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The Western Tip encompasses satellite suburbs of Port of Spain, friendly fishing villages, the island's largest national park and local playground and an extensive marina hosting international yachters escaping the hurricane belt. Easy and accessible to explore from Port of Spain, the furthest point is thirty minutes' drive from the city centre. Travelling west from the capital you pass the ever-expanding middle-class suburbs of Diego Martin, Petit Valley, West Moorings, Goodwood Park and Glencoe. There's little of interest here for the visitor, apart from River Estate (daily 10am-6pm; free, but donations are appreciated) at the northern end of Diego Martin Main Road. Set amidst lush scenery is a restored wooden estate house, and the small museum of local history inside includes a rather bizarre but engaging diorama called "The River", depicting a random history of the estate with the help of floor-pad triggered sound effects. A ten-minute drive northeast of the estate is the Blue Basin Waterfall , one of the most accessible falls in Trinidad and also one of the smallest. The rainforest setting is beautiful, however, and blue emperor butterflies and exotic birds flutter through the undergrowth. The small pool at the base is good for bathing and is popular with children on weekends. To get there, stay on the main Diego Martin road past the River Estate, then turn right onto Blue Basin Road. Go up the steep hill till you reach a sign pointing to the waterfall and follow the track on foot for five minutes. Back on the Western Main Road a few kilometres from the Diego Martin junction is the small fishing village of Carenage . On leaving the village you enter the area of Chaguaramas (pronounced Shag-ger- rarm -ms), with its wide expanses of grassland and virgin forests - much of which have been set aside to form the Chaguaramas National Park. More rainforest than park, the protected area spans the low-lying mountains of the western end of the Northern Range. Tracks into the forest take you along rivers to waterfalls and spectacular mountain views. On the flatlands opposite the Chagville beach are a series of buildings remaining from the US occupation of the area in World War II - the location of the Callaloo mas camp - the Carnival costume factory of one of Trinidad's most famous Carnival designers, Peter Minshall - and the Chaguaramas Military History and Aviation Museum (daily 9am-5pm; TT$10, children TT$7; tel 868/634-4391). The museum exhibits chronicle the military history of Trinidad and Tobago from 1498 to the present and though the presentation is somewhat haphazard, it is interesting in contrast to the typical beaches-and-palms image of the Caribbean. Despite being the nation's playground, leisure development has, for the most part, been sensitive and unobtrusive. The protected Chaguaramas National Park is pristine rainforest, popular with hikers and birdwatchers, whilst the strip of flatland along the south coast is the only built-up area, shelter to a scattering of restaurants and nightclubs. On weekends the area becomes busy with locals going kayaking, hiking and cycling. There is a string of beaches along the south coast, though the sea can be dirty and polluted here; better swimming can be had on the north coast at Macqueripe Beach , a delightful cove that's easily accessible by road. To get there take the Tucker Valley Road from by The Base nightclub in the built-up stretch of Chaguaramas. You can rent a kayak from the Kayak Centre (daily 6am-6pm; tel 868/633-7871 located immediately after the sign welcoming you to Chaguaramas), for TT$25 for a single and TT$35 for a double; both rates are per hour. Another energetic option is to rent a mountain bike from Bay Sports next door (Sat, Sun and public holidays 6am-6pm; tel 868/637-7281), costing TT$20 per hour, an extra TT$10 for a guided ride into the interior of the National Park. The Chaguaramas Development Authority (Mon-Fri 8am-4pm; tel 868/634-4227 or 4364, fax 634-4311), ) offers well-informed tours of the local area and the Bocas for anywhere between US$8 and US$25. The Chaguaramas Golf Course is open daily 7am-6pm; you'll pay TT$45 for nine holes, TT$5-50 to use the driving range and TT$30 to rent clubs. Beyond the cluster of former military buildings and newly built restaurants, a plethora of yachting facilities draw some three thousand vessels each month. Past the marinas with their extensive facilities - supermarket, ATM, a doctor's service, shops, internet cafe and a bank - lies the Cove (daily 7.30am-6.30pm; TT$6), a beach with well-maintained facilities. From here you can go no further, unless you take a boat to the Bocas , or as locals refer to them "down de islands". These rocky islets are separated from the mainland by the Bocas del Dragon ( Dragon's Mouth ), a series of rocky channels connecting the Gulf of Paria with the Caribbean. Difficult to access, there is little tourist traffic to the islands. For those who do persevere, either by hiring a boat or booking a tour, Gaspar Grande is the most accessible, with caves - filled with bats and glittering stalactites and stalagmites - to visit and the Bayview resort - consisting of a restaurant, cafe, beach with facilities, swimming pool, hotel and self-catering apartments - making the trip most worthwhile. The fare to Gaspar Grande is TT$50 by boat from the Island Property Owners' Association marina (on Western Main Road, just before the Cove). Before disembarking, arrange a pick-up time to ensure that you're not stranded.
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