Mayaro Bay
The etymology of the name, ‘Mayaro’ originated from the Arawakan mainstaple ‘maya’ which was a plant in abundance in the area.
The end of the word, ‘ro’ is the Arawak term meaning, “the place of,” hence “the place of maya” or “Mayaro”.
Mayaro, one of the most popular holiday destinations in Trinidad especially the Easter holidays.
It encompasses a huge bay which is very visible on the map of the country as the southernmost bay on the east coast and contains a group of villages in the interior.
The Mayaro Beach which skirts the Mayaro bay is one of the main pulling factors that brings people from all over the country to this relatively remote area for time away from the hectic city life.
The beach which lines the bay, Mayaro Beach stretches for nine miles, making it the longest beach on the island.
Not only do beach-goers swim, but they also kayak, bird watch, camp, and occasionally kite surf, making Mayaro a tourist hot spot.
Located at the southern end of Manzanilla Beach, one can reach Mayaro Beach by traveling along the Mayaro–Guayaguayare road or the Mayaro–Naparima road.
The Beach
Mayaro Beach runs parallel to Guayaguayare Mayaro Road.
Choose any gravelly side road and make your way east, where you are likely to run into the beach.
One of the more popular access is Church Road, where you can see the old church still standing on the beach.
Lined by lush trees in most places along the beach, the sand here ranges from a light to dark tan, getting darker the closer it gets to the sea.
The water can be rough and is known for rip currents so much so that lifeguards are almost always present during daylight hours.
The seawater is a pleasant aquamarine but not as pristine as the waters on the north coast.
At night the glow from the offshore oil platforms light the horizon.