Macqueripe Bay

To reach Macqueripe Bay from Port of Spain, take the Western Main Road to Chaguaramas. After the CDA Estate Police Headquarters take the first right turn onto the Macqueripe Mail Road. Macqueripe Bay is at the end of this road. This is a sheltered bay with no coastal plain, bounded by headlands on both sides. A flight of steps curves down to the beach through a landscaped garden and a concrete viewing platform. The beach is approximately 117 metres (m) long and made up of grey-brown, coarse-grained sand, composed mainly of quartz. It is moderately sloping, becom[1]ing step-like seaward.

Surging breakers of moderate wave energy with an average height of 38 centimetres (cm) in the dry season and 26 cm in the wet season, approach generally from the west. A weak longshore current flows to the southwest at an average speed of 5 cm/s and the water is usually clear.

Macqueripe Bay is generally calm and good for swimming, but from November to April it may be very rough. The seabed is uneven, so swimmers should be careful. Snorkelling can be done in the marginal fringing reef area offshore, and SCUBA diving is also popular. Turtles have been known to lay their eggs on this beach, making Macqueripe a point of interest to naturalists. Paid parking is available and there are picnic huts and a food concession located just off the car park. Lifeguard service is provided on weekends and public holidays. There is a nominal fee for use of change rooms, toilets and showers. For thrill seekers, Trinidad’s first zip line and canopy tours attraction is located above the beach.