Region
Trinidad
Base in Port of Spain or the East-West Corridor; treat the north coast, Pitch Lake and turtle beaches as day-trips.
Key facts · Trinidad and Tobago
- Best months
- Dec–May
- Currency
- Trinidad and Tobago dollar
- Language
- English
- Plugs
- A · B · 115 V
- Time zone
- UTC−4 all year
Rules in force · 7Several islands (Turks and Caicos above all, also the Bah…
- Caribbean ↗Several islands (Turks and Caicos above all, also the Bahamas and Jamaica) jail visitors for a single stray bullet or cartridge in their luggage; empty every bag and pocket before you pack.
- Caribbean ↗From August to October keep a free last day before your flight home and check the national hurricane centre daily; airports close when a named storm approaches.
- Caribbean ↗Wearing camouflage clothing is illegal for civilians in several islands, including Barbados, Antigua, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent, Grenada, Dominica, Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica; leave it at home, children's clothes included.
- Trinidad and Tobago ↗Check entry rules for your passport with the Trinidad and Tobago Immigration Division before you fly; visa-required nationals apply for an e-visa online.
- Trinidad and Tobago ↗Camouflage-pattern clothing is illegal for civilians: leave it at home.
- Trinidad and Tobago ↗Leatherback turtle nesting beaches have seasonal access rules: visit with a licensed guide or permit.
- Trinidad and Tobago ↗Violent crime is concentrated in parts of Port of Spain and the east–west corridor: read your government's list of areas to avoid and move by car after dark.
Trinidad is the bigger, busier island: one airport, one main corridor of towns from Port of Spain to Arima, and most food, music and night life along it. Sleep in or near Port of Spain for 2–4 nights and run the north coast, Caroni and the birding valleys as day-trips; only Grande Riviere and Matura justify a night away.
Sleep
Which bed, for how many nights, and what to do from it
Where to sleep
Sleep base
- Port of SpainTrip line
Carnival, food and music; the main transport hub.
Best Apr–May, Dec–Jan
JFMAMJJASOND
Day trip
- ArimaPlanned
East end of the corridor; gateway to the Arima Valley and Asa Wright.
Page planned: listed so the region plan is complete.
- ChaguanasCity guide
Mid-corridor market town; Indian-Trinidadian food and shopping.
Best Jan–May
JFMAMJJASOND - San FernandoPlanned
Southern city; base for Pitch Lake at La Brea.
Page planned: listed so the region plan is complete.
- Point FortinPlanned
Far south-west; oil town, quiet coast.
Page planned: listed so the region plan is complete.
- ChaguaramasPlanned
North-west peninsula; boat trips, beaches, sunset views.
Page planned: listed so the region plan is complete.
- CouvaPlanned
Corridor town between Chaguanas and San Fernando.
Page planned: listed so the region plan is complete.
Night sequences
- 3 nights
- Port of Spain 3; north coast and Caroni as day-trips
- 5 nights
- Port of Spain 3 + 1 night Arima Valley or Grande Riviere + 1 night south for Pitch Lake
- Parts of Port of Spain and the Laventille, Beetham and Maloney areas are crime hot-spots; take a taxi at night and do not walk there.
- The ferry to Guiria in Venezuela has been suspended; do not plan on it.
- Cruise passengers are advised not to walk out of the port area — wide, fast roads and a rough district.
Day-trips door to door
| To | From | Door-to-door p50 | Last return | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maracas and Las Cuevas beaches | Port of Spain | 60 min | unknown | North Coast Road is winding; go early, return before dark. |
| Caroni Bird Sanctuary | Port of Spain | 45 min | unknown | Boat tours run at dusk when the scarlet ibis returns to roost; book ahead. |
| Pitch Lake, La Brea | San Fernando | 60 min | unknown | Guided walk on the surface; the natural asphalt is soft in the heat. |
| Asa Wright Nature Centre and the Arima Valley | Arima | 40 min | unknown | Birding from the veranda; day visitors welcome, guides lead trails. |
| Mount Saint Benedict | Arima | 30 min | unknown | Monastery high in the Northern Range; cool at night, steep stations of the cross. |
Bags between cities
No luggage forwarding on the island; with a car you carry your own bags, and route taxis and maxis have limited space for large cases.
When and how
Months, arrival and passes
Seasons at a glance
Pick a month to see where to go.
| Country | JJan | FFeb | MMar | AApr | MMay | JJun | JJul | AAug | SSep | OOct | NNov | DDec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Port of Spain | go | ok | ok | go | go | ok | ok | ok | ok | ok | ok | go |
| Chaguanas | go | go | go | go | go | × | × | × | × | × | × | ok |
| Trinidad and Tobago (country-wide) | go | go | go | go | go | ok | ok | ok | ok | ok | ok | go |
Computed from each country’s own data; hover a country name for the source. Advisory countries are left out.
Climate strip
| Zone | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trinidadwhole island | best | best | best | best | best | wet | wet | wet | wet | wet | wet | best |
- Trinidad
- Dry season roughly January to May; rainy season June to December with short heavy showers. It is warm all year, 30 °C+ by day on the coast.Dry season roughly January to May; rainy season June to December with short heavy showers. It is warm all year, 86 °F+ by day on the coast.
Carnival falls in February or early March and fills Port of Spain hotels; book months ahead. Turtle nesting on the north and east beaches runs roughly March to August.
Get in
| From | To | How | p50 | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Piarco International (POS) | Port of Spain | Taxi or hired car | ~40 min | The island's only international airport, southeast of the capital; taxis meet arrivals. |
| Crown Point (Tobago) | Piarco | Air bridge flight or fast ferry from Scarborough | ~25 min flight | The air bridge links the two islands; the ferry is slower but cheaper. |
| Cruise ship | Port of Spain | Walk off at the dock | on foot | Ships dock close to downtown; the port area itself is not a walking district. |
Regional passes
Route taxi
buyFixed fares, typically TT$3–5 and up to about TT$20 on long routes; ask the fare before leaving.
Maxi (minibus)
buyCheapest way along the East-West Corridor; TT$3 minimum, pay the driver or conductor.
Public bus
checkTickets under about TT$10 from terminals, air-conditioned, but waits between departures can be long.
Private taxi or ride app
checkDoor-to-door and air-conditioned; expect at least TT$100 for a private run.
Car hire
checkUseful for the north coast and the south; fuel is cheap but signs and maps are poor, so allow time to get lost.
Eat and move on
Regional food
| Dish | Where | Timing / trap |
|---|---|---|
| Doubles | Street stalls nationwide | Curried channa between two fried bara, wrapped in wax paper; order 'without', 'slight' or 'blaze' for pepper. Around TT$3; eat it standing, hands get messy. |
| Aloo pie | Same stalls as doubles | Fried potato pie with the same chutneys and pepper sauce. |
| Bake and shark | Maracas and other beaches | Fried dough with fried fish; beach queues peak at lunch. |
| Curry channa and roti | Chaguanas and the corridor | Indian-Trinidadian staples; many vegetarian options because of the Hindu population. |
| Pelau | Everyday lunch places | One-pot rice with meat and pigeon peas; a cheap filling lunch. |
| Coconut water and jelly | Roadside vendors | Choose your nut; the vendor chops it open afterwards so you can eat the jelly with a wedge. |
| Rum | Bars island-wide | Angostura makes Royal Oak, 1919 and 1824; rum and coconut water is a local mix. Bars are everywhere and loud. |
Go next
Tobago
planned25-minute air bridge flight or fast ferry from Port of Spain
Beaches and Buccoo Reef; quieter pace than Trinidad.
Port of Spain and north-west Trinidad
Base of the corridor
Where most trips start and end.
Deep dive
Photos, reading and every source