Trinidad: Combination - City Tour, Maracas Bay, Caroni Swamp

Spend a day exploring Trinidad with a tour through the city of Port of Spain, along the northern coast to popular Maracas Bay, and on a flat-bottomed boat in the tranquil Caroni Bird Sanctuary. Sample Caribbean treats – including pineapple chutney – and marvel at the glorious coloration of flocks of the Scarlet Ibis at sunset.

Get picked up from your hotel and begin with a tour of Port of Spain. Admire the many historic buildings downtown before arriving at the Queen’s Park Savannah. This massive, 200-acre (81-ha) park is lined by exotic trees, colonial-style mansions, and the handsome structure that houses the National Academy of the Performing Arts.

Drive on the North Coast Road to admire views of the Caribbean, and stop to snack on fresh pineapple chutney and a candy made from sugarcane molasses. Settle in at Maracas Bay, a sandy beach framed by mountain rainforests and dotted with coconut trees. Walk, swim, or relax on the beach, and even get the chance to taste a crispy shark sandwich prepared with homemade bread (not included in cost). Beaches in Trinidad are unspoilt and surprisingly quiet during the week – only on weekends they are teeming with locals.

A cross-country drive leads you to the Caroni Bird Sanctuary. This 48 square mile wetland is home to a stunning variety of bird species and covers much of Trinidad’s western coast. Board a large flat-bottomed boat to explore the waterways, marvel at oysters clinging to mangrove roots, non-poisonous snakes wrapped around the branches overhead, and—most impressively—the vibrant Scarlet Ibis, Trinidad’s National Bird.

Sit back and relax and enjoy this peaceful ride through the wide-open lagoons and the majestic Northern Range towering in the background. Glide through the narrow waterways lined with the long roots of the red mangroves and feel the almost eerie atmosphere of this unusual place.

After one relaxing and awe-inspiring hour of touring the boat stops and absolute silence steps in. Watch flocks of the bright red Ibis soaring against the sunset and settling into the mangroves for the night. Simply unforgettable.