Trinidad and Tobago travel guide

Getting there

Piarco International Airport near Port of Spain is the main gateway, with some international flights also landing at Tobago's ANR Robinson Airport; ferries and short flights link the two islands.

Best time to visit: Jan–May – dry season, with Carnival in February or March.

Flights: see the cheapest month to fly to Port of Spain, with live one-way and return fares from your nearest airport.

Tougher months: No bad time – August-November is wettest and most humid, but the islands lie mostly south of the main hurricane belt.

Weather by month in Port of Spain

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Average daytime highs in °C; dots show how rainy the month is (one dot dry, three dots wet).

Time zone: America/Port_of_Spain. Compare with your local time.

Visas: in our passport dataset, 105 of 198 other passports can enter Trinidad and Tobago without arranging a visa first (visa-free or visa on arrival), 0 need an e-visa or electronic authorisation, and 93 need a visa in advance. Check your passport.

Background: Visa policy of Trinidad and Tobago (Wikipedia).

Official advisory: Level 3: Reconsider Travel (U.S. Department of State, updated 2026-04-13). Read the advisory.

Stay

Most trips to Trinidad and Tobago are based around Port of Spain, Maracas Bay or Caroni Swamp. Pick a base for your main interest, then add day trips rather than moving hotels every night.

Typical daily budget: about US$50–80 for a backpacker and US$120–220 mid-range, per person.

Connect

Plug types: A, B. Voltage: 115 V. Check your own devices on the plug and currency checker.

Calling code: +1868.

Mobile data: set up a travel eSIM or check your roaming plan before you fly, so data works as soon as you land.

Do

• Port of Spain (Trinidad · capital): The lively capital of colonial mansions around the Queen's Park Savannah and the beating heart of Carnival.
• Maracas Bay (North coast · beach): Trinidad's most popular beach, framed by green hills and famous for bake and shark.
• Caroni Swamp (West Trinidad · wetlands): A mangrove reserve where thousands of scarlet ibis, the national bird, roost at sunset.
• Northern Range (Trinidad · rainforest): Forested mountains with waterfalls, hiking trails and world-class birdwatching.
• Pigeon Point (Tobago · beach): A postcard beach of white sand and turquoise water with a much-photographed thatched jetty.
• Speyside (Northeast Tobago · diving): A quiet fishing village that is a gateway to excellent diving and Little Tobago island's seabirds.
• Main Ridge Forest Reserve (Tobago · rainforest): Among the oldest legally protected forest reserves in the Western Hemisphere, rich in birds.
• Grande Riviere (Northeast Trinidad · turtles): A remote beach that hosts one of the densest leatherback turtle nesting sites in the world.

Things to do

• Play mas at Carnival. Join a costumed band dancing through Port of Spain to thunderous soca in one of the world's greatest street parties.
• Hear the steelpan. Visit a panyard in the weeks before Carnival to watch steel orchestras rehearse the instrument invented here.
• Eat doubles. Grab a breakfast of curried chickpeas folded into soft fried bara from a roadside vendor.
• Bake and shark at Maracas. Swim at Maracas Bay then devour fried shark in a bun loaded with sauces and toppings.
• Caroni Swamp scarlet ibis. Take a boat at dusk to watch flocks of brilliant red ibis come in to roost in the mangroves.
• Snorkel Buccoo Reef. Glide over coral gardens off Tobago and float in the shallow Nylon Pool lagoon.
• Watch leatherback turtles. See giant leatherbacks nesting on beaches such as Grande Riviere and Matura during the nesting season.
• Pitch Lake. Walk across the surface of the world's largest natural asphalt lake at La Brea.

Eat and drink

• Doubles – curried chickpeas in soft fried bread
• Bake and shark – fried shark in fried bread
• Roti – flatbread wrapped around curry
• Pelau – rice with chicken and pigeon peas

Money and safety

Currency: Trinidad and Tobago dollar (TTD). Currency and plug checker.

Tipping: 10–15% if not already included.

Emergency numbers: 999 police · 990 fire · 811 ambulance.

• The currency is the Trinidad and Tobago dollar (TTD); US dollars are sometimes accepted but change is given in TTD.
• Cards are accepted in hotels, malls and larger restaurants, but carry cash for street food and taxis.
• Crime is a concern in parts of Trinidad, especially at night – check your government's latest advice and ask locals which areas to avoid.
• Use registered taxis (with an H on the licence plate) or rides arranged by your accommodation after dark.