Discover Trinidad & Tobago 2016 — 25th Anniversary Edition

Lopinot Historical Complex*
Nestled in the Northern Range off the Eastern Main
Road near Arouca, Lopinot was originally developed (1806) as
a cocoa estate by a French count, Charles Joseph de Lopinot,
who had fled to Trinidad in 1791 to escape the Haitian revolution.
The former tapia estate house, prison and slave quarters
have been turned into a museum. The area is popular for
picnics, family days, retreats, sports, bird-watching and hiking
(there is a river and also caves nearby). The village residents are
a quintessentially Trini mix of First Peoples, Spanish, French,
African and East Indian heritage, and remain close to the land.
Some still speak Spanish, French and patois. At Christmas time,
the area is a hub for parang and pastelles. At any time of year,
make sure to take in the delights at Café Mariposa.
The Asa Wright Nature Centre
Did you know?
The ghost of
Compte de Lopinot
Legend has it that on
dark, stormy nights the
count appears on a black
horse dressed in military
regalia and gallops across
the Lopinot savannah.
After a visit in 2011, TV
show Ghost Hunters
International (SYFY Channel
in the US) reported
that they had found more
evidence of paranormal
activity here than anywhere
else in the world.
Off the Arima-Blanchisseuse Road, this is one of Trinidad’s most outstanding birdwatching
and eco-centres; the New York Zoological Society established a research station here
in 1949. Originally a coffee, citrus and cocoa plantation (now partially reclaimed by secondary
forest), the estate and its carefully preserved great house, Springhill, were bought in 1947 by a
retired English solicitor, Dr Newcome Wright, and his Icelandic wife Asa. When Newcome died,
Mrs Wright sold the land on condition that it remained a conservation area; a non-profit
trust was set up in 1967.
Did you know?
The name originally
given to Trinidad
by the First People
was “Iere”, which
some say means
“Land of the Hummingbird”.
There
are 17 species on
the island.
Yerette
The Centre now spans 1,500 acres in the Arima and Aripo Valleys of
the Northern Range. Its eco-lodge, veranda, restaurant and reception
are open to day visitors: the admission covers a half-mile guided tour
and some access to the grounds (including a fresh-water pool that
you can bathe in). Overnight visitors enjoy greater access to the trails
and caves, including the rare oilbirds’ habitat at Dunston Cave. This
is perhaps the most easily accessible colony of these
rare, nocturnal, fruit-eating birds to be found anywhere.
Some 166 species of birds have been spotted
at the Centre — hummingbirds, bananaquits, honeycreepers,
and tanagers are the most common. Books
on T&T’s natural environment are on sale at the gift
shop. asawright.org
This is a chance to sit and have tea surrounded by hummingbirds.
The Fergusons allow visitors to take tours of their
garden, where 13 species of hummingbirds have been photographed,
along with scores of other birds. There are
three tours daily. Meals featuring cuisine made with alllocal
ingredients and all-natural local juices are also available. yerette.com
64 discovertnt.com
Ruby topaz hummingbird. Photo by Theo Ferguson