Walks in Port of Spain and Scarborough

October 30, 2026

As of October 2026, the US State Department advises reconsidering travel to Trinidad and Tobago because of crime. The UK FCDO says violent crime is high and asks for particular caution in downtown Port of Spain, Carenage, Sea Lots, Belmont, Laventille, Morvant, Beetham, Barataria, Cocorite and the interior of Queen’s Park Savannah. Visit the city centre by day, use registered taxis, do not walk alone at night, and check FCDO advice and travel.state.gov before you book.

Walking in Trinidad and Tobago

Trinidad and Tobago has only a short list of walks that work well for visitors. There is no network of self-guided heritage trails, and the places with the most to see on foot, downtown Port of Spain and the Savannah, are the same places the FCDO asks visitors to treat with particular caution. The sensible plan is a guided or daylight-only walk on a weekday, plus a forest walk with a licensed guide on Tobago.

A daylight walk in downtown Port of Spain

A loop on a weekday morning can take in Woodford Square, the Red House, Holy Trinity Cathedral and Independence Square. The Red House is the seat of Parliament, so admire it from outside or book a free tour, which runs on Mondays and Thursdays at 10:00, 11:00 and 13:00 by appointment on +1 868 624-7275. Finish in daylight and head back by registered taxi. Do not walk alone after dark, and use a guided walking tour where one is available.

Queen’s Park Savannah and the Magnificent Seven

The Savannah is best seen in daylight, and the FCDO names its interior as a caution area, so keep to the busier edges. Along Maraval Road the Magnificent Seven are viewed from the street. Most are schools, offices or residences, and Mille Fleurs, the National Trust headquarters, can be visited by appointment only.

A steel-band yard on an organised evening tour

Panyards are where steel bands rehearse, and rehearsals are busiest in the run-up to Panorama. Trinidad All Stars is at 46-48 Duke Street and Renegades is at 138 Charlotte Street, both downtown inside the FCDO caution territory. Rehearsal times change, so do not turn up alone at night. Go with an organised panyard tour or a local host who knows the schedule. Phase II Pan Groove is based in Woodbrook, and the host can tell you where it rehearses.

Scarborough on Tobago

Scarborough has a gentle hill walk from the Esplanade up to Fort King George, built by the British in the late 1700s. The grounds are free, and the Tobago Museum nearby is open on weekdays, usually from 09:00 to 16:30. The FCDO gives no area-by-area rating for Tobago, and crime is lower than in Trinidad but not absent.

Gilpin Trace in the Main Ridge Forest Reserve

The Gilpin Trace is walked with a licensed guide in practice. Guides usually charge about TT$160 for a walk of about 1.5 hours or about TT$240 for around two hours. About 210 bird species have been recorded in the reserve, including the white-tailed sabrewing. Ask the Forestry Division or the trailhead about any entrance fee.

Tips

Walk the city on weekdays in daylight and keep phones and cash out of sight.
Pay in Trinidad and Tobago dollars (TT$) and carry small notes.
In the Northern Range, go with a guide or hiking club, since rivers flood fast after rain.

Book a guide: Trinidad and Tobago walking tours on GetYourGuide .