The Best & Worst Times to Visit Trinidad in 2023

There’s something really special about Trinidad – one half of the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. We’ll show you the best time to visit Trinidad for every type of trip so you can plan the perfect visit! 

You’ll see the overall best, cheapest, least busy, and worst time to visit Trinidad so you can ensure excellent weather, affordable prices, or smaller crowds for your trip.

Let’s look at some of the reasons you should visit Trinidad first. Then we’ll cover all the best times of the year to go! 

Why You Should Visit Trinidad

The birthplace of Caribbean calypso and soca music with stunning, verdant landscapes and a tropical climate, Trinidad is a must-see island for adventurous travelers who enjoy good food and scenery. 

Here’s a look at what makes Trinidad so unique and appealing for travelers to visit. 

Diverse Island Landscape

Trinidad is part of a dual-island nation in the Caribbean (Trinidad and Tobago), but if you’re thinking about concentrating your visit on the island of Trinidad, you’re in for a treat. 

Located off the coast of Venezuela in the Lesser Antilles, Trinidad is home to mountains, waterfalls, rivers, and lush rainforests teeming with wildlife and vegetation.

Beautiful beaches line the coast and tangled mangrove forests along the rivers are home to an amazing number of animal species. Swamps, plains, and rolling hills make Trinidad’s landscape truly stunning in its diversity. 

Three mountain ranges – the Northern, Central, and Southern ranges – diagonally traverse the island of Trinidad and rise in the distance wherever you look inland. 

Trinidad is often referred to as the “big brother” or “big sister” island in the dual-island nation. It’s busier and more developed than Tobago with more tourism and commerce taking place. 

Wildlife and Attractions

While Trinidad isn’t quite as secluded as Tobago, it still offers incredible views and glimpses of the wild, Caribbean beauty that this region is famous for. 

You’ll find over 470 bird species (including parrots and the national bird, the Scarlet ibis) with abundant marine life, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians calling the island home. 

Island tours, including boat, walking, and off-road tours, are an excellent way to spend your time in Trinidad and become familiar with your surroundings.

Beach days are a given in Trinidad, with Maracas Beach and Las Cuevas Beach being traveler favorites. Palm trees line the shores with green mountains rising in the background – it’s absolutely gorgeous scenery. 

Bustling parks, botanical gardens, zoos, and nature centers with food trucks and vendors make a wonderful way to spend a sunny day. 

Chase waterfalls (including a challenging but rewarding hike to Paria Falls), relax or enjoy water sports at the beach, hike through the rainforest, or enjoy a delicious meal in Port of Spain or San Fernando. 

Vibrant Caribbean Culture

Trinidad’s vibrant culture fuses African, Indian, and European traditions into a uniquely Caribbean vibe. It’s apparent in the buildings, clothing, food, and celebrations. 

The famous Carnival celebration – called “the Greatest Show on Earth” – happens each February before Ash Wednesday. This is an incredible experience for travelers who don’t mind crowds! 

Colorful costumes are everywhere, the sound of calypso and soca music fill the air, and people line the streets to watch the flamboyant parade procession. 

Year-round, you can taste local favorites like doubles (chickpea curry stuffed in fluffy flatbread), buss-up-shut (seafood or pork in a buttery, busted flatbread), curried crab and dumplings, and calaloo (stewed, spicy green veggies). 

Trinidad’s many cathedrals, churches, and mosques make excellent sightseeing opportunities, along with numerous military forts, the National Museum and Art Gallery, and Woodford Square. 

With so many reasons to visit, what is the best time to visit Trinidad? That’s what we’ll cover next. 

What Is the Best Time to Visit Trinidad?

• Overall best time to visit: December-April
• Cheapest time to visit: October-January
• Least busy time to visit: June-July
• Worst time to visit: February, August, November

Planning your trip around the best time to visit Trinidad will get your travels started on the right note. You can take your goals and plans into account to find the perfect time for your stay. 

If you’re looking for the top-tier Trinidadian experience, the best time to visit is between December and April. This is the dry season with lots of warm sunshine, clear skies, and abundant activities around the island (including Carnival).

To save some cash on your trip, try visiting Trinidad between October and January. You’ll find some of the lowest prices on hotels in Trinidad during these months, especially in January.

The least busy time to visit Trinidad is typically from June to July. This marks the start of the wet rainy season and fewer tourists come to the island with lots of precipitation in the forecast.

The worst time to visit Trinidad depends on your goals for your visit. If avoiding big crowds, high prices, and bustling streets is your priority, February (when Carnival is celebrated) is by far the worst time to go. 

But if adventure and outdoor plans are your jam, the wettest months of the year – August and November – could be the worst time to go. 

We’ll dive deeper into each part of the year so you can see what the best time to visit Trinidad will be for you. 

Overall Best Time to Visit Trinidad

The best time to visit Trinidad is from December to April, the celebration-packed dry season with warm weather that’s perfect for the beach, exploring nature, and sightseeing. 

Trinidad really comes to life during the dry season. It runs from December to May, but December to April is truly the best time to visit this Caribbean island. 

You’ll get to experience the best Trinidad has to offer during this warm, dry period. There’s “the Greatest Show on Earth” Carnival in February, concerts, pop up markets, food and film festivals, and more. 

The weather is absolutely glorious this time of year. Highs are in the upper 80s to low 90s, rainfall is minimal, and lows hover around 70F. 

With lots of warm sunshine and clear skies overhead, this is the ideal time of year to enjoy Trinidad’s beautiful beaches, hike through the rainforest, take a boat or walking tour, and go sightseeing. 

This is the peak tourism season in Trinidad, so crowds and higher prices come with the territory. Still, you can plan your visit outside of the month of February to save money on a visit during the prime season. 

Here’s a look at the average hotel price in Trinidad from December to April, according to data from Booking.com:

• December: $108/night
• January: $107/night
• February: $244/night
• March: $116/night
• April: $116/night

Planning your visit for December or January will save you the most money during the best time to visit Trinidad, but a visit in March or April can be affordable, too. 

Cheapest Time to Visit Trinidad

The cheapest time to visit Trinidad is from October to January, when prices on hotels dip as the rainy season drives down tourist numbers.

The months of October, November, December, and January are when you’ll likely find the best prices on hotels in Trinidad. It can be a great time to plan a budget-friendly trip! 

One reason it’s cheaper to visit Trinidad during this time of year is the increased rainfall that can spoil outdoor plans and beach days that are so popular on this island.

October to December is part of the rainy season, so expect frequent showers and storms during this part of the year. Some months are wetter than others. 

Rainfall is lowest in January (the first true month of the dry season), and it’s technically the cheapest month to visit. December receives a little more rain than January with average rainfall around 2.98″. 

Things are much wetter in October (5.64″) and the second-wettest month of the year is November (8.29″).

If you can, plan to visit Trinidad in December or January to score cheaper hotel rooms without all the rain.

Here’s a look at the average hotel prices in Trinidad from October to January, according to data from Booking.com:

• October: $108/night
• November: $108/night
• December: $108/night
• January: $107/night

While January is the cheapest month of the year to stay in Trinidad, the difference between it and October-December is minimal.

Still, the drier weather in January and December makes them the top choices among the cheapest months to visit. 

Least Busy Time to Visit Trinidad

The least busy time to visit Trinidad is during June and July, the first months of the rainy season. Rainfall ranges from 6.0″ to 7.6″/month, driving many tourists away. 

If avoiding the big crowds of the peak season in Trinidad is your main goal for a visit, you’ll want to come during the months of June or July. 

These months mark the start of the annual rainy season in Trinidad and bring anywhere from 6.1″ to 7.6″ of rain in each 30-day period. There are somewhere between 12 and 14 rainy days each month in June and July! 

All this rainfall drives many would-be tourists away, who would prefer the sunny dry season for a visit. That’s good news for those who like a less-crowded stay. 

During June and July, you’ll find better hotel and flight availability with less competition from other travelers booking.

Prices also take a refreshing dip at this time of the year. Average hotel rates drop to around $107 per night in June and July:

• June: $107/night
• July: $107/night

While beach days and outdoor activities can be dampened by all the rain, there are still plenty of clear days in the forecast during these rainy months.

You’ll have some time to spend outdoors in the sunshine – but keep your plans fluid, just in case!

Find a few indoor activities, like museums, galleries, shops, and restaurants you’d like to visit, for the inevitable rainy days if you go during the least busy time of year. 

Worst Time to Visit Trinidad

The worst time to visit Trinidad varies – it can be February (Carnival crowds and high prices) or August and November (lots of rain). 

Finding out the worst time to visit Trinidad is just as important as discovering the best time to visit. The worst time of year for a Trinidad trip depends on what you’re looking for during your vacation.

If big crowds and high prices are a no-go, February is the worst time to visit. This is the month of Carnival and the peak tourism month on the island.

In February, prices increase, hotels and flights are hard to find, and there are crowds of celebrating people everywhere you go. This is a great time to visit for some, but the worst time for others. 

If you plan on doing lots of outdoor activities and lounging on the beach, August and November are the worst time to visit Trinidad. 

These are the rainiest months of the year, receiving 8.3″ to 9.6″ of rain throughout the month. Expect around 13-14 rainy days each month. 

Hotel prices are higher in February than in August and November. Here’s a look at how much you might pay for a room during the worst times to visit:

• February: $244/night
• August: $132/night
• November: $108/night

You’re better off visiting during January, March, or April – some of the best months to visit Trinidad without the high prices of February or the rain of August and November. 

Things to Consider

Traveling is always more enjoyable when you know a few travel tips and tricks before you set off for your destination. Here are some things to consider before going to Trinidad! 

• Keep safety your top priority. Trinidad and Tobago are currently under a level 3 travel advisory (“Reconsider travel”) and some areas in Trinidad are considered unsafe to visit. Many parts of Port of Spain, Fort George, and Queens’ Park have high rates of crime, while beaches and downtown areas after dark are also considered dangerous.
• Take the ferry to Tobago. If you’re in Trinidad, wild and beautiful Tobago is only a ferry ride away! Ferry ticket prices are around $150 for a 2-way ticket, but you’ll find the secluded beaches, rainforests, and unspoiled nature of Tobago well worth the ferry expense.
• Make time for wildlife viewing. Trinidad is home to incredibly diverse and abundant wildlife, from hundreds of bird and marine species to mammals, amphibians, and reptiles. Beach days are great here, but make time to head into the rainforests and mangrove forests to catch glimpses of the wilder side of Trinidad. The Emperor Valley Zoo is another great way to see wildlife here! 
• Bring plenty of sunscreen. Trinidad gets a lot of sunshine, even during the rainy season. Bring sunscreen with enough SPF to protect your skin from burning if you plan to spend time outdoors while you’re here. Don’t forget to reapply throughout the day, especially if you’ll be spending time in the water. 
• Trinidadians speak English. English is the official language in Trinidad, but locals may speak Trinidadian creole, which is slightly different with blended words from other languages and can be tough to understand at first. For example, the famous dish buss-up-shut comes from the words “busted up shirt,” which the flatbread dish resembles. Listen closely and you’ll find the patois easier to understand!

Frequently Asked Questions

Travelers have a lot of questions about the best time to visit Trinidad – like when the rainy season is, the warmest months, and how long a visit should be. 

Take a look at the most frequently asked questions below to learn more! 

So, What’s the Best Time to Visit Trinidad?

The best time to visit Trinidad is between December and April, when you’ll be able to enjoy the dry season at its best with lots of activities, festivals, and great weather for adventures outdoors. 

The cheapest time to visit Trinidad is between October and January, when you’ll find prices on hotels around $107-$108/night. It’s the best bang for your buck if you want to keep to a tighter budget! 

Visit in June or July for the fewest crowds, as Trinidad’s low season coincides with the start of the rainy season in June. Prices are also very low during this time of year due to the increased rain keeping tourists away. 

Don’t go in February (Carnival crowds and high prices) or August and November (heavy rainfall) if you want to avoid the worst times to visit. 

Trinidad is truly spectacular – a real Caribbean gem with gorgeous beaches, scenic mountain and rainforest landscapes, and a thriving melting pot culture that welcomes travelers with open arms. 

As long as you check current travel advisories before your visit, you’re sure to enjoy a trip to Trinidad during almost any time of the year – especially if you can head down during the dry season!