About 25km southwest of San Fernando, and just south of the small town of La Brea, this slowly bubbling black 'lake' is perhaps Trinidad’s greatest oddity. Once thought of by the Amerindians as a punishment of the gods, the 40-hectare expanse of asphalt is around 75m deep at its center, where hot bitumen is continuously replenished from a subterranean fault. One of only three asphalt lakes in the world, it has the single-largest supply of natural bitumen.
The lake’s surface looks like a clay tennis court covered with wrinkled, elephant-like skin, interspersed with small pools ringed with reeds and water hyacinth; tour guides sagely take you across via the solid parts, poking a stick into the liquid areas to show you the fresh pitch. Flat shoes are recommended. During the rainy season, people bathe in its warm sulfurous pools, said to have healing qualities. A museum in the visitor center gives some interesting background on the history of the lake.
The Pitch Lake can be a fiercely hot place for a walk – try to arrive before 10am, and apply liberal amounts of sunscreen. Be aware that unofficial guides will approach you in the parking lot; most give a substandard tour, so it's far better to opt for the informative official guides, who wear name badges and red T-shirts. You can call ahead to book, but guides are always available during opening hours, via the visitor center. It's customary to leave a tip for them after the tour.
