The 64k square feet resort is made up of dozens of luxurious Mediterranean tailored villas with white walls and red tiled roofs lining the hillside of Labrelotte Bay. The accommodations range from 1 to 5 bedroom villas with luxurious options for estate type villas perched high up on the hillside or beachfront modern north point villas. I had stayed in a 2-bedroom estate villa with a fully equipped kitchen, large deck which is perfect view for the morning coffee from the villa balcony with our infinity pool overlooking the Caribbean Sea.

Once you settle into the villa, you can call onto the operator to call the hotel shuttle to pick you up and take you to the beach front property. The All Inclusive option is perfect for couples as the warm, friendly and attentive staff take care of you at each of the lovely 4 restaurants – Jammers, Papa Dons, Upper Deck and the DragonFly. My favourite restaurant was the Dragonfly as it was situated right along the beachfront with its picturesque French windows opening up onto the clear waters, white sandy beach and lush coconut trees.

Windjammer offers a selection of complimentary activities such Hobie Cat sailing, paddle boarding, snorkeling at its watersports facility just a few metres away from the main resort. Along the beachside, you can swim out to the wooden pontoon/ dock or relax in the water on the lounging nets or sip on cocktails at the 96 degrees in the shade tiki hut bar. After partaking in a long day of fun endeavors, you can make your way to the resort’s Spa, book a classic massage and restore your energy just in time for sunset cocktails at Jammers bar.

Luxurious villas, charming restaurants and entertaining watersports are just a few of the features that brand Windjammer Landing as one of the most admired St. Lucian resorts.

Where to Dwell 

Mount Cinnamon Grenada Resort

Mount Cinnamon Grenada Resort is a family run 21-luxury villa and suite resort set on the crest of a hillside overlooking the picturesque and renowned Grand Anse beach. The General Manager, Mark, and his amazing team receive you with the warmest Grenadian welcome and are dedicated to making you feel right at home in the Spice Island during your stay. After running through all the key details of the hotel, which you can also see on Mount Cinnamon’s own iPhone App, you are personally guided to your unspoiled Caribbean oasis.

The resort has a Santorini-styled architectural design with its narrow and windy passageways that make for a fun adventure up to your one of a kind beautifully decorated villa or suite. The villa’s white walls are adorned in bright and playful pops of colour placed strategically throughout the villa with an eye-catching 50s themed green fridge. The best part about the suits are the breathtaking views of the bay you’re your own chic terrace.

A flora studded path surrounded by beautifully manicured lawns take you from the resort’s front reception to one of Grenada’s premier beach front’s cabanas, where you can spend the day relaxing, sipping on cocktails or partaking in the resorts’ fun activities like Hobie Cat sailing, Yoga, Croquet, Table Tennis or even Snorkeling in Grenada’s underwater sculpture park.

Laluna Boutique Beach Hotel and Villas

If you are looking for a luxurious and more secluded romantic escape, Laluna Boutique Hotel takes you on a journey around the world with the perfect blend of Balinese, Italian and Caribbean elements combined into a unique rustic chic setting. This dream resort is made up of 16 private yet spacious cottages tucked away in the lush landscape atop Portici beach. Each cottage is equipped with its own wooden deck, plunge pool and a marvelous open air shower fitted with a plush line of Italian body and hair care products. The resort also has its own isolated 3 and 4 bedroom lavish villas near the resorts entrance atop the hillside with stunning infinity pools overlooking the bay.

LaLuna has its own Indonesian spa with genuine Balinese masseuses and yoga is offered daily at the resort’s own luxury beachfront yoga pavilion. Cocktails including their delectable rum punch is ideal for sunset gazing by the gorgeous beachside pool which then gets you ready for an awe-inspiring fresh dishes and Italian inspired menu offerings. LaLuna’s postcard perfect resort is ideal for waking up in nature to the sweet sounds of birds chirping and spending the day in pure indulgence.

Sandals La Source Grenada

Sandals La Source is a first class all-inclusive international hotel is a top choice for travelers who come to relax and get one of the best hotel experiences that the Caribbean has to offer. Excellent customer service is received from the minute you check into the hotel to the magical suite you will stay in and the many restaurants and bars that you will spend an unlimited of time of enjoyment in. The Honeymoon Suite is decked out in everything your heart has desired in a Honeymoon vacation from its classy freestanding bathtub to its fully stocked mini bar and own personal pool. The special tropical touches all over the suite merge into a fantasy of luxury and perfection.

Maca Bana Luxury Boutique Resort

Maca Bana’s lavish and well-designed villas are perched high up in a private sanctuary on a hill presenting guests with a spectacular view of the gorgeous Caribbean Sea along Magazine beach. The 7 distinctively designed 1 or 2 bedroom villas are each named after the tropical fruit planted near its entrance. The villas are surround by beautifully landscaped tropical gardens and are furnished in an authentic traditional Caribbean style, each with its own veranda and hot tub overlooking the bay. You can dine at the Aquarium restaurant or you can prepare your own meals in the villa’s beautifully decorated kitchen. Maca Bana is perfect for couples or families whom are craving some R&R with a side of luxury.

Where to Dine 

Le Papillon Cafe

Le Papillon Cafe is one of the island’s local gems and its charming alfresco styled setting along the poolside of the Siesta Hotel is perfect for breakfast and lunch getaway. Kathy Ann Herrera de Montbrun is the perfect hostess welcoming you to the café with a warm smile and lots of stories on the Grenadian lifestyle. The usual suspects always make for an entertaining people watching event. The finely crafted menu, with the assistance of Kathy’s talented son, offers French delicacies infused with locally grown ingredients and an excellent list of fresh juices like mango, west indian cherry and pommecythere. Menu ranges from eggs benedict to traditional french toast and le papillon croque to scrumptious desserts like the mouthwatering guava and brie crepe. The house made jams like guava, tamarind are a absolute treat. The café’s ambience and scrumptious dishes offer that sweet island vibe

Mount Cinnamon – Savvy’s Restaurant

Savvy’s Restaurant is the ideal beach cabana representing the epitome of island life with its bright and cozy furniture surrounded by multi-coloured comfy lounge chairs and yellow umbrellas. The view from the cabana is one of a kind with endless ultra-turquoise waters and crystal white sands covering the infamous Grand Anse beach. Savvys serves a mix of traditional and West Indian cuisine options from light bites, like the lobster sliders, to classics like the chuck steak burger and even a scrumptious grilled or blackened catch of the day with breadfruit and mango salsa. The bonfire BBQ night is a fun outing for your Friday night, offering local fresh dishes topped with traditional dancing and music. For dessert, you can toast your own marshmallows over the bonfire to make your own tasty s’mores. Perfect spot for cocktails and authentic local lunch with interactive staff whom ensure your experience at Savvys is top notch.

La Luna Restaurant

If you are an Italian gastronomy lover and in pursuit of a delightful fine dining treat, La Luna is the spot for you. Many of its dishes’ ingredients are brought in straight from Italy and are combined with the rich elements of the local finds to take your senses on a journey throughout the luxurious gastronomies of these incredible countries. There is an impressive selection of wines, appetizers, entrees and desserts. Every part of the menu is worth experiencing. The antipasto Italian is a top choice with its authentic prosciutto di parma, parmigiana reggiano, Calabrian sun-dried tomatoes and extra virgin olive. The Octupus salad, catch of the day and Tagilta are fabulous options as well. Outstanding customer service and Balinese inspired décor allow for an intimate setting alongside some of the most valuable beachfront property in Grenada.

Sandals La Source – Soy, Neptunes, Le Jardinier

Unique in its design, atmosphere and exceptional customer service, Sandals has a top list of choices for a night out on the town including Soy, Neptunes and Le Jardinier. Soy sushi bar presents Japanese delicacies with a mix of traditional and modern sushi creations such as miso soup, a variety of sashimi and signature rolls like the champagne lobster. Neptunes carries you to the Mediterranean with its open-air tailored seaside restaurant with authentic seafood dishes like steamed mussels and Cioppino. Le Jardinier’s modern ambience hits you as soon as you walk through the door with its contemporary interiors, stylish lounge music and romantic lightening giving it that fresh yet welcoming touch. Le Jardinier is known for its selection of mouthwatering escargots de Bourgogne, Fois Gras and Soupe a l’oignon, Canard Bigarade and enchanting desserts such as its crème brulee. You can get experience flavours from across the globe at Sandals but make sure you book reservation or you may not get a table.

The Beach Club at Calabash Hotel

Voted by TripAdvisor as the #1 Hotel in the Caribbean for 2017, The Beach Club at Calabash exhibits the Caribbean Luxury like no other, in a lovely intimate setting against the backdrop of the Prickly Bay marina. The restaurant’s bright and natural Caribbean elegance with hues of white and blue adorned throughout offers a first class beach front dining experience. Chef Mark Banthorpe prepares a tapas menu for lunch that fuse UK and Grenadian influences into delectable and skillfully decorated culinary masterpieces. Much loved menu items include the goat cheese, calamari, seared catch, shellfish bisque and ginger chilli chicken. These can be topped off with wonderful desserts like the chocolate pot, banana crumble and nutmeg ice-cream. The explosion of taste as you make your way through each tapas delights your senses with their bold spices and effortlessly harmonized flavours that validate the high level of quality of this chic and sophisticated yet laid back island gem.

The Beach House

The Beach House Restaurant is an elegantly styled restaurant located on the private beach of Portici Bay invites you to a dining experience like no other on the island. Its rustic setting of wooden decks and white accents offer a luxury Caribbean dining experience. The fish is always fresh and the finely selected menu offers well-presented meals and an excellent wine list. The Lobster bisque and Jumbo Shrimps are divine and a must!

What to Do

Offshore Island Escape with Suntanner

As you board the high speed motorboat – Never Say Never owner by Suntanner Real Estate & Luxury Yacht Charters, the warm and friendly crew welcome you for the perfect day of relaxation to their deserted island off the north coast of Grenada named Sandy Island. The drive along the coastline is quite the experience as you can admire the beauty of Grenada from a different perspective. On the island, you can swim in its crystal clear blue waters, lay down under the blossoming coconut trees or even explore the mysterious pathways of this unique isle by foot. A fun and friendly boating adventure can be booked with the lovely SunTanner Charters for the perfect weekend escape.

A Deserted Picnic with “I’m Local Grenada”

A brilliant and new concept in the Caribbean designed by I’m Local Grenada, goes above and beyond to provide you with a unique dining experience is the I’m Grenada Beach Picnic Package. I’m Local offers on-demand experience to tourists and locals but specializes in beach picnics, which can be booked through their website or their I’m Local App. They can pick you up or meet you at your favourite beach and provide a laid back island life setting with colourful beach chairs, a picnic blanket, mini complemented with funky plates and glasses. You can even design your own picnic menu as well as organize a romantic dinner for two with flowers!

Grand Anse Beach

Grand Anse Beach is my favourite beach in the entire world. It has everything you could desire from its white sandy shores, clear and cool waters and tall palm trees all around. This long stretch of soft sand is ideal for long walks to admire the countless wonderfully designed hotels land beach bars lining the shoreline. Great for watersports, sipping on rum punches with a hint of nutmeg or finding that quiet and shady spot for a romantic getaway. One cannot visit the isle of spice without heading to this wonderful beach.

Where to Dress

Nutmeg Design Company 

The colourful and authentic Caribbean adapted patterns designed by the talented Jessie-Ann Jessamy for the Nutmeg Design Company, reveal a brand that is so distinct to Grenada focusing on one of the nation’s icon ie. the nutmeg. The patterns are inspired by the picturesque backdrop of lush mountains and turquoise waters and rich heritage that defined the enchanting Isle of Spice. Jessie draws and screen prints each pattern which is molded into a fabulous design whether a dress, cover-up, hand bag or even pillow. The island life vibe encapsulates you when you get your hands on one of her pieces!

One sunny Saturday, we chartered the services of Sundara and boarded its modern and gorgeous 43ft catamaran named Ballerina Girl at 10am for a day trip DDI. Our captain, Daniel Stollmeyer, greeted us with a warm welcome and gave us a brief on all the fun activities to expect throughout the day.

As we made our way down to the island of Chacachacare, we lazed on the nets at the front or bow of the boat and admired the glorious views of the islands and deep blue waters all around. The sun was shining and we couldn’t have asked for a better morning. After an hour drive to our main stop, we anchored the boat and popped out the swimming noodles for a wonderful dip in the ocean. The boat is also equipped with snorkeling gear to explore the DDI marine life. The day was picture-perfect and service was exceptional!

A day trip DDI has room for up to 25 guests on Ballerina Girl, which is a perfect get together for friends and a family excursion. You can also book sunset cruises, romantic dinners for two and even a trip up the Caribbean to the Grenadines, as the boat sleeps 4 comfortably plus crew.

A popular, fun and friendly sailboat adventure can be booked with the lovely Sundara Yacht Charters. If you are lucky, you may get the chance to cruise up with the bottlenose dolphins swimming alongside your boat.

THE TRINI TRAVELLER IN TOBAGO

My name is Gabrielle Agostini and I have a Caribbean Travel Blog known as The Trini Traveller, “Trini” being the nickname of a person from Trinidad and Tobago.I am based in Trinidad but decided to pack up my amazing FunBoy floats and make a quick trip to our country’s sister isle of Tobago for my Birthday Weekend….

To read the Full Article Feature, click here: Funboy

Friday  

Lunch – Tides Restaurant

After arriving on an early morning flight, you can unpack your bags then head to a delightful lunch at Tides Restaurant. It’s bright, cozy and stunning coral stone walls makes for the ideal island getaway ambience. Its blue and white caribbean theme can be found throughout the bar and restaurant with its main dining room opening out onto the crystal clear waters of the island’s west coast. The staff are excellent and food is exquisite. A great first activity for your trip!

Surfing – Boosy’s Surf School

Book an afternoon surf lesson from 3-5pm at freights Bay with Boosy Surf School. Christian Boos is a superb teacher, as he guides through the process, from being on your first board to standing on top the board while you are surfing along the coastline. During the first part of the lesson, you are taught the basics on top of the Freights Bay hill. You then proceed to slowly walk down the side of the hill towards the small break of beach. Once you are in the ocean, Christian ensures you are looked after and he gives quick feedback on improvements that can be made to your new surfing style. It is quite the fun afternoon and that water is stunning!

Dinner – Champers restaurant

This is one of the most popular restaurants in Barbados and is usually always booked up so call-in ahead of time and reserve a table out on the patio! I always have a great experience at Champers with its fabulous customer service and laidback ambience perfect for an intimate dinner. The seafood and wine options make it a top choice in my books. You can even go early to watch the sunset with some lovely cocktails.

Bar/ Nightclub – Harbour Lights

The ultimate tourist bar/ nightclub in Barbados is the infamous Harbour Lights! I do not think I have ever visited Barbados without making a pit-stop at this awesome beach side club! It is an outdoor venue located right on the beach so wear comfy shoes and prepare yourself for a Free Drinks, all night-long party with a mix of international and local music.

Saturday

Cool Runnings Catamaran Cruise

As you board the yacht, the warm and friendly crew welcomes you and prepares you for an all packed day of entertainment and relaxation. The cruise takes its passengers to many stops along the west coast of Barbados where you can snorkel, swim with sea turtles and sun tan on the catamaran’s large nets at the front of the yacht. The cruise offers a scrumptious, local lunch to help soak up all that rum punch that you will have on your way back down the coast. Music will start playing a little louder and some of you may decide to join in the festive dancing sessions that the crew will most definitely want you to be a part of. I have done this cruise twice and looking forward to my third booking!

Dinner –Buzo

As I am from Trinidad and Tobago, I have eaten at Buzo T&T enough times to know that I had to visit the new location in Barbados. It was a dream. Outstanding customer service and I loved the décor. It is an Italian restaurant situated on the south-west side of the island and it is a must-visit during your stay. The appetizers, pastas, desserts and wines are undeniably mouthwatering and even if all the tables are full, you can still find a sweet spot at the Bar and have a romantic dinner for two!

Sunday

Beach – Ju Ju’s Beach Bar

Ju Ju’s is a charming beach where the locals love to enjoy a chill Sunday by the water. You can rent umbrellas or lounge chairs and spend your day sun tanning or sipping on some yummy rum punch from Ju Ju’s beach bar. If you are up for some more adventure, you can partake in the many water sporting activities offered on the beach.

Early dinner – The Lone Star

I unfortunately have not been to the Lone Star but I am including this restaurant as it is a must do of mine on my next visit and hopefully on yours, especially if you are planning on spending your day at Ju Ju’s beach. A few minutes’ stroll from Ju Ju’s beach bar is this attractive and elegant restaurant. It is open-air fine dining at its best. There is also a boutique hotel on top the restaurant, where you can spend your amazing weekend at!

Other Key Tips:

Spend the Day at Accra Beach

Stroll along South Coast Boardwalk

Visit the 50th Anniversary Mural

Check out my Instagram Page @thetrinitraveller for details on my Barbados and Trinidad fashion pieces

I had heard of many great stories about a NGO named “Healing with Horses” that was doing fabulous work in the island of Tobago. So of course during my last visit to Tobago, my friends and I had decided to reserve a horseback riding tour with “Being with Horses”, which is the business initiative to support Healing with Horses, and see what it was all about. To get a preview on the amazing work done by the Foundation – click here.

Upon arrival to our Saturday morning swim and trail combination ride, we were introduced to all members of the Being with Horses Family – Veronika and her amazing team as well as their healthy herd of gorgeous rescue horses. Veronika sat us down in a circle around her and revealed to us on how the foundation came to be. It had all started when Veronika, a native German, had met her husband Lennon, a native Trinidadian, while she was on vacation in Trinidad and Tobago. They fell madly in love and shortly after, they co-founded the Healing with Horses foundation. Their mission is to give therapeutic services to hundreds of differently abled individuals from Tobago and Trinidad, using Equine Nature Therapy, free of charge. The horses are free to roam for 16 hours a day in their farm located a few miles up the hill, which are brought down to the stables for the therapeutic and riding sessions.

We were then asked to make our way to the horses; each situated in their homely and beautifully decorated stall. Veronika would then introduce us to each horse one by one with a little story on how they came to Healing with Horses. Subsequently, the horse would slowly make their way out of their stall and walk up to the individual with whom they would like to partner up with. This was quite the experience. I was slightly anxious especially as I was one of the last individuals to be selected by the horses. Luckily, one of the most beautiful horses in the stable, named Princess, slowly walked up to me, gave me a nod as she waited for me to offer her a little snack. I had only ridden once before, so was nervous to get up onto Princess but once I did, it all went rather smoothly.

We began the ride by making our way out of Buccoo Village, past the goat race track, through the wetland mangroves and onto the beach. Princess surely had a mind of her own as we ever so often ended up on the other side of the mangrove, away from the rest of the group. I trusted her and knew that I was well taken care of. Princess was slightly uneasy upon entering the water but with a little nudge, we were on our way to riding past the rest of the group. It was so picturesque and an unreal experience; feeling the power of the horse while riding through the clear and calm waters of Buccoo Bay.

We finished the ride through the waters made our way back to the stables where we said bye to these amazing creatures. Just before I left, Veronika had showed me a video about my horse Princess and the incredible journey she went on after falling 40m off a cliff a few years prior. You can watch the video here to see the amazing work done by Veronika and Lennon in enabling Princess to have a full recovery.

Also during our ride, we were very lucky to have a group of professional photographers – Gabriele Boiselle and her TEAM Edition Boiselle – whom specialize in photographing horses. All the photos seen in this article were taken by Gabriele and her team. You can find more information on Edition Boiselle here.

Learn more about Healing with Horses here and book your next ride with Being with Horses here to support the foundation and this great cause!

Here is my ideal itinerary that you can follow, if you are planning a sweet weekend getaway to the island.

Friday Night
On your first night in the isle of Martinique, I recommend having dinner at the Kay Ali. Located on the foothills near Fort de France, the restaurant is a colonial style house converted into modern yet chic food haven. We were guided to one of the few private and colourful rooms of the restaurant to have a scrumptious three course meal. A three course meal at this gem is a must so you can get a taste of the true Martinique/ French cuisine. The overall experience was quite lovely with its fabulous customer service and laid back island-life ambience. Head down to Lili’s bar, nearby to Kay Ali, for some after dinner drinks, where you can meet some locals and practice your french!

Saturday Day & Night
Jardin Balata
Martinique is known as the Island of Flowers, so you should not visit Martinique without getting lost in the magnificent palm trees of the lush and tastefully designed gardens of Jardin Balata. Even though it had poured the night before and the sky was quite overcast, we decided to continue our trip to the Jardin Balata to arrive just in time for the opening of its gates. This was a great idea especially as the garden had only a few visitors, making the experience more pleasant and perfect for getting impressive photos! The entrance is marked by white and quaint colonial house surrounded by gorgeous red ginger plants dispersed amongst the greenery of the garden’s numerous walkways. After you enter, you will walk pass the Royal Walkway taking you to one of the most scenic parts of the garden looking onto the valley of the mountains. There is also a fun Tree Top Trail 50 m above ground, where you can admire the flowers from a different and higher angle. The Jardin Balata are by far one of the most magical gardens I have ever explored.

Lunch – La Luciole
On our quest for food after our “strenuous” walk through of the garden (just kidding – it really is a walk in the park), we opted to have a quick lunch at nearby La Luciole restaurant. What a great choice! Rated as number one restaurant in the area, it served delicious meals with a side of great customer service. I ordered the Magret de Canard with French fries and it was yummy!

Afternoon – Les Anses d’Arlet 
We made our way through the hills of the south-west side of the island in search of some of Martinique’s famous beaches. There are so many beaches to visit so we decided to spilt our beach adventure into two days. Along the coastline of the region of Les Anses d’Arlet, we uncovered a car park that took you to two different beaches – each so different in nature but yet so close to one another. On the north side of the car park, you descend (via dozens of dozens of steps) onto a beach named Anse Noire covered in silky black sand and surrounded by clear blue waters. A walk along the jetty in this bay was spectacular. On the other side of the car lot is the white sand beach named Anse Dufour. Have a look at both and make your pick of where you would like to relax for the afternoon!

Dinner – La Cave a Vins
Tucked away in the heart of Fort de France, this warm and cozy restaurant was hands down my favourite pick out of the dozen resturants we had eaten at during our stay in Martinique. The grand selection of wines and entrees is perfect for a French gastronomie lover! I had the fois gras, confit de canard and crème brulee. I dream about this meal even weeks after my visit!

Sunday Day & Night
Le Diamant & Anse Cafard
Early Sunday morning, we headed down to the south side of the island again to explore some more of the isle’s fabulous beaches. Just past Les Anses d’Arlet, we came across the region of Le Diamant. Not only can you relax at the beach, but you can drive down to the end of the road to un cover a collection of statues known as Anse Cafard, symbolizing the memorial for slaves whom lived in Martinique. This moving art formation was completed in 1998 in commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the emancipation of slaves in the French West Indies. It represents the tragedy of April 7, 1830, where a ship carrying African salves sank and drowned more than 40 slaves along the coast of Le Diamant.

Cap Chevalier & Lunch
After Le Diamant, we drove much further down the coast to the region of Sainte Anne to Cap Chevalier – Anse Michel beach. You can park your car at the end of a narrow dirt road and walk along the semi hidden path onto the most adorable secret getaway beach. There is also a popular little restaurant located at Cap Chevalier beach – Le Cocotier. It was unfortunately closed during our visit but I hear great reviews. Possibly call to make sure it is open when you plan to visit! The water at this beach is unreal! It was the most relaxing spot to lay down in the clear blue waters and admire the blossoming palm trees all around.

Dinner – La Table de Marcel
As we stayed in at the Simon Hotel, located in Fort de France, we had to evaluate the reknown “La Table de Marcel“. It was quite the experience but make sure you book a reservation or you may not get a table. Excellent customer service and tastefully decorated dishes that will make your mouth water. I had the fois gras (absolutely delicious) and the lobster for my main course and highly recommend both. It is a bit more expensive than the average martinican dinner but it is worth every dime!

Accommodation
We stayed at the brand new spanking hotel, the Simon Hotel, located right in the heart of Fort de France. Its modern elegant design, its ease of access into the city centre and its fabulous restaurants make it a top choice for the island however if you are interested in a quick and relaxing getaway weekend, I would recommend a hotel near one of the island’s many beaches!

For all you soca music fans, Trinidad and Tobago (T&T)’s Carnival is the place to be to get that full-on experience that you having been searching at other festivals! For the carnival virgins, download some soca music, start dancing in your room and get excited, as this festival is a once in a lifetime event that cannot be missed!

Carnival – What it is all about?

Carnival was introduced to T&T during the late 18^th century by the French who would parade down the streets for the two days preceding Ash Wednesday, which is the start of Lent (i.e. 40 days before Easter). These are known as the last two days before one must give up something they truly desire – so Why not throw a crazy party? This tradition was parallel by the African slaves whom eventually turned this celebration into one of the greatest festivals of all time. Those of African descendants influenced the music, the costumes and large number of events to occur during the “Carnival season”.

Carnival season usually starts a month before the actual street parade where one can partake in music competitions for pan, calypso, soca and chutney as well as costume competitions such as Kings and Queens as well as Kiddies Carnival. The atmosphere is pulsating with positive energy and loud music. It is quite difficult to escape.

I will take you through the process of how one organizes “costumes” which are basically your tickets to enter this amazing street/ road festival.

Costumes – Tickets

Start your journey to Trinidad Carnival by securing your costume in one of the many band available.

Why buy a costume, can I not just make my own?

If only this was the case! But unfortunately no you cannot do this. Think of your costume as a ticket to entering a festival. Carnival is a competition of the various bands of masqueraders in beautifully hand decorated costumes competing to win the best band of the year. Carnival Bands come in all sizes. The largest and more up-beat bands are: Harts, Tribe, Bliss, Fantasy, Island People, Trini Revellers!

As the theme of each band changes annually, the costumes change the same. Once you buy your costume, you will receive wrist bands that allow you enter the band within a secured area on the streets in which the bands roams and the revellers “chip down d road”.

During the summer months of July and August, these Carnival Bands have “band launches” to display the new costumes for the upcoming year. Within a few days of the band launch, the costumes become available to purchase the “Band House” or online. Therefore you need to determine which band you will play with at least 6 months in advance. Costumes can sell out within days after up the event but I recommend buying as soon as they are available (by July/August).

Getting there & Accommodation

Flights – Once you book your costume, I would recommend booking your flight! You can direct flights to T&T from London, Frankfurt, New York, Miami, Orlando, Houston, Toronto and many Caribbean islands. Key airlines to look into include Caribbean Airlines, Liat, British Airways, American Airlines, Jetblue, WestJet, Condor etc. For more listing on flights check here.

Accommodation – If you are a large group, I would recommend renting an apartment in Port of Spain on airbnb or tripadvisor. Top hotels in Port of Spain include the Hyatt ($$$), Hilton ($$), Carlton Savannah ($$), Radisson ($$) and Mariott ($$).

The Event

Listen to Soca Music

You will hear Soca non-stop once you arrive in T&T around Carnival time so it is best to catch up on the best tunes of the season. One way to do that is to search carnival soca music on youtube or look out for DJ mixes online such as DJ Private Ryan or DJ Marcus Williams or DJ Nick Pena. Top soca artists include Machel Montano, Kes, Bunji Garlin & Fayann Lyons, Destra and many more.

Pre-Carnival Activities

Book your trip to T&T a couple days before the Carnival Event so that you have time to visit Carnival pre-parties, pan yards or relax in the sun to get that tan beforehand! Carnival schedule is updated one month before the event at Trinidad Carnival Diary – have a look around December and it ought to be online!

Key Essentials for the Ladies

Not only do you have to buy a costume for Carnival, but a popular new tradition is to buy another costume to wear on the Monday. This is called “MondayWear” – it usually consist of a monokini that is decorated lightly with beads and feathers. Other recommendations include buying boots (with dr schools insols) for true comfort on the road, accessories such as necklaces, bracelets, earrings, earcuffs and of course glitter and diamontes for your face. Many ladies book make-up, hair and even spray tan appointments months in advance to ensure they look perfect on the day, even if it means waking up at 4am.

Carnival Monday

J’ouvert (Optional but worth it)

It starts at 3am where you arrive in Port of Spain with an old pair of clothes and sneakers to parade in the streets until sunrise where you will be covered in mud, paint, powder or cocoa powder. Organize your J’ouvert package from numerous bands that specialize in this unique activity. The big bands include Red Ants, Cocoa Devils, Fantasy, Simply J’ouvert etc. If you are playing carnival, best not to take a nap and go straight through until Carnival if you can handle it!

The bands usually start around 11am in Port of Spain. If you are driving, go early to get a good parking spot near to where you band finishes for the day. A safe and reliable spot to park is St. Clair. Pack a little bag with essentials such as phone, id, cash, makeup, sunscreen and camera! Your band will provide you with food and drinks but take your time as the sun is hot and there may be not shade for hours at a time. Enjoy yourself and don’t go too hard as remember you have another 24 hours of partying to go!

Carnival Tuesday

The bands start much earlier than Monday and everyone is in their full costume. It is quite the sight especially at the stage where the costumes come together to present a show to the numerous judges determing who has designed the most awe-inspiring costumes for that year! It is a long day and there is even after parties in secret locations for selected bands. Have a great time and don’t stop dancing!

Post Carnival

A Carnival cooldown in Tobago for the following few days to relax those poor feet and burnt out bodies. Book your flights or boat across to Tobago at least two months in advance to ensure you get a spot as this is top post carnival activity!

Carnival Newbies

Grab your friends, Buy some costumes, Book your flights and get some good dancing shoes as this is a once in a lifetime experience!

Check out “Trinidad-Eat, Stay, Do” and “Tobago – Eat, Stay, Do” for more information on the best places to stay, the best places to eat and top activities to do in this beautiful sister isle nation.