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The north of Trinidad is an eighty-odd-kilometre stretch dominated by the Northern Range, a rugged spine boasting the island's highest peaks, El Cerro del Aripo and El Tucuche. Trinidad's most splendid beaches line the coast to the north of the range, with the enduringly popular Maracas Bay melting into the quieter, undeveloped beaches of Blanchisseuse and beyond. The Arima-Blanchisseuse Road, the location of the Asa Wright Nature Centre - a bird-watcher's paradise - cuts across the mountainous spine, connecting the coast with the Eastern Main road: an amazing drive through lush rainforest , Away from the jungle-smothered hills are some of Trinidad's most densely populated areas outside of Port of Spain - along the traffic-choked Eastern Main Road (EMR), known locally as the "East-West Corridor". Towns such as the historic St Joseph and Arima are home to the majority of the island's African population and Indian culture is far less visible here than in the south. Creole cooking reigns supreme and the soundtrack that blares from shops, bars and maxis is soca and Jamaican dancehall . Inland of the EMR, river valleys cut into the Northern Range to a host of interior attractions such as the island's two most spectacular waterfalls , La Laja and Sombasson, and river swimming at Maracas Valley, Caura and Guanapo Gorge. The EMR ends abruptly just east of Arima, replaced by the winding minor roads spanning the weather-beaten northeast coast and tip. This wild and rugged peninsula, jutting some 20km into the Atlantic Ocean, is Trinidad's best-kept secret. The populace is overwhelmingly friendly, and along the Toco coast on its northern side, leatherback turtles clamber up the wave-battered sandy beaches to lay their eggs. Though parts of the north are well served by public transport - especially the East-West Corridor - a car is useful to visit the more remote north coast. Surprisingly, there is not a huge amount of accommodation in the region, though there are clusters of guesthouses at Blanchisseuse and Grande Riviere. However, all the East-West Corridor is within an hour's drive from Port of Spain and there are a few excellent options for those wishing to stay in the interior. As the northwest tip is more than three hours' drive from the capital, it's better to arrange accommodation at one of the lovely guesthouses found in the region. Apart from unmissable bake and shark at Maracas beach and the hundreds of roti parlours, cafes and fast-food joints along the Eastern Main Road, there are few established restaurants in the area. Those that do exist are usually joined to hotels and welcome non-guests - recommended establishments are listed throughout the text.
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