Things to do in Trinidad: Carnival, Maracas and the birds

Trinidad is the busy, industrial, cultural twin of the pair, and it is where Carnival, steelpan and soca were born. It is less a beach-holiday island than a place with a lot going on, from the city to the wetlands.

What to do

If you can come for Carnival (the weeks before Lent), that is the reason to come at all. Any other time, Maracas is the beach to drive over the mountains for, the Caroni Swamp at dusk fills with scarlet ibis coming in to roost, and the Pitch Lake in the south is the largest natural asphalt lake in the world. The city itself is best for food, music and the panyards in Carnival season.

Where to start

Before you go

The Caroni Swamp trip is a late-afternoon boat tour that needs booking, and Maracas is a drive, so plan the day. The number on each page is the operator’s own.