Leave a comment
Last updated on March 11, 2025
Trinidad and Tobago is the southernmost country in the Caribbean.
After the Republic of Haiti, this island-nation is also the least visited and most unsafe country in the region.
It’s a country divided into two islands: the island of Trinidad, and the island of Tobago, each one offering a completely different travel experience.
This travel guide to Trinidad and Tobago will tell you everything you need to know to tour one of the least visited countries in the Caribbean, including how to get there, budget, itinerary and more.
You may also like: a 1-week itinerary for Haiti
In this travel guide to Trinidad & Tobago you will find:
our recommended travel insurance for Trinidad and Tobago
With its Backpacker plan, IATI Insurance is the best insurance for any kind of adventurous destination, like Trinidad and Tobago.
🇹🇹 Introduction to traveling to Trinidad and Tobago
I liked Trinidad and Tobago, and I liked it because this isn’t your typical Caribbean destination.
On the one hand, the capital – Port of Spain – is a bustling metropolis as per usual Caribbean standards. It’s busy, polluted and the city center features high-rise, concrete towers.
On the other hand, and as mentioned earlier, this Caribbean nation is composed of two islands that could hardly be more different.
The island of Trinidad is multiethnic, most of their population being ethnically African – descendants of former slaves – and Indian – brought to replace freed African slaves who refused to continue working on the sugar plantations.
You are also likely to meet many white Trinis, as well as direct descendants of incomers from Syria and China.
This cultural diversity and the way the different ethnicities coexist and worship in their respective temples – the island is packed with Hindu temples, churches and mosques – is the highlight of visiting Trinidad.
Tobago, nevertheless, is more rural and 99% African. It’s also significantly closer to your idea of a Caribbean holiday, with the added benefit that mass tourism isn’t really a thing here. In fact, this is one of the few places in the Caribbean where you can still find unspoiled beaches that can be enjoyed all to yourself.
The thing is that Trinidad and Tobago is the leading producer of natural gas and oil in the Caribbean, so they never had a need to develop a proper tourist industry, making it one of the most authentic countries to explore in this part of the world.
Trinidad was first Spanish and then British
Trinidad had been a Spanish colony since their first permanent settlement in 1592 but years of negligence and leaving the island abandoned and defenceless make the British taking it over in 1797. Trinidad and Tobago got its independence from the British in 1962. Despite Trinidad being a Spanish colony for 200 years, today’s colonial heritage is purely British, not only in the language and architecture, but also in that Indians – brought to replace freed African slaves who refused to continue working on the sugar plantations – are the largest ethnic group.
⚠️ Is it safe to travel to Trinidad and Tobago?
Excluding Haiti, Trinidad is infamous for being the most violent country in the Caribbean and one of the worst in Latin America.
In 2024 alone, the country registered 624 homicides for a population of 1.5 million people. That’s higher than Mexico and USA cities with a high level of criminality, such as Chicago.
The situation was so bad that in December 2024, Trinidad and Tobago imposed a nationwide state of emergency due to the spread of gang violence in Port of Spain.
This gang violence is explained by the country’s proximity to Venezuela and direct transportation routes to Europe, which makes Trinidad and Tobago an appealing market for drug smuggling.
Gangs and violent street crime are a fact of life here, but that shouldn’t prevent travelers from visiting Trinidad and Tobago, for the following reasons:
Gang violence mostly focuses on Port of Spain
Shootings and homicides are concentrated in Port of Spain, more specifically in certain areas within Port of Spain like Laventille, which you are very likely to avoid.
Violent crime here is not worse than in Bogota or Mexico City
Street crime in Port of Spain is pretty bad per Caribbean standards, but I don’t think it’s that bad if we compare it to other Latin American cities frequented by tourists such as Rio de Janeiro, Bogota or Quito.
You already know how things work in these places, just apply common sense: don’t take random taxis, don’t walk alone at night and avoid empty areas after dark, such as downtown.
Tobago is pretty safe
Unlike Trinidad, Tobago is as safe as other islands in the Caribbean.
🪪 How to get a visa for Trinidad & Tobago
You don’t need a visa to visit Trinidad & Tobago.
Upon arrival, all you’ll get is a friendly stamp valid for travel in Trinidad and Tobago for 90 days.
🚑 Travel insurance for Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago is an adventurous destination, so we recommend going there with proper travel insurance.
I recommend IATI Insurance because:
- Their backpacker plan covers all types of adventure activities, including trekking
- Very competitive prices
- Readers of this blog can get a 5% exclusive discount
🛫 How to get to Trinidad and Tobago
How to travel to Trinidad and Tobago by air
The International Airport of Port of Spain (POS) is the main hub in the Caribbean, connecting with several islands like Barbados, Grenada, and Saint Vincent, among many others.
You can also fly there from anywhere in the 3 Guianas, including Georgetown, Paramaribo and Cayenne.
Just check flight schedules on Caribbean Airlines, the national airline.
If you’re coming from Europe, you can find relatively cheap flights from London with British Airways, and if coming from the Americas, check out flights via Miami (American Airlines) and Panama City (Copa Airlines).
I personally traveled to Port of Spain on a direct flight from London and flew out to Georgetown, Guyana.
Does Tobago have an international airport?
Tobago has a tiny international airport named ANR Robinson International Airport (TAB).
It has several daily connections with Port of Spain but very limited (and expensive) connections with the rest of the world.
However, they are currently building a larger terminal, so Tobago is set to be more connected within the next few years.
How to travel to Trinidad and Tobago by boat
As of today, there aren’t any official ferries going to Trinidad, only cruise ships.
⛅ Best time to visit Trinidad and Tobago
Choosing when to travel to Trinidad and Tobago highly depends on the amount of rain.
The dry season runs from the end of November to May so technically, this would be the best season to visit both islands, especially if you are interested in beaches and Caribbean vibes.
The rainy and hurricane season runs from June to November. However, being the southernmost island in the Caribbean means that Trinidad and Tobago receives lesser amount of rainfall than other islands in the Caribbean, from Grenada to Haiti.
Visit Trinidad during Carnaval
Port of Spain holds what is arguably one of the best Carnavals in the world, perhaps not as large as Rio de Janeiro’s but way more authentic. That’s what they claim, anyway.
Their Carnaval is so important to them that upon my arrival in Port of Spain, the bartender from the first bar I went to asked me: Are you here for the Carnaval? – even though Carnaval was still 6 weeks away.
If I ever go back to Trinidad, I’ll definitely visit the country during Carnaval.
As you may know, Carnaval dates always vary but it’s always some time between the end of January and the beginning of March.
🛺 How to get around Trinidad and Tobago
As in other West Indies islands, public transportation isn’t great and not particularly convenient to visit the various nature spots around the country.
That’s why I recommend renting a car directly from the airport, either in Tobago or Trinidad. Remember, however, that in Trinidad and Tobago, they drive on the left side of the road, like the United Kingdom.
If, for whatever reason, you can’t rent a car, you can still get around (sort of) on the buses and minivans connecting the main towns, although you’ll be more limited.
Is there a bus from the airport to Port of Spain?
Yes, there is a bus running from Monday to Friday, and tickets can be purchased from inside the terminal.
However, the bus drops you downtown, one of the most notorious areas in Port of Spain for violent crime, so I don’t recommend getting on that bus if it arrives after dark. In day time, it should be fine.
How to get around by shared taxi
To get around Port of Spain, locals use what they call Route Taxis, which are shared with other passengers going in a similar direction. They charge TT$5 per passenger.
Please make sure their license plate starts with the letter ‘H’’. Don’t accept a ride from cars with the license plate beginning with the letter ‘’P’’ or ’T’’, just as you wouldn’t accept a ride from a random car in Mexico City, Bogota or Caracas.
How to travel between islands, from Trinidad to Tobago
Traveling from Trinidad to Tobago by air
Caribbean Airlines has loads of daily scheduled flights from Port of Spain to Tobago for around 70 USD return. It’s a 30-minute flight, making it the fastest way to travel to Tobago.
How to travel from Trinidad to Tobago by ferry
There are 2 daily ferries running between Port of Spain and Scarborough, the capital of Tobago.
Typically, one departs in the morning, and the other in the afternoon.
It takes an average of 3 hours.
You can check schedules and book tickets on this website.
Important: In my experience, rental car companies don’t allow their cars on the ferry. If you plan to rent a car for your entire trip, you’ll have to make 2 different bookings, one on each island.
💰 Money & budget in Trinidad and Tobago
In Trinidad and Tobago, they use the Trinidad & Tobago Dollar (TTD) and approximately:
1 USD = 6.75 TTD
Exchanging money in Trinidad and Tobago
I recommend exchanging your currency at the airport – the rate was pretty decent.
Cash or card?
Many places across both islands accept card payments, especially hotels and fancier restaurants, but do bring cash for the rest.
By the way, US dollars are accepted in many hotels and/or Airbnbs.
How much does it cost to go backpacking in Trinidad and Tobago?
These are the prices of the most typical things:
- Private room with bathroom in Tobago: from 400 TTD
- Private room in a hotel in Port of Spain: from 100 TTD
- Local meal, e.g. roti: from 40 TTD
- Street food e.g. doubles: from 10 TTD
- Main meal in a restaurant: from 110 TTD
- Rental car: from 60 USD a day
- Beer: from 70 TTD
- Short taxi ride with local app: from 100 TTD
🛖 What to do in Trinidad and Tobago in a 5-day itinerary
The following itinerary for Trinidad and Tobago is what we followed during our 5-day visit, which worked pretty well for us.
In only 5 days, we obviously didn’t became the ultimate experts on the country, but it gave us an idea of what’s it’s like.
Try doubles
Doubles is a popular street food consisting of curry chickpeas served in two fried flatbreads. They tend to top it with mango and different kind of spices, so this Indian-influenced snack is more amazing than it sounds. You can find doubles everywhere across both islands.
Map of our Trinidad and Tobago itinerary
What to do in Trinidad and Tobago on a 5-day itinerary
Day 1 – Arrival in Trinidad and Tobago, staying in Piarco
The first day of our Trinidad and Tobago trip, we landed in Piarco International Airport around 5 pm.
We decided to spend the night in the town right next to the airport, since our flight to Tobago was scheduled on the next day early in the morning.
There’s not much to do in Piarco, so all we did was go for drinks and a meal at a bar/restaurant called Quties.
Where to stay in Piarco
Please note that accommodation in Piarco is pretty expensive for solo travelers.
If you want something cheaper, go to Port of Spain instead.
We stayed at a place called Travelholics Getaways, a comfortable, privately-owned guesthouse. It’s quite expensive but there were 3 of us, so it turned out to be a good deal.
Proper hotel. There aren’t many hotels in this area and Holiday Inn Express is one of the few choices, but it’s $$$.
Around Piarco, there’s a cheaper option called The Layover, a small apartment with two rooms.
Day 2 – Fly to Tobago
On day 2 of our Trinidad and Tobago itinerary, we took the Caribbean Airlines flight from Port of Spain to Tobago.
We picked up our rental car (via Rental Cars) at the airport itself and chose to stay in a village named Castara.
Do I recommend staying in Castara?
Yes, I actually do. It’s a small coastal village with a pretty laid-back and quiet local vibe.
On Thursday night, local people from the area gather by the beach around a bonfire with music and drinks.
On that particular day, we didn’t do much other than recover from jetlag and a small hike to Castara waterfall.
Where to stay in Castara
We stayed in Casa de Castara, a house that features single and double rooms with a private bathroom. I think it was the cheapest option in town.
Day 3 – Full day around Tobago
On our third day in Trinidad and Tobago, we did a full circuit of the island, stopping in the following places:
Englishman’s Bay: Probably the best unspoiled beach in the Caribbean.
Parlatuvier: This tiny village isn’t only pretty but also very local
Charloteville and Pirate’s Bay: A medium-sized town, not touristy, from where you can walk to another unspoiled beach named Pirate’s Bay.
Argyle Falls: The highest falls in Tobago, which you can reach in an easy 20-minute hike. They charge an entry fee of around 10 USD per person.
Scarborough: The capital of Tobago. There isn’t much to do here, but it’s worth checking it out.
Pigeon Point: The closest thing in Tobago to a proper touristy Caribbean beach. I don’t really recommend it, but it’s good to see every facet of Tobago.
In the evening, on the way back to Castara, I recommend you stop at a local bar named Village Vibes, right in the center of the island, where you can enjoy a very authentic side of Tobago.
Look for Sue’s Doubles in Tobago. The best doubles we had in Tobago were from Sue’s Doubles, which has quite a few street stalls across the island. Look for the one in Scarborough.
Day 4 – Back to Trinidad and full day around Trinidad
On day 4 of our Trinidad and Tobago trip, we flew to Port of Spain in the early morning.
After checking in to our hotel, we spend the day driving around the island of Trinidad.
Places we visited included:
Sewdass Sadhu Shiva Mandir Temple in the Sea: A Hindu temple built on the sea. There wasn’t anyone there when we visited but it’s still nice to see.
Dattatreya Mandir Temple: Another Hindu temple, larger and more active than the previous one.
Maracas Beach: The northern coastline is the prettiest in Trinidad, Maracas being the most popular places for locals.
Try chow at Maracas Lookout: Here, you’ll get amazing views of the area and you’ll also be able to buy chow, which consists of local fruit like mango or pineapple marinated in garlic, salt and coriander.
Maracas is known for serving the best Bake & Shark, a Trini fried fish sandwich, too greasy in my opinion, but a typical thing to eat in the area.
We spent the evening and night in Port of Spain, in a very busy street called Ariapita, which is packed with all manner of bars and restaurants.
Where to stay in Port of Spain
Port of Spain is definitely not backpacker friendly, most budget accommodation being rooms and apartments run by private owners. Hence, I recommend Alicia’s Lodge.
Budget/mid-range hotel – Culture Crossroads Inn. Probably the cheapest proper hotel in the city.
Day 5 – Port of Spain and departure
Our flight to Georgetown (Guyana) was in late afternoon, so we saved the last day to visit Port of Spain properly.
For breakfast, I recommend going to an area by the sea, where you will find a dozen food stalls serving all sorts of local foods, including coconut bake with smoked fish, a traditional breakfast.
For lunch, try roti at Prataj Roti Shop. Roti is another Indian-influenced street food, consisting of roti bread filled with a choice of slow cooked curry, from shrimps to potatoes.
When it comes to things to see and do in Port of Spain, we walked around Independence Square in downtown – an area to avoid once it gets dark – and also Queen’s Park Savannah and all the colonial buildings along Maraval Road.
❗ More information
📢 In my Travel Resources Page you can find the list of all the sites and services I use to book hotels, tours, travel insurance and more.
More travel guides from the Americas
againstthecompass.com (Article Sourced Website)
#Trinidad #Tobago #travel #guide #itinerary #Compass