There are other beaches in Trinidad that are preferred among locals than Maracas Bay (and of course Tobago is famous for its more mesmerising options). Still, Maracas is a popular for good reason. It offers a calming retreat. Spending an afternoon reading on the sand, bathing in the water and gazing at the surrounding verdant mountains always rejuvenates me. In addition to these pleasures, a huge part of its appeal is the journey there. 

The Bay is nestled in the western edge of The Northern Range, about an 1 hr drive from our capital city Port of Spain and oh! what a captivating drive it is! As you move away from POS, your heartbeat slows in tandem with the surroundings. In the villages bearing pretty French and Spanish names, wooden stalls display tropical fruit. Vendors wave you over to browse their offerings. It's a good idea to pick up some to savour during your drive or later on. Closer to Maracas, there's another spot for buying munchies but my main reason for stopping at this lookout point is always to enjoy what the name alludes to, the spectacular vista of sea, sky and cliffs. You might not be interested in the spicy fruit or coconut flavoured snacks but you must step out to gaze at the scenery and smell the sweet rainforest air. On a clear day you might even be able to spot neighbouring Venezuela, which lies closer than ten miles away.

After this pit stop, Maracas Beach is only about 10 minutes away. With dramatic effect, the mountains open up to reveal towering coconut trees, a swath of beige sand and teal water. This greeting never gets old for me. It always entices me to stay for a while. An ideal trip is a whole day affair that includes swimming, reading, eating and relaxing. On a few occasions I've attended small concerts on the beach. These have been laid back, rootsy events that make me wish there were more of such gatherings, i.e. intimate poetry readings and acoustic concerts. I'm not keen though on the intense events that are held at Maracas such as post Carnival Ash Wednesday fetes. As much as I love a soca fete, it’s not what I want to experience in such an environment.  For me the whole point of going to the beach is to indulge in quiet and reconnect with nature. When I can't spend an entire day doing so, it's more than enough to arrive in time to catch the sunset. 

Food

If you’re staying with a local family, put in a request for them to cook some pelau. This is the customary Trini beach food. As a Plan B though, you can buy some snacks/ food both en route and at the Bay. In fact, one of the main attractions of Maracas is the food, especially the iconic fish sandwich called Bake & Shark. Although it is absolutely delicious, I currently advise against eating this treat because the small shark used to make it has become endangered from over fishing. So please buy something else!

Transportation 

Public transportation to Maracas isn't the easiest. Your best option for travelling there and back is to hire a driver for the day. Your hotel concierge or AirBnB host should be able to help you find a trustworthy driver. A reasonable rate is between $350-$400 TT (approx.$50-$60 US) for a day. 

Note that there is a $30TT  ($5US) cost for parking at the beach. 

There are also a few local ride share apps similar to Uber that offer safe, convenient service.

Shopping

I had hoped that with the recent construction there would have been vending booths designated to selling locally made artisanal goods. Unfortunately, that has not been the case. Most of what you will see being sold are tacky trinkets manufactured in China. Fingers crossed that sometime in the near future, Maracas beach-goers will be able to buy Trini made leather sandals, calabash bags, artwork etc made by skilled artists.

Photography Credit: photos of me by Kyeon Constantine ; photos of scenery by me.

Related Posts