Tracing the quiet coastline between Arnos Vale and Culloden, the Mot Mot Trail invites travellers to step into a world where Tobago’s history and ecology meet in harmony. Once part of an intricate network of “donkey trails” carved by early European settlers, this path carried goods, sugar, and stories between plantations and fishing villages. Over time, the forest reclaimed much of it until the 1990s, when local eco-tourism pioneers revived the route, recognizing its value as both a cultural artifact and a natural treasure.

Today, the trail is a moderately challenging 7.2-kilometre (4.5-mile) circular walk, climbing a total of 313 metres (1,027 feet). Most visitors complete it in just over two hours, moving from shaded groves of towering hardwoods to breezy coastal ridges where the scent of salt mingles with the earthy perfume of the rainforest floor. Small, hidden coves appear unexpectedly, their waves curling in soft turquoise arcs.

The trail takes its name from the Trinidad motmot, a striking bird with a vivid turquoise crown and a pendulum-like tail. It's called a mellow “whoop” that echoes through the canopy, is a constant companion along the route. Situated within the Main Ridge Forest Reserve, the oldest legally protected tropical rainforest in the Western Hemisphere, the trail is also home to the white-tailed sabrewing, Tobago warbler, and more than 200 other bird species.

Walking the Mot Mot Trail is more than a hike; it is a journey into Tobago’s living heritage, where every step connects the island’s past to its vibrant present. Whether you come for the history, the wildlife, or simply the joy of discovery, the Mot Mot Trail offers a rare, unhurried glimpse into the soul of the island.