Untamed Trinidad Beaches

Paria is one of the last,
and getting there, an adventure...

If you seek natural, untamed and mysterious Trinidad beaches then look no further than Paria, one of the last, great, untouched beaches on Trinidad's North Coast.

 The Way to Paria Bay 

There are 2 ways to get to Paria. The first is a 1 to 2 hour hike (depending on
your fitness level), starting at the far eastern end of the North Coast road, a 10-minute drive beyond Blanchisseuse.

The second is a ¾ hour boat ride in a pirogue - a local fishing boat ideally suited to Trinidad waters. This is a trip best taken July through September when the seas of Trinidad's North Coast are at their calmest.

 Serious Explorers 

The journey to seldom trod Paria is not for the faint of heart; the inspiring hike can at times be a little challenging, and the boat ride, while exhilarating, can be a nail-biter during February and March when the seas are at their roughest.

This is an adventure for the serious explorer. There are no washrooms or medical facilities, you must pack in your munchies, and pack out your own trash. Inconveniences that can be much reduces when you visit Trinidad beaches like Paria with a tour guide.

 Our Paria Adventure 

Our adventure began at the fishing center in Blanchisseuse Village, on a windy day in February – probably the worst time of the year to visit Paria by boat.

As we descended the steep cascading road to the dock, young men from the village were hard at work hauling pirogues out of choppy sea by hand, and stacking them neatly on the slipway. Other pirogues, expertly maneuvered by local fishermen, were riding the turbulent waves as they waited their turn.

 Blanchisseuse Docks 

Our boat was lifted partly on to the slipway for us to clamber aboard, and once settled, we were delicately launched into the next wave.

Within moments our pirogue was in the open sea, out among the rolling Atlantic swells of Trinidad's North Coast. Our adventure begun, we were off to visit one of the least known and most mysterious of Trinidad beaches.

Paria Beach is encircled by small rocky islands, like the broken teeth of a gigantic lower jaw. Here our boatman slowed to point out Church Rock, a dramatic arch framing a single pillar of rock.

We were soon across the bay where out boatman threaded his pirogue up the emerald waters of the Paria River, where we loaded at a natural embankment, stepping off the boat onto the dry sand of the beach.

 The Beach was Ours 

The roll of the lazy surf whispered sweet nothings in our ear about the treasures that might be found on Paria's virgin sands.

Crying cigals commanded all who would listen, to explore. How often, they seem to question, does one get the opportunity to leave your foot prints upon the sands of Trinidad beaches as untamed as this?

 To Each Their Own 

I chose to answer the call of the wild in my usual way, draped across the sand, soaking up the sun with a drink in hand, and frolicking in the gentle surf.

My husband choose to extract and eat the sweet white meat of freshly fallen coconuts, and explore the cool emerald waters of Paria River, where schools of fish patrolled the shoreline unmolested.

Others in our party chose a quiet walk along the soft sands of Paria Beach, only to discover the bleached bones of a giant leather-back sea turtle at the far end of the deserted beach.

 Hiking to Paria Falls 

After regrouping for lunch, we continued our adventure with a trek to Paria Waterfall. Only Trinidad beaches of the Blanchisseuse area offer such easy access to nearby waterfalls.

Our walk through emerald banks of lilies reminded me of a South American rain forest documentaries, and hiking to Avocat Falls. However...

It soon became obvious that while this area is relatively inaccessible today, in the late 1780s it had being industriously converted to cocoa plantations. There are Coco trees everywhere; many of them over 200 years and old still producing their distinctive bright red and yellow pods.

At the head of the valley after a ¾ hour hike, Paria offers a refreshing swim in the cool basin at the foot of its waterfall.

 Caribbean Island Surprise 

The day was coming to a close when we broke out of the forest and made our way back along the beach. The liquid fire of late-evening Caribbean light coloring everything in a warm, golden glow.

Our return sea voyage was as much an adventure as our morning escapade; our pirogue roller-coastering over the Atlantic swells off Trinidad's North Coast.

But we had one more treat in store, a precession dash through an almost unnoticed gash between two small rocky islands.

With barley enough room for our trim pirogue, the sea undulating wildly and powered by giant Atlantic swells, our skillfully boatman surfed us through this natural rock gate. Up went a cheer of exited exhilaration at the unexpected thrill, a exciting end to another terrific day in Trinidad and Tobago.

 Caribbean Island Paradise 

Of all Trinidad beaches, Paria, Petit Tacarib and Grande Tacarib remain the least well known. This area of Trinidad's North Coast, relatively inaccessibility as far as Trinidad beaches go, makes it the realm of painters, poets, naturalists, and ardent explorers who seek the unusual. It's a challenge and a privilege to visit any of the last untamed Trinidad beaches.

Here's more about eco tours to Paria Bay.