San Fernando travel guide

San Fernando, Philippines

By the Travel Wiki editorial team

San Fernando

Getting there

San Fernando is straightforward to reach from across Trinidad. From Port of Spain, Chaguanas and other northern and central towns, the easiest connection is via the Uriah Butler–Solomon Hochoy Highway. You can also cross the Gulf of Paria from Port of Spain by water taxi, which docks at the Water Taxi Terminal on Lady Hailes Avenue. Buses run from City Gate in Port of Spain and other places via PTSC services, and taxis and Maxi Taxis are available as well.

From the southwest, connections can be made via the S.S. Erin Road or the Southern Main Road and Mosquito Creek. From the southeast, the Naparima-Mayaro Road brings you to the Mon Repos roundabout. Arriving by boat is also possible, with vessels able to dock at the San Fernando Yacht Club.

Getting around

San Fernando is a road-based city, so plan every journey around buses, jeepneys, vans and taxis rather than rail. There is no metro, tram or light rail network to move you around, and the source material describes no usable rail service, so leave trains out of your plans entirely. The city's bus terminal is your anchor for longer trips: it links San Fernando to Metro Manila, Northern Luzon, and the Bataan and Zambales provinces, with companies such as Victory Liner, Genesis, Bataan Transit, Philippine Rabbit, Saulog Transit Inc, Arayat Express, First North Luzon Transit, Rj Express and JoyBus operating from it. Buses reach Manila districts including Avenida, Cubao, Caloocan, Pasay, PITX and Sampaloc, as well as Baguio City, Cabanatuan, Tuguegarao, San Jose NE, Tarlac, Gapan, Balanga, Mariveles, Orani, Olongapo, Iba, Sta Cruz Zambales and Lubao. Modern jeepneys serve nearby Dinalupihan, and vans run alongside buses on many of these routes.

Within the city, public transport stops cluster along the main corridors, with MacArthur Highway carrying the largest share, followed by Jose Abad Santos Avenue and Manuel A. Roxas Highway; smaller streets such as 1st Street and Fields Avenue also have stops. In practice you can flag down buses, jeepneys or vans along these main roads instead of hunting for a formal station for every trip. Buy tickets on board or at the terminal counter and pay in cash, since no city-wide transit pass is described. Regular taxis wait at taxi stands, and Maxi Taxis — larger shared vans carrying passengers between towns — are part of the local mix, both handy for shorter trips or when you have luggage. Ride-hailing apps are not documented here, so rely on taxi stands and arranged rides. Walking works for short hops within a neighbourhood, but the city stretches along its highways and avenues, so expect to combine walking with a bus, jeepney, van or taxi, and allow extra time. No airport serving San Fernando is identified; visitors typically arrive via Manila's airports and continue by road, either by bus to the San Fernando terminal or by taxi or private transfer, then connect onward by bus, jeepney, van or taxi.

Where to stay

San Fernando offers a range of places to stay, though the source material for this guide is limited. Accommodation options exist in the city, but specific neighbourhoods and their character are not detailed here.

Food & drink

For eating, you'll find plenty of restaurants around, including Soong's Great Wall Restaurant, Jenny's Wok and Golden Dragon. You must try the "black pudding" — a Friday delicacy of seasoned pig's blood stuffed into intestines and pre-cooked before being fried in front of you. It may sound off-putting to many cultures, but try it before you knock it; it's absolutely delicious. Another great option in south Trinidad is Canton Palace at Cross Crossing, which serves traditional Chinese and Cantonese-style dishes. If you eat pork, try the char sue pork and the roasted pork, and you could ask Michael, one of the chefs, to prepare your meal. For nightlife, "Sting" and "The Edge" are popular clubs if you want to dance to a variety of music all night long. "Horace's", "Richie's" and "Uncle Sam's" are cozier spots for those who prefer a smaller crowd. Don't forget about Tree House or TGIF.

What to see and do

In San Fernando you can start with San Fernando Hill, the massive hill rising in the middle of the city. The Carnegie Library is another option, though it is going through some renovations. For something with a bit of history, Happy Corner Hotel and Bar has been in business since the 1870s and could be a historical site you may want to see. A short distance away, the Pointe-à-Pierre Wild Fowl Trust is a wetland habitat home to locally endangered wetland birds. Its setting is unlikely: near an industrial area of the state-owned Petrotrin oil refinery, with flames spouting from flare stacks in the sky. Even so, wildfowl flourish amid luxuriant vegetation such as crape myrtle, flamboyant soursop, mango trees, and black sage bushes said to be good for high blood pressure. You can only visit the grounds by appointment, and the admission includes a guided tour. For entertainment, you can watch something at the Southern Academy for the Performing Arts (SAPA) or Naparima Bowl.

Three days in San Fernando

Day one: Arrive in San Fernando from Port of Spain by water taxi at the Water Taxi Terminal on Lady Hailes Avenue, or overland by PTSC buses or maxi taxis from City Gate, following the Uriah Butler and Solomon Hochoy Highway past Chaguanas. Settle into the city's hilly centre, then take a stroll along Lady Hailes Avenue and the waterfront, where the San Fernando Yacht Club looks out over the Gulf of Paria. In the evening, eat around the Naparima area, where the streets are busy with local food stalls and shops.

Day two: Head south out of the city along Erin Road and Southern Main Road, crossing Mosquito Creek, to reach the quiet southern villages and the coast facing the Gulf of Paria. Continue toward Mayaro Road if you want a longer run out to the eastern shore. Back in San Fernando, spend the late afternoon around Mon Repos and the Naparima district, where the streets climb into the hills and give wide views over the city and the gulf.

Day three: Use your last day to move between the city's neighbourhoods on foot and by maxi taxi, revisiting the market streets around Naparima and the waterfront near Lady Hailes Avenue. If you are continuing your journey, buses and maxi taxis run from San Fernando back to Port of Spain, or you can take the water taxi from the Water Taxi Terminal across the Gulf of Paria. For travellers heading further afield, connections from Port of Spain link to Trinidad's road network, with services such as Victory Liner, Genesis, Bataan Transit, Philippine Rabbit, Saulog Transit Inc, Arayat Express, First North Luzon Transit and Rj Express named among the operators you may encounter on longer routes.

About this place