Trinidad and Tobago holidays

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• Overview
• Country info
• Holiday ideas
• Holiday offers

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Destinations » Caribbean holidays » Trinidad and Tobago holidays

Perhaps the strangest sight on the two islands is Trinidad’s Pitch Lake. It is a continually replenishing lake of tar, making it the world’s single largest supply of natural bitumen

Taken from The Traveller's Handbook.

Trinidad and Tobago holiday experts at WEXAS will tailor-make all aspects of your itinerary to create a Trinidad and Tobago holiday, personal to you.

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Trinidad and Tobago tailor-made holiday highlights

Carnival
This world-famous event held in Port of Spain is a mass of colour and sound. Weeks are spent preparing for it and the island comes to a halt. Immerse yourself in the vibrancy of steel bands, parades, spectacular costumes and limbo dancing. Joining in is definitely encouraged.

Tobago
The quieter and smaller sibling of Trinidad, but just as appealing. Tobago is home to vast stretches of beaches, like Turtle Bay where you can watch pelicans dive for fish as you sunbathe. There are gorgeous, protected rainforests in the volcanic eastern area, as well as botanical gardens and wildlife. The island has drawn foreigners for centuries, in fact nearly every European colonial power has fought to have the island at some stage. The Forest Reserve, the oldest in the Caribbean, provides excellent bird watching and hiking.

The Buccoo goat race festival
This highly amusing event is held annually on Easter Tuesday. Jockeys dress in the silk of the goat’s owner and betting is taken as the goat and jockey proudly parade in front of the crowd. Races take place on a 100-metre track, with up to ten goats per race. Once the race starts it is the jockey you sympathise with, as the goats tear off up the track, veering off in all directions. The event includes cultural events, plenty of local rum and even crab racing.

Buccoo reef
Just a short boat ride away is this lovely coral reef, where trips can be made in a glass-bottomed boat. Its clear waters make an excellent spot for snorkelling.

People & place

Trinidad And Tobago facts

Capital: Port-of-Spain
Language: English.
People: Asian descent (40%), African descent (40%), mixed race.Religion Christian, Hindu and Muslim.
Religion:
Size (sq km): 5,128.
Population: 1,296,000.
Population density/sq km: 252.7.

Etiquette

Casual attire is accepted for most occasions, but beachwear is not worn in the towns. Liming, or talking for the sake of talking, is a popular pastime. Hospitality is an important part of local life.

Shopping

Calypso records, steel drums, leather bags, sandals, ceramics, woodcarvings, jewellery, Indian silks and fabrics, rum.

Food & drink

Tobago offers notable seafood specialities, lobster and conch with dumplings amongst them. Both islands serve West Indian, Creole and Indian cuisine, including dishes such as peppery pigeon pea soup with pilau rice and roti (flat bread stuffed with curried chicken, fish, goat or vegetables). Bean-sized oysters are a Trinidad delicacy. Excellent rums.

International Airports

Port of Spain (POS) is 27 km from city. Crown Point (TAB) is 13 km from Scarborough.

Internal travel

Good air, ferry and road links. Buses, taxis, car and bicycle hire are available.

Red tape

Visas

Not required up to 3 months (except Australia).

Vaccinations

Hep. A, Hep. B, Rabies, Typhoid, Y. Fever2 (See page 649).

Driving requirements

National driving licence from Canada, UK, France, Germany, USA, Bahamas. Otherwise International Driving Permit.

Reps in UK/US

UK: 42 Belgrave Square, London SW1X 8NT, tel (020) 7245 9351, fax (020) 7823 1065, email tthc@btconnect.com. US: 1708 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20036, tel (202) 467 6490, fax (202) 785 3130, email embttgo@erols.com.

UK/US reps in Trinidad And Tobago

UK: 19 St Clair Avenue, PO Box 778, St Clair, Port of Spain, tel 622 2748, fax 622 4555, email ppabhc@ tstt.net.tt. US: 15 Queen’s Park West, PO Box 752, Port of Spain, tel 622 6371, fax 628 5462, email consularportofspain@state.gov.

Currency

Trinidad & Tobago dollar (TT$) = 100 cents.

Finance

Credit cards accepted in many places but may be charged 50 per cent extra. Traveller’s cheques better.

Business hours

0800-1600 Mon-Friday.

Safety & life expectancy

Safety information

Safe.

Life expectancy

Life expectancy: M 66.62, F 71.3.

Useful websites for travel

http://www.gov.tt/

Local media

All papers in English, including, Newsday, The Trinidad Guardian, Trinidad & Tobago Express and Tobago News.

Tourist boards

UK: c/o MKI, Mitre House, 66 Abbey Road, Bush Hill Park, Enfield, Middlesex EN1 2QE, tel (020) 8350 1009, fax (020) 8350 1011, email mki@ttg.co.uk. US: n/a.

Trinidad and Tobago tailor-made holiday ideas

Carnival
This world-famous event held in Port of Spain is a mass of colour and sound. Weeks are spent preparing for it and the island comes to a halt. Immerse yourself in the vibrancy of steel bands, parades, spectacular costumes and limbo dancing. Joining in is definitely encouraged.

Tobago
The quieter and smaller sibling of Trinidad, but just as appealing. Tobago is home to vast stretches of beaches, like Turtle Bay where you can watch pelicans dive for fish as you sunbathe. There are gorgeous, protected rainforests in the volcanic eastern area, as well as botanical gardens and wildlife. The island has drawn foreigners for centuries, in fact nearly every European colonial power has fought to have the island at some stage. The Forest Reserve, the oldest in the Caribbean, provides excellent bird watching and hiking.

The Buccoo goat race festival
This highly amusing event is held annually on Easter Tuesday. Jockeys dress in the silk of the goat’s owner and betting is taken as the goat and jockey proudly parade in front of the crowd. Races take place on a 100-metre track, with up to ten goats per race. Once the race starts it is the jockey you sympathise with, as the goats tear off up the track, veering off in all directions. The event includes cultural events, plenty of local rum and even crab racing.

Buccoo reef
Just a short boat ride away is this lovely coral reef, where trips can be made in a glass-bottomed boat. Its clear waters make an excellent spot for snorkelling.

Coco Reef, Tobago

If any hotel captures the laid-back ambience of Tobago and adds its own luxury style, it’s Coco Reef Resort....

Please call 0845 643 6548 for price details.

More information »

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