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When slaves were emancipated in the mid-1800's and declined to work in the cane fields for wages, plantation owners sought industrious Indian workers to immigrate to Trinidad for work as indentured servants.   After fulfilling their contracts, the workers were released from servitude and given several acres of land.  Many of the people built houses on their land and a Hindu community grew up at the edge of the flat cane fields.  Known today as Chaguanas, the area has retained a predominant Hindu population.  Many of the homes have businesses on the ground floor and residential quarters on the upper floor.  Because of the dominant Hindu population, most of the community's houses were decorated with lights.  Blocks or sections decorated the streets as well.

Asa Wright is the oldest nature center in the Caribbean.  Formerly a 200-acre coffee, cocoa, banana and citrus plantation owned by the Wright family, it was converted into a nature preserve by Asa Wright after her husband's death. The terrain is mountainous and steep with many caves.  Nature is being allowed to slowly reclaim the land except for some cultivated areas growing coffee to be served to guests.   Dedicated birders from Britain and the States often visit the former estate house built in 1907.  The main house is furnished in period furniture and graced with arrangements of lush tropical blossoms. Comfortable furniture is placed around the verandah with stools at the rail where you can perch with binoculars supported by elbows to watch the birds eat at the feeders.