Going To Trinidad For Carnival? Don’t Know Where To Start Or How To Start Planning! Here Is All You Need To Know Before Planning That Trip!
Where Does Carnival Take Place?
Port of Spain — POS
Where Should I Stay?
Areas To Look For When Booking Accommodations
Woodbrook
St Clair
Queens Park Savannah
St James
These Areas Are The Closest To All Of The Festivites
Alternative Accommodation Options/ Packages ( Highly Recommend If Your Not The Planning Type!)
When Is It?
Carnival Monday & Tuesday Take Place The Days Before Ash Wednesday
Future Carnival Dates
Trinidad Carnival 2027 : Feb 8 + 9
Trinidad Carnival 2028: Feb 28 + 29
Trinidad Carnival 2029: Feb 12 + 13
What Days Should I Go?
This Honestly Depends On You & Your Preference
First Timer/ Sweet Spot: Wednesday or Thursday Before Carnival To The Ash Wednesday or Thursday
What Band Should I Play With?
There Are A Couple Of Bands In Trinidad That You Can Look Into When Deciding Who To Play With, That Decision Is Entirely Up To You But My Advice Just Go With The Band In Which Has The Costume You Like The Best!
Just To Name A Few
Monday Wear Designers
Just To Name A Few
How Long Is The Road?
Monday — 8-10Hrs Road Starting @ 10am
Tuesday — 12Hours+ Road Starting @ 7am
Transportation
Trinidad has a rideshare app called TT Rideshare which definitely came in handy on our trip when running errands but may not be the best for after fetes due to the large crowds but is always an option. The accept cash or card via the app. Also keep in mind they only offer cars so if a large group definitely look into a maxi driver. Make sure to secure your driver from EARLY!!
What Fetes Should I Go To?
There Are SOOO Many Fetes!! So This Topic Really Needs A Entirely Seperate Blog Post! Look out for the Trinidad Carnival Fete List blog post coming Fall 2026
Would I Go Again?
Absoutely! They don’t call Trinidad the mecca for no reason!
How Much does it cost?
There are several factors that come into play when attending carnival and prices definitely vary based on a few factors but below is an average estimate based on my experience
Flight: $800 (With Stops) - $1700 (Non-Stop)
Acomodations: Can Run Up To $15k Total (Depending On How Long Your Staying & How Many Guest)
Costume: $900 (Backline) — $3000 (Individual Costume)
Transportation: Most Drivers Will Charge You $100-$200 Roundtrip Per Ride/ Day If Your A Large Group
Fetes: We Went To About 12 Fetes Running Us Between ($1,600- $1,700), So It Really All Depends On How Many Fetes You Go To!
Total: A Typical Carnival Experience Will Run You Between $5-$10k
