Trinidad and Tobago is a Island state member of the Commonwealth. Located just 11 km from the Venezuelan coast, it is made up of two islands 35 km apart : Trinidad and Tobago. A lush vegetation reigns over the two islands, favored by a high humidity level. Its important resources in gas and oil make it a country highly industrialized. Steel bands also use oil drums ("steel pans") to create a great atmosphere at carnivals.
Despite being the most industrialized country in the Caribbean, Trinidad and Tobago is a country that does not lack attractions. With tourism not being a major part of the country's economy, it has vast expanses of unspoiled and virtually untouched nature.
With the exception of the rocky northern coast, the coastline of the large island of Trinidad is a succession of mangroves and long beaches of white or golden sand lined with coconut trees. Tobago, the smaller, wilder island, is full of lagoons and coves.
The population there is incredibly diverse, even for the Caribbean, and people all live together in harmony.
The country is famous for its music, calypso, which is especially enjoyed during the carnival period, but also its colonial historical heritage and its natural landscapes.
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700 years before Christopher Columbus arrived in Trinidad, the island was populated by the Carib or Arawak people. In 1498, during his third voyage, Christopher Columbus landed on the island, which he named Trinidad (Trinidad). In 1532, the Kingdom of Castile seized the island; the period of Castilian colonization began.
The French then conquered Trinidad at the same time as Tobago during the Dutch War (1672-1678). The diverse origins of its inhabitants gave rise to a culture particular to the island, of which the carnival is an essential element.
In 1797, the islands of Trinidad and Tobago were conquered by the English, to whom they were officially attributed in 1802 by the Peace of Amiens, then in 1815 after the Napoleonic Wars.
Criollo cocoa, introduced by the Castilians in 1525, was decimated in 1727 by epidemics (Phytophthora) leading the planters of the native peoples, for whom it was the only export, to create in 1757 a mixture with the other, more robust variety, the forastero, to create the trinitario cocoa. By 1830, Trinidad and Tobago was the third largest producer in the world. Between 1866 and 1870, under the administration of Governor Gordoen, the island decided to allocate the "Crown lands" to small planters, most often people descended from slavery, and the forests of the central plain became cocoa plantations.
In 1962, Trinidad and Tobago became an independent state. In 1976, the country became a republic within the Commonwealth.
You have chosen to visit Trinidad & Tobago, but you would like to to inform on the transportation, there life on site and the budget to expect? Here is the basic information to know.
To get to Trinidad & Tobago from Europe (France, Belgium), the easiest and most economical way is to make a stopover in London. From the French-speaking Caribbean, a stopover in Saint Lucia is necessary. The average price of a round-trip plane ticket will be €849.
B&Bs and guesthouses are the cheapest accommodations, between €30 and €50 per night. Hotels start in the “ average prices " and you can find them at all prices, from 50 to 150€ per night.
PUBLIC TRANSPORT
Public transport is very cheap. You can travel around the island for a maximum of 10 TT$. Prefer shared taxis (route-taxis) to very expensive individual taxis.
CONDUCT
In Trinidad & Tobago, you drive on the left side of the road. You must be 25 years or older to rent a car. There are many rental companies at the airport and elsewhere. International and foreign driving licenses can be used for 90 days.
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