Trinidad and Tobago’s carnival is known as the ‘mother of all carnivals’ and takes place every year over two whole days on the Monday and Tuesday before Ash Wednesday
Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro isn’t the only spot where you can immerse yourself in a vibrant carnival brimming with music, colourful parades, dancing and mouth-watering street food. The Trinidad and Tobago Carnival, often referred to as the ‘mother of all carnivals’, unfolds annually over two full days on the Monday and Tuesday preceding Ash Wednesday, marking the start of Lent.
This year, the carnival took place from Monday, March 3, through to Tuesday, March 4. While Rio de Janeiro’s carnival is predominantly centred around samba music, Trinidad and Tobago’s is defined by steel drums and a steel pan band competition, along with Calypso and Soca music – a genre that originated in this dual-island nation.
The carnival has its roots in the era of slavery on the island when slaves, barred from the masquerade balls and festivities of the white plantation owners, established their own parallel celebrations featuring drumming, dancing, and masquerading.
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The slaves expressed their rebellion through Canboulay, the burning of sugarcane fields- a symbolic event that signifies the commencement of the carnival and occurs every year during the early hours of Carnival Monday, known as J’ouvert, where participants re-enact the historical burning of sugarcane fields.
The island nation not only hosts an incredible carnival but is also renowned for its white-sand beaches and crystal-clear waters, reports the Express. Maracas Beach and Pigeon Point Beach are two of the country’s top beaches.
The island is also a hotspot for wildlife enthusiasts, boasting attractions like the Asa Wright Nature Centre and The Caroni Bird Sanctuary – both sanctuaries for avid birdwatchers, being home to hundreds of bird species.
Over in Tobago, Nylon Pool and Buccoo Reef invite visitors to explore their shallow, crystal-clear sandbank situated right in the middle of the ocean — perfect for snorkelling adventures and rumoured to have rejuvenating effects.
Meanwhile, Trinidad’s Pitch Lake stands as the world’s largest natural deposit of asphalt, offering a distinctive and intriguing exploration opportunity. And if you wander over to Argyle Waterfall in Tobago, you’ll be greeted by a stunning multi-tiered waterfall amid a verdant rainforest backdrop, fantastic for nature hikes and refreshing swims.
Trinidad and Tobago is also riding the social media wave, catching the eye of TikTok users worldwide. Many travellers are buzzing about how some parts of the islands seem almost too dream-like to be real.
On TikTok, a user by the handle alex. cassidy4 was captured saying: “This is the most beautiful island in the Caribbean. “It is so lush, it’s so green. We’ve got the oldest rainforest in the western hemisphere and beautiful beaches like Pigeon Point.”
Enjoying a tropical climate, Trinidad and Tobago exhibit relatively consistent temperatures year-round. Typical high temperatures vary from 29°C to 31°C, with cooler averages hovering around 24°C to 26°C.
Tourists might favour the dry season lasting from January to May, marked by less rainfall and abundant sunshine, tantamount to prime visiting conditions. On the flip side, the rainy season spans from June to December but still maintains warm, attractive weather for all who visit.
