Trinidad Travel Tips: Attractions, Weather

Trinidad and Tobago are the places to experience a culture as unique as any islands in the Caribbean. It is especially true during Carnival time.

The southernmost islands of the Caribbean lie only seven miles off the coast of Venezuela.

The islands are moderately large at 2,000 square miles and have a population of more than 1.3 million people.

TNT, which is 23rd in total Caribbean tourism, is mainly a stopover vacation, meaning that tourists usually visit for overnight stays instead of by cruise. About 400,000 people visit the islands each year to spend multiple nights there.

About 40,000 people visit by cruise, which is far fewer than overnight stays because of the islands’ distance from major cruise ports. Trinidad is 1,600 miles from the largest Caribbean cruise port at Miami FL.

Regent, Princess and Holland America are among the major cruise lines that include Port of Spain on Trinidad or Scarborough on Tobago as ports of call. They usually include TNT as ports of call on lengthy cruises such as 14 days.

Tourist Attractions

TNT is noteworthy for its famous festivals, especially Carnival, a two-day showcase of color, dance and music that takes place every February. Hotels on the island are limited, so book well in advance to attend.

The Tobago Heritage Festival takes place from mid-July to early August. Divali is a Hindu festival during October and November.

Historical attractions include Fort George, built by the British in 1804, and Port-of-Spain Museum, which outlines the city’s history.

Others include the Magnificent Seven, seven noteworthy buildings that represent colonial architecture; the Botanical Gardens, established in 1818; the President’s House, formerly home of the colonial governor and now home to the nation’s president; and the National Museum, established in 1892.

Natural attractions include cave systems, mud volcanoes, hiking through lush rainforests and numerous waterfalls. Tobago is known for good snorkeling and scuba diving because of its coral reefs. The Nylon Pool is a warm and shallow area within the Buccoo Reef.

Tourism / When to Go

U.S. and Canadian citizens require passports to visit the islands. Cruise visitors need their ship IDs to leave and return to their ships.

Tourism statistics are spotty, but February is by far the most popular month for stayover visitors because of Carnival, followed by December. September is the least popular month during the peak time of the Caribbean hurricane season.

Other months have a consistent number of visitors despite a wide variety of rainfall from month to month.

Weather

Trinidad has a distinct dry season that goes from January through April and a distinct rainy season from June through November. May and December are transitional months.

The annual rainfall of about 70 inches creates a more lush landscape like Jamaica. The climate is tropical with a rainy season from June to December and a dry season from January to May.

Average daytime high temperatures stay in the upper 80s to low 90s Fahrenheit or about 30 degrees Celsius throughout the year, according to historical data from the Trinidad and Tobago Meteorological Service.

Currency / Tipping

Currency is the Trinidad and Tobago Dollar. Tip 10-15 percent in restaurants and give taxi drivers 10 percent. Hotels will add a 10-15 percent service charge to your bill. The departure tax is $100 per person and the hotel room tax is 10 percent.

Culture / Geography

The official language is English. Unlike almost every other Caribbean country, tourism is not the dominant force in the economy. Instead, the islands are the leading Caribbean producer of oil and gas. Terrain is mostly plains with some hills and low mountains.

• Trinidad and amp; Tobago Government
• State Department

Scott S. Bateman is a professional journalist who has traveled widely throughout the Caribbean and the America.