Trinidad and Tobago
North America · Port of Spain · TT
Trinidad and Tobago is the lively twin-island nation of the southern Caribbean that sits just off the coast of South America, the home of the steelpan, the calypso and the greatest carnival of the region, and a country whose oil wealth, Indian and African cultures and world-famous cuisine give it a unique place in the Caribbean world. The southern island of the Trinidad is a green, hilly land of the rainforest, the savannas and the swamps, while the smaller sister of the Tobago holds the beaches and the reefs of the classic tropical south, each with its own character and charm. The capital of the Port of Spain, the music of the country, the islands of the birds and the extraordinary pitch lake of the south define the essential experiences of the nation. Warm, proud, musical and gloriously unpolished, Trinidad and Tobago is the ebullient heart of the Caribbean south.
Overview
Trinidad and Tobago is a country in North America. Its capital is Port of Spain and the international dialling code is +1868. Languages commonly used in everyday life here include English. Local currency is the Trinidad and Tobago Dollar (TTD). Our guide covers 1 airport, including Piarco International Airport. We also list 1 city in Trinidad and Tobago: Port of Spain.
The Capital of the Port of Spain and the Square of the Horses
The capital of the Port of Spain, the sprawling, powerful city of the north-west coast of the island of the Trinidad that gathers around the great green of the Savannah, is the political, the commercial and the social heart of the twin-island nation. The Queen's Park Savannah, the enormous green bowl of the horses in the centre of the city, is ringed by the magnificent Victorian wooden houses of the colonial era known as the seven sisters, and the national museum, the houses of the parliament and the botanical gardens of the city anchor the touring of the capital. The streets of the city, from the market of the Eastern of the south to the steelpan yards and the calypso tents of the carnival season, carry the exuberant everyday life of the most musical capital of the whole of the Caribbean world.
The Rainforest of the North and the Vistas of the Maracas
The northern range of the island of the Trinidad, the chain of the green mountains that runs along the north coast, holds the rainforest, the waterfalls and the hidden beaches of the wild side of the country. The beaches of the north shore, led by the celebrated bay of the Maracas where the famous bake-and-shark sandwiches fill the shacks of the shore, are the great escapes of the capital, reached by the dramatic mountain road of the coast. The national parks of the range, threading the cloud forest of the peaks with their hummingbirds, their howler monkeys and the extraordinary birdlife of the region, and the waterfalls of the interior, with their pools and their forest treks, complete the green, hidden natural world of the northern mountains of the island.
The Swamp of the Caroni and the Birds of the Water
The great wetland of the Caroni, the mangrove swamp and the lagoon of the west of the island of the Trinidad that spreads along the coast south of the capital, is the nation's most celebrated wildlife sanctuary and the roosting site of the scarlet ibis, the extraordinary red bird of the national crest of the country. The boat trips of the swamp, threading the channels of the mangroves in the late afternoon, build to the extraordinary spectacle of the return of the thousands of the red ibises to the roost at the sunset, a swirl of the crimson wings that is among the great natural shows of the Caribbean. The caimans, the herons and the other birds of the lagoon, together with the mangroves of the rivers and the nearby shorebirds of the coast, complete the rich, watery heart of the swamp of the country.
The Island of the Tobago and the Reefs of the Buccoo
The island of the Tobago, the smaller, older and more laid-back sister of the nation that lies across the channel from the Trinidad, is the idyllic tropical island of the country, fringed with the beaches, the coral reefs and the pockets of the pristine rainforest. The bay of the Buccoo and its famous reef, the protected marine park of the coral gardens that the glass-bottom boats of the island cross, and the beautiful beach of the Pigeon Point with its palms and its turquoise lagoon, anchor the classic island experience of the family destination. The rainforest of the interior of the island, with its bird observatory and the giant leatherback turtles of the nesting beaches of the north, together with the charming astronomy of the bays, gives the visitor the warm, gentle and deeply relaxing second island of the nation.
The Lake of the Pitch and the Waters of the South
The south of the island of the Trinidad, the flat oil country of the region between the savanna and the coast, holds the extraordinary natural wonder of the Pitch Lake, the largest natural deposit of the liquid asphalt on the planet. The surface of the lake, the grey, slowly moving tar that the world has mined for more than a century, stretches like a vast desert of the pitch below the palm trees, and the walkways and the guides of the site open the strange sensation of the visitor of the tar, with the pools of the rain and the legends of the formation of the lake. The nearby villages of the oilfields and the coasts of the south, with their beaches of the heavy earth and their mangrove birdlife, complete the remarkable, gritty, historic south of the island of the black gold.
Compare hotels, cover your trip and stay connected.
- Capital
- Port of Spain
- Currency
- Trinidad and Tobago Dollar (TTD)
- Languages
- English
- Calling code
- +1868
- Internet TLD
- tt
Entry requirements
Check who can enter →See which passports travel visa-free or need a visa to enter Trinidad and Tobago.
Airports (1)
All airports →Cities (1)
All cities →Frequently asked questions
What is the capital of Trinidad and Tobago?
Port of Spain is the capital of Trinidad and Tobago, and the country sits in North America.
What currency is used in Trinidad and Tobago?
You pay with Trinidad and Tobago Dollar (TTD) in Trinidad and Tobago. Exchange rates move day to day, so check the current rate before you change money or use your card abroad.
Which languages do people speak in Trinidad and Tobago?
The languages we list for Trinidad and Tobago are English. A couple of greetings in the local language go a long way when you travel, even in cities where another language is widely used.
What is the international dialling code for Trinidad and Tobago?
The dialling code for Trinidad and Tobago is +1868 — keep the plus sign when you save the number.
Which airports serve Trinidad and Tobago?
Piarco International Airport (POS) in Port of Spain is the airport we cover for Trinidad and Tobago.
Which cities in Trinidad and Tobago do you cover?
Our guide lists 1 city for Trinidad and Tobago: Port of Spain (capital).