PITCH LAKE, TRINIDAD & TOBAGO
Once thought of as a punishment from the gods, this bubbling lake of pitch is perhaps Trinidad’s greatest oddity. Birdwatchers will find it of interest as well for the species it attracts. The 40-hectare expanse of asphalt is 90m deep at its centre, where hot bitumen is continuously replenished from a subterranean fault. The lake, one of only three asphalt lakes in the world, has the single largest supply of natural bitumen, and as much as 300 tonnes are extracted daily. The surface looks like a clay tennis court covered with wrinkled elephant-like skin, and during the rainy season you can sit in its warm sulphurous pools.
The lake is 22km southwest of San Fernando near the town of La Brea; guided tours are available – high heels are not recommended.
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