Some of the other Outdoor Recreation activities in Trinidad, include:

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Kite Flying

With the passage of time we see less of the old time kites made of paper and bamboo or coconut fronds held together by a flour paste glue with a tail made of strips of cloth. However kite flying still has some popularity especially among children. In addition adults are often seen, at the beach, flying kites.

The chookie chong, which is a kite made from notebook paper with a tail also made from notebook paper, is the easiest kite style to make and was probably the first type of kite that most children learned to fly. Even today little children can sometimes still be seen flying a chookie chong around their home. The most commonly used design for a kite was the diamond shape. This kite style requires a long tail for stability and flies at a low angle. On these kites the longer the tail, the higher the kite will fly. The madbull is always held in awe as it is a very large kite that was and is generally flown by teenagers and adults because it requires some strength to hold the string. The madbull kite has objects attached that cause it to make a whirring or buzzing sound as it flies. One type of kite that is always admired in Trinidad is the fighter kite. This kite is designed to cut strings of other kites as they fly, using sharp objects such as crushed glass or razor blades glued to its string.

Part of the excitement of kite flying arose from the task of creating the kite, which involved choosing the paper, deciding how to decorate, making the tail, getting the string. Most of the kites used today are purchased from vendors and made of plastic. Although the excitement of creation is gone, kite flying is still an enjoyable past time.

The peak period for kite flying is February to May because of the constant winds during that period. Similar to other Caribbean countries, there is a large kite flying competition each year during April (usually on Easter Sunday at the Queen's Park Savannah) and  other smaller competitions at other times such as the Tobago Kite Flying Festival on December 26th. To see pictures of kite flying visit the photo gallery and enter kites in the search field.

To learn about the various kite flying competitions visit our Events Calendar

Turtle Watching

Trinidad has become one of the premier countries to view the nesting of leatherback turtles. The nesting season runs from March to September with May & June being the months of highest concentration. The leatherback turtle is the most visually dramatic of the turtles that nest in Trinidad because of their size. Adults can vary in size from 600 pounds to 2,000 pounds. Nesting takes place at night and only the female comes to land. The female leatherback turtle always returns to the same beach where they were born for laying their eggs. On the beach the female turtle will dig an egg chamber with her flippers and then lay between 80 to 100 eggs.  After laying, the female leatherback  covers the chamber with sand and then smoothes over the area to disguise the chamber. A female will visit and lay up to eight times during the nesting season.

Nesting takes place on Atlantic beaches that have heavy surf, a steep profile and coarse sand. The beaches on which nesting turtles are found are Maracas, Blanchisseuse, Grande Riverie, Sans Souci, Rincon, Matura, Fishing Pond and Manzanilla. Maracas, Blanchisseuse and Manzanilla receive occasional nesting turtles. The prime nesting sites are at Matura and Grande Riverie and permits are required for visiting these beaches at night during the nesting season as well as at Rincon and Fishing Pond.

Grande Riverie is the premier site for viewing the nesting turtles. This popularity is due to the fact that the largest number of leatherback turtles comes to this beach which is partly caused by the conservation efforts in this area. Set on the grounds of a former estate, very near to the beach, is a small visitor center with a cocoa drying shed. Many of the trees around the center are labeled so you are able to learn the names. Permits can be obtained at the visitor center and there are licensed guides to oversee the nesting and explain the process. There are several hotels on the beach so that visitors can sleep over if they are too tired for the return journey. It should be noted however that turtle watching is a very popular activity and the hotels are often fully booked on weekends, so reservations are advised.

Big Bay at Sans Souci is also a turtle nesting site and receives the four other species of sea turtles in addition to the leatherback turtle. One can arrange to view the turtle nesting at Sans Souci by calling the Sans Souci Community Turtle Tour Guides at 868-670-1505.

Matura Beach is another popular location because of the tours run by Nature Seekers, a community based environmental protection group. At the starting point for the Matura beach tours there is a small visitor centre with toilet facilities that are open when tours are being conducted. The Beaches Page has directions for finding Matura Beach. Permits for viewing the nesting of the leatherback turtle can be obtained from the Forestry Division at

The number of turtles nesting at Manzanilla is not as great as at Grande Riverie or at Matura, however leatherback turtles have been reported as nesting on this beach since the 1880's. During the months of March to August, the Manzanilla Beach is closed to the public during the hours of 6pm to 6am to protect the turtles. Persons wanting to view the turtle nesting at Manzanilla should go to the orientation site at the "Breakaway" area along the Cocal Stretch.

Photo by Ricardo La Borde

In addition to the leatherback, four other sea turtles nest on the beaches of Trinidad and Tobago and these are:

Viewing turtle hatching while not as dramatic as the nesting is also an enjoyable activity. The young turtles begin hatching approximately 60 days after the eggs are laid. As soon as they hatch the young turtles climb through the sand onto the beach and immediately head for the water. Upon entering the sea, the young turtles head for deep water. The young females will then remain at sea until they are sexually mature at approximately 15 years.

Dragon Boat Racing

Dragon Boat racing is a new sport to Trinidad, having been introduced in 2006 to commemorate the arrival of the Chinese to Trinidad.

The standard crew complement of a contemporary dragon boat is around 22, comprising 20 paddlers in pairs facing toward the bow of the boat, 1 drummer or caller at the bow facing toward the paddlers, and 1 steerer or tiller (helm) at the rear of the boat, although for races it is common to have just 18 paddlers. The drummer or caller leads the crew throughout a race with the rhythmic beating of a drum to indicate the timing and frequency of paddling strokes. The steerer, known also as the coxswain, helm, steersman, sweep, or tiller, controls the dragon boat with a steering oar similar in function to a tiller which is mounted at the rear of the boat.

An association has been formed and regular races are held, often comprised of teams from different companies. Visit our Events Calendar to see the scheduled races. The association can be contacted at ttdbf@wow.net

Windsurfing

Windsurfing has a small following in Trinidad. Chagaramas and along the west coast in the Bayshore, Westmoorings area are popular locations. Los Iros beach in South Trinidad with its constant breezes and low level waves is another popular windsurfing location. Visit our Events Calendar to see the scheduled competitions.

Kite Surfing

Long stretches of beach with few or no persons in the water, an absence of rocks and a constant on-shore wind create heaven for a kite surfer. For the small band of dedicated kite surfers in Trinidad our south coast beaches are that type of heaven. On any weekend when the wind is above 14 knots, especially during December to June you may see individuals kite surfing at either Mayaro, Moruga or Los Iros beach. Persons who are interested in the sport can contact Edward Shim at Shim's Tailoring (868-623-1655) for more information. For other pictures of kite surfing, visit the Photo Gallery and enter the search term"surfing".

Jet Ski

For those who like the feel of the power and the speed while zipping across the water, the use of personal watercrafts is considered unrivalled. The relatively sheltered waters of Chagaramas Bay with its low waves is a favored location. Jet Skis are available for rental every day at Williams Bay, Chaguaramas.  Visit the Photo Gallery for more pictures of Jet Ski action.

Model Boat Racing

There is a model boat club that hosts regular racing competitions for model boat enthusiasts. Mucarapo Bay in the waters in front of the lookout on the Audrey Jeffers Highway and Williams Bay Chaguaramas are the locations most often used for these races. These races are usually held once per month on a Sunday afternoon. On other Sunday afternoons, members of the club gather to practice with their boats.

Visit our Events Calendar to see the scheduled races.

Off Road Driving

For those who love the adrenaline rush of tires on a four wheel drive vehicle, churning and slipping sideways in the mud, off road driving is a sport to explore. Trinidad's various logging trails, cane field and agricultural dirt roads provide the right environment for testing the ability of your four wheel drive vehicle. While it is fun to explore new areas there is a benefit to doing that exploration as part of a group (especially if you get stuck in the mud) and the Trinidad Off Road Club regularly organizes group drives. Visit our Events Calendar to see the scheduled group off road drives.

To find the locations referred to on this page, see the Trinidad Map