Paria Waterfall journey workout for hikers by Marika Mohammed. Sweet T&T, Trinidad.

Paria Waterfall journey a true workout for hikers

By Marika Mohammed. You can’t call yourself an avid hiker until you battled the journey to Paria Waterfall. It truly was a workout and something I would suggest to those seeking something challenging.

First things first, wearing comfortable clothing and shoes are a must. I suggest workout clothes or swimming attire. Wearing sneakers with good grip on the bottom makes climbing easier and helps to avoid skidding. Drinking water is a must. You could never have enough drinking water! Along with your food, once you have these intact you’re ready to go.

Seaside view on the way to Paria Waterfall

The start is easy enough. While heading to Paria Waterfall you get a great seaside view and your last chance to back out. As you go further in there are small hills to climb and slowly the sea disappears, leaving you surrounded by trees and occasional darkness.

Depending on your party and your endurance, the hike to Paria Waterfall can be from two hours to about three hours. Again, it depends on how quickly you move and your resting periods.

When you think you’re gonna pass out

Don’t take rest for granted! At one point when you think you’re gonna pass out, fellow hikers will encourage you that you haven’t gotten far to go. Trust me you have a long way to go. Sweating, walking up and down never-ending hills, jumping over mini streams and waterfalls, you can either take a detour or keep moving.

Feeling of isolation

This detour happens to be a cliff jutting out into choppy waters. You truly get the feeling of isolation here. It’s a great selfie spot and if you’re risky enough to go close to the edge you might even see turtles in the water. Yup, the water is so clear you could see the turtles swimming. As you get back on track, you get a better look at the cliff and the head is shaped like a turtle coming out of its shell.

Cool, clear waters at Paria Waterfall

Then, it’s crossing the beach, more forest, making your way up a river like salmon and TADA! After all that walking, the cool, clear waters are so inviting. A safety tip, if you can’t swim and don’t have a life jacket, stick to the shallow area. It’s a bit rocky but the water is fantastic. With the waterfall as background noise, surrounded by the trees, eating lunch was like being in an adventure movie. The only tiring thing was having to take the same route to get out.

June 2018 www.sweettntmagazine.com