevas. The beach is dotted with caves and so the name is apt since “Las Cuevas” comes from the Spanish word for caves. Las Cuevas is calmer than maracas Beach because it is more sheltered. Las Cuevas has crystal-clear waters and is an exceptional beach for bathing, swimming, and all- round fun in the water. Mayaro Beach Mayaro is on the East coast of Trinidad and is one of the earliest villages in Trinidad having been settled by the original Amerindian inhabitants of Trinidad. The name is an Amerindian word meaning the place of the Maya plant. In 1783, the Spanish Governor of Trinidad, Jose Chacon, gave land grants in the Mayaro area to the French immigrants leading to the growth of the area. Mayaro Beach is located in the area and it is the longest in the island stretching to over 9 miles. An almost uninterrupted line of coconut trees (Cocos nucifera) line the shore, testimony to the days when most of the area consisted of coconut plantations and small inlet lagoons . It has been a favorite holiday place for generations of Trinidadians with small hotels, guest houses and holiday homes throughout the area. Chip-chip (Donax striatus), a bivalve with bluish white to pink shells that is found buried in the sand in the inter-tidal zone is abundant in Mayaro. Chip-chip is a delicacy that can be prepared in various ways. An early morning walk along Mayaro beach will give you the opportunity to see the various wildlife like kingfishers, whimbrels, collared plovers, brown pelicans, turkey vultures, ospreys, semipalmated plovers, ruddy turnstones, sanderlings, spotted sandpipers, western sandpipers, willets and zone-tailed hawks. Also animals such as mongoose, mattes and iguanas could be observed. Camping is popular along the entire length of the beach and kayaking is possible in the Ortoire River. Macqueripe Beach Macqueripe is one of the many Amerindian names of areas in Chaguaramas, it has been a part of the History of Chaguaramas and Trinidad and Tobago. It is also is a sheltered bay on the Northern coastline of Chaguaramas and it is also one of the more popular beaches on the peninsula. Nestled at the northern end of the lush Tucker Valley, Macqueripe Beach stretches to a length of 100m and its blue-green water is of a high quality. New tourist facilities have just been constructed here and all modern conveniences have been installed. There is adequate parking and changing facilities with showers and toilets. The rocks on the northern side of the bay are often used for fishing. Also used for fishing is the abandoned jetty on the northern side of the bay. The photo of Macqueripe Beach on the Beaches page shows the jetty. Manzanilla Beach Manzanilla beach also lies along the east coast of Trinidad and borders Mayaro beach, it is approximately eighteen (18) miles in length. It is bordered by coconut and mangrove trees, and quite a drive from the capital city Port of Spain - about 1 1/2 - 2 hours depending on traffic and road conditions. Nature lovers can travel about 2 1/2 miles to the northeast to visit a turtle nesting area. At any time of the day, you can expect to see water buffalo, giant egrets and other interesting water fowl. It offers excellent sunbathing, privacy, seclusion and a great view of the raging Atlantic. Matura Beach The Matura beach is located on the east coast of Trinidad and is part of Matura Bay that also includes Rincon Beach. On this beach the vista seems endless as the Bay stretches for 12.8 kilometers. Backed by natural forests and coconut trees the beach is a globally important nesting site for the Endangered Leatherback Sea Turtles, Dermochelys coriacea. The shore has brownish-grey sand and as you enter the water, it is steeply sloping. This beach is not recommended for swimming as the waters are rough with strong currents. There are no lifeguards on this beach nor are there any houses. Salybia Beach Salybia Bay (Salibea Bay) is located on the north-eastern coast of the country, just after the town of Toco, just off the Toco Main Road and is a long scenic bay, often wind-swept with surging breakers. The coast is lined with lush vegetation which provides nice shade and it is a placid, shallow beach. Like many of the beaches on the northeast coast the beach is usually packed with lots of people and there is a variety of vendors. Bacolet Bay Bacolet is a town located on the island of Tobago. It is situated near Scarborough, Tobago to the south-east of the island-capital. A twisting road leads one to this small, isolated and very gorgeous crescent-shaped bay. It was used as a location in the Swiss Family Robinson film. The beach is 150m long, but wide. The sand is warm and soft. The beach is perfect for body boarders. Balandra Bay A narrow stretch of land shelters Balandra Bay, making it calm enough for swimming. At times it can be rough enough for body boarding. The wide beach is very popular. The pretty fishing village offers facilities for visitors. Store Bay This Tobago beach which is over 200 m long lies on the doorstep of a popular hotel. Every year Store Bay is the site of the Great Race, which is one of Tobago's most exciting events. This beach, right next to the airport, with its clear blue sea and white sand is by far Tobago’s most popular beach. Swimming here is excellent and there is a small reef at the western end of the beach for snorkelling. Glass bottom boats leave here for Buccoo Reef. Mount Irvine Beach Also known as Little Courland Bay, the ½-mile (800m) beach of this bay is split into two sections with a narrow section that can disappear at high tide linking the two. The first section is referred to as the 'hotel beach' being opposite the Mt.Irvine Beach Hotel. The beach is small and pretty - and the water is bliss. Snorkelling is as good. It's also ideal for windsurfing in January and April. One can see bright coloured parrot fish as big, shoals of baby squid, barracuda, orange tube sponges, lobster, fan coral and brain coral, and angel fish. Speyside Bay The brain coral located in this beach is among the largest in the world. It is worthwhile to dive into this magnificent, shifting turquoise sea. Stone Haven Bay Located on the west coast of Tobago is a long stretch of sand that is Stonehaven Bay beach. Golden sands lead to gorgeous blue waters that are great for swimming and riding the surf. Turtles come to lay their eggs on the beach in the spring and sometimes you can spot an endangered leatherback turtle laying eggs in the sand. Castara Bay Castara is a small fishing village of 500 inhabitants on the Caribbean coast of the island, just 40 minutes drive from the airport at Crown Point. The beach is backed by the oldest protected rainforest in the Western Hemisphere. The beach is only a few minutes walk down a winding footpath. It is ideal for swimming, body surfing and sunbathing. The sea in the bay offers excellent bathing and snorkelling, and is much less susceptible to the currents that can cause problems on the Atlantic coast. One may even be lucky enough to see a manta ray in this secluded bay. Pirate's Bay Pirate’s Bay is a very secluded beach on the north of the island, just around the corner from Charoltteville. After trekking along a hilly path for 20 mins one will encounter this charming and rustic environment, named after the shelter that it provided to marauding buccaneers three centuries ago. Scotland Bay Scotland Bay currently can only be accessed by boat. It has ruins of an old zoo, which was known as the Bronz Zoo that was built by the Americans. The serene atmosphere and pristine waters are ideal for any recluse. Englishman's Bay Located in Tobago, this spectacular ½-mile (800m) beach is good for snorkelling. It is a secluded beach on the leeward coast of Tobago, between Castara and Parlatuvier. It is a popular stop for boat tours, as it offers a pleasant swimming atmosphere. Set next to a rainforest, it features soft white sands, turquoise waters, palm trees, and privacy, since it's often deserted. The beach slopes steeply down to the green-blue sea. The bay is quite appealing especially to those who want to escape the hustle and bustle of life. Pigeon Point On the north-western coast of the little island of Tobago lies Pigeon Point's sweeping beach. The beach is a favourite among the islanders for spending a day lounging on the shore under the coconut palms. The peninsula of Pigeon Point is Tobago’s most beautiful beach and home to the famous thatch-roofed jetty which has become an internationally recognised signature theme for Tobago. Having paid your entrance fee, you will be granted access to a stunningly beautiful coral sand beach with calm, gentle protected waters. Trips to Buccoo Reef can be arranged here. Kilgwyn Bay & La Guira A long stretch of sandy beach with very shallow, warm waters leading out to Flying Reef, a popular Tobago dive site. The beach can be accessed by walking or driving past the Sandy Point Beach Club/Village. Follow the road, parallel to the runway, until it becomes a dirt road. The beach is then a short walk. There are grape trees for shade. The beach shelves very gradually and is normally very calm, so great for kids. Web site and all contents © Copyright Naparima Girls'High School 2008, All rights reserved.