Discover another world on Trinidad's southwest peninsula

On a clear day, from Icacos — the last village in Trinidad and close to Columbus Bay where the explorer is said to have landed on July 31, 1498 — you can see the Venezuelan coast. From this extreme tip of Trinidad's south-west peninsula, the South American continent is a mere seven miles away.

It's well worth the long drive to experience the largely unspoilt charm of this remote region, where people still have the time to get to know you. The quickest route (from Port of Spain) is down the Uriah Butler Highway, named after a famous labour leader of the 1930s. On the 45-minute drive to San Fernando, the Wild Fowl Trust conservation centre, in the grounds of the Point-a-Pierre oil refinery, offers a pleasant detour.

Hilly San Fernando, main urban centre of the south, retains much of its slow-paced 19th century character. Another 45 minutes on the twisting coastal road brings you to La Brea and the Pitch Lake, one of Trinidad's natural wonders. There are guided tours of this natural asphalt lake, whose tar is still exported worldwide. Long ago, the English explorer Sir Walter Raleigh repaired his ships here.

After La Brea the road becomes bumpy and it may take another 40 minutes to reach Cedros, through the old oil town of Point Fortin. The last part of the journey to the little fishing village of Icacos leads through coconut estates: you may meet cows relaxing on and off the road!

Fish can be bought straight off the boats that come ashore at Icacos, and fishermen often have stories to tell of their visits to the nearby Venezuelan islands.

Another route from San Fernando along the Naparima Road leads to Princes Town, and a string of villages stretching cross-country to Rio Claro. Just past Princes Town, ask for directions to The Devil's Woodyard, a bubbling mud volcano that is known at times to spatter the surrounding countryside.

Continuing south, it's another half hour's drive through the Company villages to Moruga on the coast. A delightful old church stands a short walk from the sea, where there's an annual re-enactment of Columbus' landing.

The south-west forms part of the "Deep South", and is where oil was first struck at the end of the 19th century. Take the road from San Fernando to Fyzabad, the centre of the oil belt. Continuing further south to Erin, many of the old derricks can still be seen pumping away noiselessly.

Siparia, on the road to Erin, is the home of the famous Black Virgin, La Divina Pastora: a statue with a reputation for miraculous powers, worshipped by Hindus and Christians alike. The La Pastora festival a few weeks after Easter celebrates this island saint.

On the way back north, the villages of Debe, Penal and Monkey Town give a good idea of what life was like in Trinidad long before Independence. Stop at a village rumshop and chat with the locals; sample some Deep South roti, or oysters served in a piquant sauce. You'll carry the memories with you for a long time to come.