San Fernando

While Port of Spain is Trinidad’s political capital, the city of San Fernando is the industrial capital, and the center of Trinidad’s significant oil and gas industries.  Even though San Fernando is primarily an industrial area, there are still many good reasons to visit.  The Harris Promenade, at the city center, is an urban green space where you can find open air concerts. During the pre-colonial era, the natives called this area Anaparima, which means “one hill” and that single hill remains as San Fernando Hill, where you can enjoy a panoramic view of the city. Just south of San Fernando, you’ll find one of the island’s most popular attractions, Pitch Lake, the world’s largest naturally occurring tar pit, similar to the La Brea Tar Pits in Los Angeles. You can walk on the semi-solid surface of the lake to explore the unique environment. To the east of San Fernando, you can find the strange mud volcanoes of The Devil’s Woodyard.

Practical Info

San Fernando sits along the Gulf of Paria on the protected western side of Trinidad. From Port of Spain, it’s about an hour drive to the south, and about 50 minutes from Piarco International Airport.