Language
The official language of Trinidad and Tobago is English, although we do have segments of the population, which, mostly through culture and heritage, speak other languages, including "patois", a slang version of French that provides a window to our island's former French colonial days. Since Trinidad is located just about 7 miles away from Venezuela, there is also a growing Spanish-speaking contingent in Trinidad. Many young "Venezolanos" are sent by their parents to Trinidad to learn to speak English. Some families whose ancestors were brought here as indentured labourers (from India or China) have elders who still speak their mother language and pass down the skill to their children.

Nevertheless, every Trinbagonian speaks English and you will find our charming accent one of the easiest to understand - it's singsong like and full of flavour - just like our people!

People
Trinidad and Tobago's population figures now stand at about 1.3 million. Most Trinbagonians are of African or Indian descent, comprising 40% of the population each, while the rest of the ethnic mix trace their history back to European, Chinese or Middle Eastern ancestry. This diversity is reflected in the religious mix as well - Christianity is the largest faith, followed by Hinduism, Islam and the traditional African faiths.

Geography
Trinidad and Tobago are the most southerly isles of the Caribbean archipelago. Trinidad, still possesses vast tracts of rich rain forests, with our highest peak El Cerro del Aripo, located in our Northern Range, ascending to a height of 940 metres above sea level. In contrast, you will find flat lands, mostly agricultural, in the Central Plains, while Southern Trinidad is full of gently undulating hillsides.

Tobago's Eastern Interior rises steeply into tall peaks with lower lying lands that include a protected reserve area. Tobago's topography consists mainly of volcanic rock, which is in stark contrast to its Caribbean blue waters. Together, our twin islands measure 2000 square miles.

Climate
Our islands have two main seasons - the Dry Season, from January to May and the Wet or Rainy Season, from June to December. In the Rainy Season, mornings are usually sunny, followed by rainy afternoons and fair nights. During this time, our general rainfall pattern is interrupted by days of brilliant sunshine; a climatic phenomenon we fondly call Petit Carême. Petit Carême is similar to what temperate climes know as Indian Summer and offers a warm, invigorating change from dull weather. This mini-break normally happens between mid September to mid October.

The Dry Season is mostly sunny, with occasional light showers. This is the weather that makes Trinidad and Tobago the perfect vacation spot. Our islands share an average daytime temperature of 28 degrees Celsius that is warm but not unpleasantly humid and nights that are pleasantly cool.

Entry Requirements Trinidad and Tobago is a destination definitely worth the visit - once you have the right papers to be admitted to our beautiful islands!

U.S. Citizens/European Union Residents
Tourist or Business Travel:

• Passport must be valid for 3 months longer than you intend to stay in the country
• You must have tickets and documents for return or onward travel
• No Visa is required for US Citizens or European Union residents to stay up to 3 months
• If, however, you wish to travel to Trinidad and Tobago for any other reason - e.g.: employment, adoption, study, immigration - or you stay longer than the 3-month time period, please contact your embassy
• You will need a vaccination certificate for Yellow Fever if you are arriving from an infected area within a 5 day time period

General Guidelines

Because of historical ties and/or bilateral agreements between Trinidad and Tobago and several other countries, citizens of certain countries do not need visas once they are travelling to our twin islands on vacation, as follows:
The USA and European Union Countries (as mentioned above).
Commonwealth countries with the exception of Australia, India, New Zealand, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Uganda, South Africa.
Citizens of Countries that have visa agreements with Trinidad and Tobago, i.e.: Turkey, Norway, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Israel, Brazil, Colombia, South Korea – once citizens are visiting as tourists for no longer than 3 months
Citizens of Venezuela arriving directly from Venezuela on vacation for 2 weeks or less
Citizens of Suriname, Martinique, Guadeloupe, French Guyana, and The Netherlands
All holders of OAS passports
Seamen and airline crew regardless of nationality, who are arriving in the country to join their ships, or are in transit to meet their airline for a return trip
Holders of UN passports do require visas.
Holders of Diplomatic Passports are not automatically exempted from visas, so to be sure, contact your nearest Trinidad and Tobago Consulate or Diplomatic Mission.

Taxes

The only two things you can be sure of while in Trinidad and Tobago are having a great time and that's right- Taxes!

DEPARTURE TAX A Departure Tax must be paid by everyone under 60 years of age when leaving the country. This tax goes into the government's consolidated fund, which is used to meet the development costs of the country.

HOTEL TAX A government tax of 10% is standard to all hotels and guesthouses across our islands. Again, this is used to help meet the development expenses of our country. Each hotel may additionally charge you its own rates for service and utility charges or for security deposits, but this varies depending on where you choose to stay. The best way to find out your total expected charge is to call the hotel or guesthouse directly.

VALUE ADDED TAX The Value Added Tax, or VAT, as it is commonly called, is a 15% tax added to goods and services. The prices displayed in stores are deemed to include the VAT-able amount unless otherwise stated. If a store or company is registered to charge VAT, their Certificate of Registration needs to be prominently displayed at their place of business. If you are interested in finding out more, information booklets are available at the VAT Administration Centre, 20 St. Vincent Street, Port of Spain, or at any VAT Regional Office. Call 623-4735 or 4737 for more information

You can also have money exchanged at the cambios or bureaus de change - Western Union Money Transfer is a good option and also offers the "FX Trader" service, where customers seem happy with the rate of exchange and the level of service. If you're doing business in our islands, office hours are usually from 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. for the private sector.

Many government offices close certain services (especially those that require cash payment) by 3:00 p.m. The corporate sector and privately owned businesses, however, will conduct business as early or as late as meetings need to be held in order to get the job done.

Postal Services

A great way to stay in touch while visiting our islands!

Trinidad and Tobago's Postal Service provider is TT Post, who will do everything possible to help you keep in touch with friends, family - even business contacts - while you are here. TT Post offers an array of services suited to your every need.

The conveniently-located, bright red mailboxes make it easy for you to dash off a "wish you were here" postcard, while an array of express courier services will get your correspondence or package to its destination (locally and internationally) quickly, leaving you with tremendous peace of mind.

All TT Post’s customer service representatives are friendly and eager to help, so if you would like to find out more about their services, delivery times, call them at 800-POST

Even while you're trying to leave the world behind, sometimes you still like to feel connected - especially to the ones you love. We make it easy for you to stay in touch with family and friends back home.

Telecommunications Services of Trinidad and Tobago (TSTT) provides the country with a modern, cutting-edge telecommunications infrastructure that features state-of-the-art digital technology and fibre optic systems capable of efficiently supporting a wide range of services.

Landline Telephones You don't have to waste time worrying about international connections - all calls are quick, accurate and clear! You can access the International Direct Distance Dialing option throughout both islands, either by using your hotel phone or one of a network of hundreds of pay telephones nationwide. We've thought of everything you could need to make talking with your friends and family easy and hassle-free!

Mobile/Cellular Telephones There are two very competitive cellular phone service providers in Trinidad and Tobago, TSTT's Bmobile network and the more recent DIGICEL network. Both provide great mobile service and free and easy roaming facilities. International cellular roaming service is available to both North America and the Caribbean. If you have installed a roaming application in your home country, just turn on your set and make your calls - it's that easy because we want to make you feel right at home.

Prepaid Phone Cards If you prefer to control your telephone costs, prepaid phone cards in a number of denominations for landline (Companion Cards) and mobile phones (Bmobile and DIGICEL Cards) are available for sale at all Customer Service Centres and from many other vendors throughout the islands. These prepaid cards offer you the benefits of no unexpected bills, simplified access and flexibility.

Internet Cafes It's the communication superhighway of the future, so you'd better be on it! Send and receive e-mail, chat online or surf the World Wide Web - all these services are available at a range of Internet cafes throughout our islands. Some of the more sophisticated cafes will also offer you the option of actually seeing the person you're chatting with via Web-Cam as well as to send photographs online - that way, you can make everyone jealous of the great time you're having!

To find out more about any TSTT service that you may be interested in receiving, check out the Trinidad and Tobago Telephone Directory and give them a call!

Safety

Our islands are beautiful - and relatively safe - but just like anywhere else in the world, you've got to be aware! Just use your good judgement!

General Safety Always lock your doors, whether you are in your hotel room, in a car or taxi. Never leave your valuables unattended, especially in cars or on beaches - and flaunt them in such a way as to make yourself an easy target. Do not travel alone at night, especially along poorly lit areas, deserted beaches or scenic lookouts. If you are in doubt about an area in which you are staying or travelling, ask - get advice from the hotel staff or call your embassy. When travelling, especially from the airport to your destination, use an accredited taxi. You can ask for details on accreditation at the information booth at the airport. Trust your instincts - if something doesn't feel right, it probably isn't. The Emergency Number 999 will reach the Police Rapid Response Unit.

Medical Safety There are free health care facilities throughout Trinidad and Tobago; or you can choose a private facility for your convenience.There are also many private ambulance services that can rush to your assistance - look under "Ambulance" in the Yellow Pages or call 990. The 990 number is also used to reach the Fire Services.

Road Safety Be aware of the difference in driving conditions when using our roads. Wear your seatbelt - it's the law and it saves lives. Many of our drivers still use hand signals to communicate when turning or stopping - be alert! Be especially mindful of taxi drivers - since there are no designated pick-up or drop-off points, they usually pull aside anywhere for passengers - drive a safe distance behind them. Trinbagonian drivers are generally courteous, but be attentive and drive defensively.

Food Safety When buying food, ensure that it is a reputable establishment and that the vendor has a valid Food Badge. If you are in doubt, walk out - Trinidad and Tobago is so full of good restaurants and roadside cafes that you do not need to settle for a poor or unhealthy standard of food. Err on the side of caution - if your stomach is unaccustomed to spicy or tangy foods, take it easy until you get more used to our local culinary fare.

Links & Sources:

• Frommers
• Trinidad & Tobago Tourist Board
• Map Trinidad
• Map Tobago