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Maracas Bay

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Trinidad’s favourite beach, a curve of sand under the Northern Range where the road from Port of Spain drops down to the sea and bake and shark is fried at the stalls.

Fly to Maracas Bay All of Trinidad and Tobago
Arrival
Piarco International · POS
To the bay
About 30 minutes by road from Port of Spain
Private jets
General aviation at the South Terminal, POS
Best time
January to April

The city

Over the hills to the north coast.

From Port of Spain the North Coast Road climbs into the Northern Range and winds along the mountainside for half an hour before Maracas comes into view. Most people stop at the lookout first. Below, a crescent of sand runs for about two kilometres, with the mountains close behind and a fishing village at one end.

Trinidadians pack the beach at weekends. The stalls behind the sand claim the island’s bake and shark: fried bread split open and filled with seasoned fish, then loaded from a counter of sauces running from sweet to fierce. The surf can stand a metre and a half high and rip currents are common, so swim near the lifeguard posts. Come between January and April, when the dry season holds.

  • Maracas Lookout A roadside stop high above the bay, with fruit sellers and the whole beach spread out below.
  • Tyrico Bay A stone’s throw from Maracas, with fewer people and easier swimming.
  • Las Cuevas Bay Two kilometres of clear water and gentle waves, named for the caves along its shore.

Arriving

Land at Piarco, then cross the range.

Piarco International, about 30 km east of Port of Spain, is the airport for the whole of Trinidad. Its single runway is 3,200 metres long.

Business & First Class Scheduled flights Piarco has direct European flights from Gatwick (British Airways) and Amsterdam (KLM). American and Caribbean Airlines fly from Miami, JetBlue and Caribbean Airlines from New York JFK, and Air Canada and Caribbean Airlines from Toronto. Business & First fares Private Jet Private aircraft The South Terminal handles general aviation, along with cargo and helicopters, and has fourteen aircraft parking positions plus room for light aircraft. Charter a jet
Approximate flying time by midsize jet
  • Antigua 1 h 15
  • San Juan 1 h 40
  • Washington 4 h 50
  • Lagos 9 h 30 long-range jet
  • Vienna 10 h 55 long-range jet

When to go

January to April.

These are Port of Spain’s figures, the nearest long-term record. Highs stay between 30 and 32 °C and the sea between 26 and 29 °C all year. January to April is dry, under 70 mm a month; from June the rains bring well over 200 mm.

  1. 30° J 69 26°
  2. 30° F 45 26°
  3. 31° M 35 26°
  4. 31° A 48 27°
  5. 32° M 110 27°
  6. 31° J 240 27°
  7. 31° J 253 28°
  8. 31° A 236 28°
  9. 31° S 193 29°
  10. 31° O 199 28°
  11. 31° N 212 28°
  12. 30° D 145 27°
Best months weather2travel.com, long-term averages for Port of Spain

Where to dine

Over the hill in Port of Spain.

The bay itself has only beach stalls. These are Fodor’s Choice restaurants in Port of Spain, both on Tripadvisor’s fine dining list for the city.

  • The Meena House Fodor’s Choice Indian and fusion $$$$ Newtown, Port of Spain, about 15 km in a straight line
  • Aioli Fodor’s Choice Mediterranean $$$$ Maraval, Port of Spain, about 15 km in a straight line

Elsewhere in Trinidad and Tobago

More reasons to come.

All of Trinidad and Tobago

Flying to Maracas Bay?

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A Business or First Class seat on a scheduled airline, or an aircraft of your own. Tell us the date and how many are travelling, and we reply with one final price, our margin included.

Business & First Private Jet