Pay The $50: Tour Guide Speaks After Tourist Rescue

A tourist who ventured onto Trinidad’s famous Pitch Lake without a tour guide had to be assisted after reportedly panicking and becoming unable to find his way back during the rainy season.
The incident prompted a response from the Trinidad and Tobago Fire Service, with a fire truck dispatched to the popular attraction in La Brea.
According to a local tour guide who witnessed the aftermath, the visitor had declined to hire a guide before entering the Pitch Lake. As conditions became more challenging due to recent rainfall, the man reportedly became frightened and required assistance to safely return.
The guide used the incident to remind visitors that Pitch Lake, often described as the world’s largest natural asphalt deposit and one of Trinidad and Tobago’s most unique attractions, should not be explored alone.
He explained that while experienced guides may safely navigate sections of the lake during the dry season, the rainy season presents additional hazards that visitors may not recognize.
The guide also questioned whether emergency resources should have been tied up responding to a preventable situation, noting that trained tour guides are available for a relatively small fee to safely escort visitors across the lake.
He urged tourists to follow safety advice, stressing that the cost of hiring a guide is minimal compared with the potential risks of attempting to explore the site independently.
The incident has renewed calls for visitors to use authorised tour guides whenever visiting Pitch Lake, particularly during periods of wet weather, to help prevent unnecessary emergencies and ensure emergency responders remain available for genuine life-threatening incidents.