Trinidad Carnival is one of THE most attended carnivals in the world. Carnival chasers and virgins mark this as the highlight of their carnival bucket list and it also sets the tone for all other carnivals to follow. Plan to attend for at least a week, February 7 – 14, 2018 to have the most enjoyable time and attend the best fetes.  Keep in mind,  partying has been extended through the Saturday after Carnival Tuesday, like Private Ryan’s Post Carnival Relief event, and Tribe’s Last Lap.

GETTING THERE

FLY  – Flying into Piacro International Airport (POS) is your ONLY option. (Unless you somehow get into Tobago but that’s just doing the most).  We recommend buying flights before band launch to avoid paying outrageous airfare costs or waiting until November/December when flights go down a bit. Flights from JFK are currently in the $700 to 900usd plus range right now.

ACCOMMODATIONS

Part of what makes planning to attend Trinidad carnival frustrating, is the lack of accommodations. Thousands of people are coming into the country and so the demand is way higher than the supply, which is how you end up with hotels that are $400 a night. Here is a list of some lodging locations to help you best plan for your carnival experience.

Hotels

• Hilton Hotel 
• Marriott 
• Kapok Hotel 
• Carlton Savannah
• Normandie 
• Hyatt Regency
• Radisson

Guest Houses

• Travel Suites LTD
• Savannah Maison 
• Manuelita Villa
• Villa Marie Inn
• Liam’s Guesthouse 
• Chaconia Hotel
• Monique’s Guest House
• President’s Inn
• Gingerbread House

COSTUMES

The bands typically launch early to mid July through August. The Global Carnivalist team will alert it’s readers as to when, but be on the look out for the best bands like Tribe, YUMA and Fantasy. If you are having a hard time choosing a band, this guide will provide some insight into the type of band options Trinidad has. 

• Harts is scheduled to launch their “Shimmer and Lace” theme on July 7
• Paparazzi is scheduled to launch their “Nomadik Nation “ theme on July 8
• Tribe, Lost Tribe & Bliss are scheduled to launch their “Once Upon A Dream” theme on July 15
• Fantasy and Entice are scheduled to launch on July 22 
• Passion is scheduled to launch their “Pandora” theme on July 29 
• Ronnie and Caro is scheduled to launch “Life’s Checkered Board” on July 29
• YUMA is scheduled to launch their “Fatal Attraction” theme on August 12 
• Legacy Carnival has not released their theme yet
• Island People has not confirmed their presentation for 2018

MONDAY WEAR

Lucky for us, Monday Wear like rain for 2018. You have so many options, but make sure to contact designers early. Monday Wear typically sells out quickly.

FETES

Carnival fetes will be the highlight of your experience. Year round, you hear carnival attendees reminisce about the bess fetes like Soca Brainwash, Scorch and Candy Coated Wine Down. You can imagine, that to provide the best all inclusive experience, it will cost you and tickets are becoming harder to come by as Trinidad Carnival becomes more popular. Budget around $130usd for an all inclusive fete, and $85usd for entrance only. Please use our 2018 Trinidad Carnival Fete List for easy purchasing.

BUDGET

• Flight: $400 – 1200 (depending on dates and location)
• Hotel: $480 – $600  (double occupancy)
• Costumes: $760 – $1600 (depending on backline/frontline and band)
• Transportation: $100 – $700 (depending on if you hire a driver or get a car rental within a group)
• Fetes: $500 – $1200 (depending on how many fetes you choose to attend, fetes are as low as $70 and as high as $400)

Overall Budget: $2,500usd – $5,000usd 

You should already be planning your Trinidad Carnival 2018 experience, if you haven’t started, now is the time.

Yours in Mas