Trinidad & Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago sits on the South American continental shelf, closer to Venezuela than to the rest of the Caribbean. Oil and natural gas, not tourism, drive its economy. Plantation slavery and later Indian indentureship produced a population split roughly between African and Indian descent, and the steelpan and calypso were invented here.
Known for Carnival and soca, steelpan and calypso, doubles and roti, natural gas and petrochemicals and scarlet ibis roosts.
- Explore Trinidad & Tobago
- Events in Trinidad & Tobago
- Clubs and group trips
- Plan a trip to Trinidad & Tobago
- Getting around Trinidad & Tobago
- Guides to Trinidad & Tobago
- Tours in Trinidad & Tobago
- Deals in Trinidad & Tobago
Highlights
- Pitch Lake, La Brea, southwest Trinidad: The largest natural asphalt deposit in the world, roughly 40 hectares of semi-solid bitumen firm enough to walk on in places. It has been mined commercially since the 1860s and the asphalt is still exported.
- Caroni Swamp, Caroni, west Trinidad: A protected mangrove wetland on the Gulf of Paria where thousands of scarlet ibis, the national bird, fly in to roost each evening. Boat tours leave in the late afternoon from the main channel.
- Main Ridge Forest Reserve, Tobago: Set aside in 1776 to protect the island's rainfall, this is the oldest legally protected forest reserve in the Western Hemisphere. It covers Tobago's central spine and shelters birds including the white-tailed sabrewing.
- Maracas Bay, North coast, Trinidad: The best-known beach on Trinidad's north coast, reached by a winding road over the Northern Range. Its line of food huts is the home of bake and shark, a fried shark sandwich loaded with pepper sauces.
Coming up
- Fri 25 Dec: Christmas Day
- Sat 26 Dec: Boxing Day
- Fri 1 Jan: New Year's Day
- Mon 8 Feb: Carnival Monday (J'ouvert) · Port of Spain
- Tue 9 Feb: Carnival Tuesday · Port of Spain
- Fri 26 Mar: Good Friday
- Mon 29 Mar: Easter Monday
- Tue 30 Mar: Spiritual Baptist Shouter Liberation Day
Getting around
Public buses on both islands are run by PTSC from the Railway Buildings on South Quay, Port of Spain — the hub everyone calls City Gate. City routes cost around TT$2.50 to $3.00, with tickets sold by registered ticket traders rather than cash on board. Privately run maxi-taxis, colour-coded by the region they serve, carry most day-to-day traffic.