Beautiful
The Asa Wright Nature Centre and Lodge is a nature resort and scientific research station in the Arima Valley of the Northern Range in
Trinidad and Tobago. The Centre is one of the top birdwatching spots in the Caribbean; a total of 159 species of birds have been recorded
there. The Centre is owned by a non-profit trust.
The major properties are the Spring Hill Estate and the adjacent William Beebe Tropical Research Station (also known as Simla), which was
established by William Beebe as a tropical research station for the New York Zoological Society. Beebe bought the 'Verdant Vale' estate in
1949 and named it after Simla in India, which he had visited in 1910.[ Both properties had previously been cacao estates but contained
large stands of original rainforest. The owners of the Spring Hill Estate, Newcombe and Asa Wright, hosted many visiting scientists in the
1950s and '60s, including the noted ornithologists David Snow and Barbara Snow, who made detailed studies of the Oilbirds and the very
complex courtship dances of the White-bearded Manakin and the Golden-headed Manakin.
The Wrights' home became internationally renowned for its easy access to wildlife (especially the Oilbird colonies in the nearby Dunston
Cave, and large numbers of hummingbirds). After the death of Newcombe Wright in 1967, the Spring Hill Estate was acquired by a non-profit
trust. Asa Wright continued to live at the Centre until her death in 1971. In 1974, the New York Zoological Society donated Simla to the trust
Fort King George tops the list of historical
Tobago attractions and can be found atop a
hill overlooking the scenic capital of
Scarborough. Besides offering insight into
the history of Tobago, Fort King George also
rewards its visitors with some supreme
views of Scarborough and the Atlantic
Ocean. It’s easy to see why the British built
Fort King George where they did, as it
provides for quite a strategic vantage point.
No visit to Scarborough would be complete
without a trip up to this most historic site in
Tobago, so you’ll want to set aside at
least a few hours to enjoy it.
The drums were developed on the Caribbean island of Trinidad during the early years of the 20th
century. Old rubbish tins, car parts and stolen garbage can lids formed the first "Iron Bands",
which led to the realization that a dented section of a barrel head could produce a musical tone.
Careful refinement of this amazing discovery produced the modern Steel Drum instrument and
the large orchestral Steel Drum Bands, a deserved source of great national pride!
Buccoo Reef has been named one of the spectacular sights to
behold in the world, so what better reason to visit? This 2 1/2
hour journey from Scarborough will take you to this natural
wonder, where even non-swimmers will delight in the
underwater world with a glass bottom boat ride.
The island of tranquil Tobago, whose famous "Buccoo Reef" was
visited by Jacques Cousteau, has many breathtaking views for
photographic opportunities. Cousteau rated Tobago's Buccoo
Reef as the number three spectacular sight to behold in the
world.
The Caroni Bird Sanctuary is an official wildlife reserve in Trinidad and Tobago and is part of what is
more commonly called the Caroni Swamp. The swamp is a relatively large wetland in the west of the
island of Trinidad, roughly between Port of Spain and Chaguanas.There may be some who might
believe that Caroni is “South” Trinidad, but if you look at the map, it’s in the Northern half of the
island. Those of us from south of the Churchill-Roosevelt Highway* tend to regard Caroni as Central
Trinidad – even though much of it is decidedly North. But enough of my pet-peeve regarding Trini
geography. The Caroni Swamp is essentially the wetland formed where the Caroni River meets the
Gulf of Paria. Caroni River is the largest** in Trinidad and is most famous for floods.
The leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) is the largest of all living sea turtles
and the fourth largest modern reptile behind three crocodilians. It is the only living species
in the genus Dermochelys. It can easily be differentiated from other modern sea turtles by
its lack of a bony shell. Instead, its carapace is covered by skin and oily flesh. Dermochelys
coriacea is the only extant member of the family Dermochelyidae.Trinidad is one of its
few nesting grounds.They nest in Grand Riviere,South Trinidad
Carnival
The Trinidad Carnival is by far the most significant festival in Trinidad and Tobago. It has evolved
over the past two centuries from an elegant, exclusive affair to a truly all-inclusive national festival.
In order to fully understand the process of acculturation, assimilation and cultural persistence, it is
necessary to examine the complex historical, social, cultural and political
contexts which gave birth to this national celebration.