A little more
Trinidad and Tobago.
A lot less roaming.

Travelling to Trinidad and Tobago: what to know before you go

Trinidad and Tobago is a twin-island nation at the southern end of the Caribbean: Trinidad is energetic and diverse, home to one of the world's great carnivals, while Tobago is quieter, with reefs, rainforest and beaches. It suits travellers interested in music, food, birdlife and nature rather than resort-only holidays.

Where to go

• Trinidad Carnival. Held on the Monday and Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, with weeks of build-up: calypso and soca shows, steelpan competitions at Panorama, the pre-dawn mud and paint of J'ouvert, and the costumed bands parading through Port of Spain.
• Port of Spain. The capital has the Queen's Park Savannah, one of the largest urban parks in the Caribbean, ringed by the ornate Magnificent Seven mansions, the botanic gardens and street food stalls selling doubles, the island's favourite breakfast.
• Asa Wright Nature Centre. A former cocoa and coffee estate in the Northern Range rainforest, renowned for hummingbirds, toucans, manakins and a colony of oilbirds, nocturnal birds that navigate by echolocation.
• Caroni Swamp. Boat trips at dusk through mangroves to watch scarlet ibis, Trinidad's national bird, fly in to roost, turning the trees red.

Best time to visit

The dry season runs from roughly January to May and is the most popular time to visit, including Carnival in February or early March. The rainy season, from about June to December, brings heavy showers but usually not all-day rain.

Staying online in Trinidad and Tobago

Mobile coverage is good in Port of Spain, San Fernando and other towns on Trinidad, and around Crown Point and Scarborough on Tobago, with 4G widely available. Coverage can be weaker along the north coast roads, in the Northern Range and in the forest on Tobago. Wi-Fi is available in most hotels and guesthouses. Download offline maps if you are heading to beaches or forest trails. Install an eSIM before you fly and switch it on when you land.