Western Isles Boat Tour | Friday 31 July 2026
Join the National Trust of Trinidad and Tobago for the Western Isles Boat Tour, a guided maritime heritage experience aboard the Water Taxi.
Taking place on Friday 31 July 2026, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., this “down d islands” tour invites participants to experience Trinidad’s western peninsula from the water while learning about the islands, waterways, and landmarks that form part of our national heritage.
Participants will identify the Five Islands, Diego Islands, Bocas Islands, and other coastal landmarks while hearing stories that connect these places to Trinidad and Tobago’s history.
The Western Isles are part of a wider maritime landscape that has shaped Trinidad’s history for centuries. Previous National Trust Western Isles tours have described the route as an educational expedition through the island clusters off Trinidad’s northwestern peninsula, including the Five Islands, Diego Islands, Gasparillo Islands, and Bocas Islands.
The Five Islands, including Nelson Island, carry especially layered histories. The National Trust records that these islands were used by the Warao and Nepuyo as fishing and bartering stopovers, later became associated with Spanish and British colonial activity, and were known during the British period as the Quarantine Islands. Nelson Island was also connected to indentureship, repatriation, the detention of labour leader Tubal Uriah “Buzz” Butler, World War II, and the detention of Black Power Movement participants in 1970 and 1971.
The Bocas Islands and the western peninsula also form part of Trinidad’s natural heritage landscape. The National Trust lists Chacachacare Island as a Natural Heritage site off the western peninsula of Trinidad in the Bocas del Dragon, with islands and cays as its habitat.
Together, these waters and islands tell stories of movement, exchange, defence, quarantine, migration, labour, leisure, ecology, and national memory.
Visitor information
Date: Friday 31 July 2026
Time: 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Meeting point: Water Taxi Terminal POS
Boarding time:9:30
Cost: Downstairs TT$100 | Upstairs TT$150
Lunch: Not included
Important note:
This is a boat-based sightseeing and interpretation tour. No island landing is included unless separately confirmed by the National Trust.
Accessibility notes:
This tour takes place aboard a vessel and requires boarding and disembarking at the terminal. Upper deck access may require stairs. Persons with mobility concerns are encouraged to contact the National Trust before registering so we can advise on the most suitable ticket option.
What to bring:
Ticket confirmation, valid ID if required by the operator, water, sun protection, light jacket, motion sickness medication if needed, personal medication, and a fully charged phone or camera. Lunch is not included, so participants should eat beforehand and follow any vessel rules regarding food and drink on board.
Membership CTA
Support heritage experiences like this by becoming a National Trust member. Your membership helps protect historic places and natural heritage sites and keeps you connected to future tours, events, and learning opportunities.
