Grande Riviere is a rural village situated on the north coast of Trinidad. It gets its name from the large river which runs through it, meeting the sea. For bathers, this allows the opportunity to combine sea bathing with river swimming in the same location. The area has become known for its great bird watching opportunities, being home to such species as the endangered Blue-throated Piping-Guan (Pawi), Crimson-crested Woodpecker, and Swallow-tailed Kite. It is also a primary nesting ground for large numbers of Leatherback turtles.
The beach itself is quite wide, with a considerable length, and slopes steeply as it enters the sea. The shoreline is backed by different types of trees including almond. The flat plateau of the beach is an area of loose sand which is favored by the turtles. The steepness of the slope and the height of waves during November to April make bathing unsafe at these times.
Even though Grande Riviere is one of the more remote parts of the country, it has seen its fair share of tourism because of its natural fauna. At present there are four small eco-resorts, with a fifty room combined capacity, as well as ten guesthouses. Each year, an estimated 15 000 tourists, both foreign and local, visit Grande Rivière. Tours are conducted by the Grande Riviere Nature Tour Guide Association.
Development plans for the area include the production of organically grown agricultural products and the construction of additional accommodations to house tourists.
