General Overview

When trying to decide when is the most ideal time of the year to visit Trinidad and Tobago, everything revolves around your personal requirements. However, there seems to be a general consensus that the period between January and March is one of the most preferred times of the year to travel to the two-island nation. For various reasons, this period can stretch a bit more and include a couple more months, depending on the intended island vacation experiences.

The Best Time to Travel to Trinidad & Tobago for Great Weather

Although the temperatures across the two islands do not exhibit significant variations, most travellers prefer to visit the nation between December and May, which is just before the dry season and right after the rainy season. Now, based on why you want great weather, this period can vary slightly. For example, for beach-perfect weather and the warmest sea temperatures, the period between April and November will tick your boxes. The same applies to scuba diving, snorkelling, and swimming ventures. For windsurfing, kitesurfing, and other wind-powered sports, you may want to visit Trinidad and Tobago in the winter months, when the winds are slightly more intense and feel like a moderate breeze. For hiking and trekking expeditions on the islands, you might consider the months between December and March as they are still in the dry season but experience slightly reduced temperatures by a couple of degrees (so, around 26.5oC or 79.6oF), which is much better than September’s 28.6oC (83,4oF) - the same temperature-related pattern is, more or less, seen across all months after April and before December.

Fast Facts About the Weather in Trinidad & Tobago:

• The driest month with the least rainfall is March, which also has the lowest number of rainy days in a month (10 days).
• The rainiest month with the most rainfall is October. It may rain for nearly 2/3 of the month.
• The longest days in Trinidad & Tobago are experienced in the month of June (more than 12 hours of daylight).
• The shortest days are in December, with slightly over 11 hours of daylight per day.
• There is no such thing as Daylight Saving Time (DST) in Trinidad and Tobago, as the country uses the AST time zone throughout the year.

The Best Time to Travel to Trinidad & Tobago for Events

The two islands are extremely lively and brimming with festivals and events almost year-round, pleasing visitors of all tastes and preferences. However, the period when both islands “explode” is during January and March, when the Carnival awakens. Its celebrations start as early as August and end in February, giving participants plenty of reasons to join the festivities for nearly half a year!

Other than the Carnival, though, The Tobago International Game Fishing Tournament in May and the Buccoo Goat and Crab Race Festival in April will also keep you great company. From June through December, the islands welcome the Tobago Heritage Festival in July and August, the Emancipation Celebrations in August, the Blue Food Festival in October, and Diwali in October and November, with many smaller events (but equally fun and entertaining) in between.

The Best Time to Travel to Trinidad & Tobago for Better Prices

Despite the fact that the rainy season ends in November, Trinidad and Tobago experiences a refreshing respite from the thunderstorms and rain showers in September. This is the time of the year (aka petit carem season) when you can expect blue skies and lots of sunshine that draw plenty of travellers who wish to benefit from this sunny interval between downpours which is also accompanied by low-season rates. This drop in prices includes accommodation and dining options, which should be a pleasant treat provided that you don’t mind the little quiet resorts (compared to the high season).

Kindly note that most big hotels in Trinidad and Tobago raise their rates from December to April, when it is the high season. Also, hotels located near Grande Riviere in Trinidad do exactly the same between March and September, which is the turtle-laying season. However, the majority of the smaller hotels keep their prices steady year-round, not letting the high-, shoulder-, or low-season affect their rates. No matter the case, though, everything skyrockets price-wise during Carnival week, especially the venues near Port of Spain, where the festivities take centre stage.

What to Expect From Travelling to Trinidad & Tobago per Tourist Season

The islands have two distinct seasons, high and low, and perhaps a shoulder season covering the month of September. Here are some details about the two primary seasons in the country:

• High Season (January-May) – The climate is at its best, the trees are in full bloom, the sun shines, the days have many hours of sunshine, rain is rare, and the evenings are somewhat chilly. By May, the lush land gives its place to a more autumn-like landscape due to the lack of rain. Around the end of the month, the skies open up and the rainy season starts with downpours that can last for several hours. As for affordability, Trinidad’s hotel prices are fairly stable, though we can’t say the same for Tobago’s resorts. However, there is a simultaneous spike in rates during the Trinidad Carnival, in January and February. That aside, though, it is a great time to visit the islands, with temperatures resting around 27.2oC (81oF) and very little rain overall.
• Low Season (June-December) – You are in the heart of the rainy and hurricane season, though there are very slim chances of hurricanes or tropical storms. Nevertheless, it is quite wet during this period, which allows travellers to land on hotel deals and significant discounts much easier than in the previous season. This is also the time of the year when most European travellers choose to visit Tobago. For that reason, it is best to make your reservations in advance (at least a couple of months before your planned or intended travel).