Trinidad & Tobago

Trinidad and Tobago are an exercise in beautiful contradiction. In Trinidad, pristine mangrove swamps and rainforested hills sit side by side with smoke-belching oil refineries and unpretty industrial estates. Tobago has everything you’d expect from a Caribbean island, with palm trees and white sand aplenty, yet it’s relatively unchanged by the tourist industry. Combined, this twin-island republic offers unparalleled birdwatching; first-class diving; and luxuriant rainforests perfect for hiking and waterfall swimming. Then there's the electric nightlife and a fabulous Carnival, easily the biggest and best of the region’s annual blowouts. And thanks to the legacy of TnT's melting-pot population, the cuisine is a foodie dream, from sensational curries to the freshest of fish.

But don’t expect anyone to hold your hand here. The oil and gas industry leaves tourism low on the priority list, so it’s up to you to take a deep breath, jump in and enjoy the mix.

Explore Trinidad & Tobago

Asa Wright Nature Centre
A former cocoa and coffee plantation transformed into an 600-hectare nature reserve, this place blows the minds of birdwatchers. Even if you can’t tell a…
P
Pitch Lake
About 25km southwest of San Fernando, and just south of the small town of La Brea, this slowly bubbling black 'lake' is perhaps Trinidad’s greatest oddity…
Pirate’s Bay
Past Charlotteville's pier, a dirt track winds up and around the cliff to concrete steps that descend to Pirate’s Bay, which offers excellent snorkeling…
C
Corbin Local Wildlife Park
Established by hunter turned conservationist Roy Corbin in Tobago's forest-covered interior, just inland of the windward coast's Hope Bay, this nonprofit…
Q
Queen’s Park Savannah
Once part of a sugar plantation, formerly home to a racecourse and now the epicenter of the annual Carnival, this public park is encircled by a 3.7km…
F
Fort George
Get a truly spectacular bird's-eye view of the Port of Spain cityscape and the Gulf of Paria from this colonial-era fort, with stone-built defensive walls…
F
Fort King George
Atop a hill at the end of Fort St, this sizable fort was built by the British between 1777 and 1779, and is worth a visit to see its restored colonial-era…
N
National Museum & Art Gallery
Housed in a classic colonial building, the rather dry historical exhibits range from the oil industry to Amerindian settlers, the colonial era and…
B
Botanical Gardens
Resplendent with exotic trees and plants, and networked by paved paths, the Botanical Gardens date from 1818. Take a stroll or relax in one of the…

Asa Wright Nature Centre
A former cocoa and coffee plantation transformed into an 600-hectare nature reserve, this place blows the minds of birdwatchers. Even if you can’t tell a…
P
Pitch Lake
About 25km southwest of San Fernando, and just south of the small town of La Brea, this slowly bubbling black 'lake' is perhaps Trinidad’s greatest oddity…
Pirate’s Bay
Past Charlotteville's pier, a dirt track winds up and around the cliff to concrete steps that descend to Pirate’s Bay, which offers excellent snorkeling…
C
Corbin Local Wildlife Park
Established by hunter turned conservationist Roy Corbin in Tobago's forest-covered interior, just inland of the windward coast's Hope Bay, this nonprofit…
Q
Queen’s Park Savannah
Once part of a sugar plantation, formerly home to a racecourse and now the epicenter of the annual Carnival, this public park is encircled by a 3.7km…
F
Fort George
Get a truly spectacular bird's-eye view of the Port of Spain cityscape and the Gulf of Paria from this colonial-era fort, with stone-built defensive walls…
F
Fort King George
Atop a hill at the end of Fort St, this sizable fort was built by the British between 1777 and 1779, and is worth a visit to see its restored colonial-era…
N
National Museum & Art Gallery
Housed in a classic colonial building, the rather dry historical exhibits range from the oil industry to Amerindian settlers, the colonial era and…
B
Botanical Gardens
Resplendent with exotic trees and plants, and networked by paved paths, the Botanical Gardens date from 1818. Take a stroll or relax in one of the…

Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Trinidad & Tobago.

See
Asa Wright Nature Centre
A former cocoa and coffee plantation transformed into an 600-hectare nature reserve, this place blows the minds of birdwatchers. Even if you can’t tell a…
See
Pitch Lake
About 25km southwest of San Fernando, and just south of the small town of La Brea, this slowly bubbling black 'lake' is perhaps Trinidad’s greatest oddity…
See
Pirate’s Bay
Past Charlotteville's pier, a dirt track winds up and around the cliff to concrete steps that descend to Pirate’s Bay, which offers excellent snorkeling…
See
Corbin Local Wildlife Park
Established by hunter turned conservationist Roy Corbin in Tobago's forest-covered interior, just inland of the windward coast's Hope Bay, this nonprofit…
See
Queen’s Park Savannah
Once part of a sugar plantation, formerly home to a racecourse and now the epicenter of the annual Carnival, this public park is encircled by a 3.7km…
See
Fort George
Get a truly spectacular bird's-eye view of the Port of Spain cityscape and the Gulf of Paria from this colonial-era fort, with stone-built defensive walls…
See
Fort King George
Atop a hill at the end of Fort St, this sizable fort was built by the British between 1777 and 1779, and is worth a visit to see its restored colonial-era…
See
National Museum & Art Gallery
Housed in a classic colonial building, the rather dry historical exhibits range from the oil industry to Amerindian settlers, the colonial era and…
See
Botanical Gardens
Resplendent with exotic trees and plants, and networked by paved paths, the Botanical Gardens date from 1818. Take a stroll or relax in one of the…

Guidebooks

Learn more about Trinidad & Tobago

Ready to go? Get to the heart of Trinidad & Tobago with one of Lonely Planet's in-depth, award-winning guidebooks.