A First-Timer's Guide to Planning Trinidad Carnival 2025

It is finally band launch season, and if you haven’t started planning for Trinidad Carnival 2025, the time is RIGHT NOW. Trinidad Carnival, known as the Greatest Show on Earth, is home to the largest carnival in the Caribbean region.

It attracts all levels of Carnivalists from around the world, from first-timers to veterans wanting to participate in the mas, fetes, and all the country has to offer during the Carnival season.

Trinidad Carnival 2013 was the first Carnival I participated in. Saucy from Trinidad Carnival Diary and my cousins, who have been playing mas since they were kids, were my main sources of information. I was grateful to have such a memorable experience.

If someone tells you Trini Carnival shouldn’t be your first, I’m here to tell you that it’s a lot, but it certainly can be done.

If you plan on attending Trinidad Carnival 2025 but don’t know where to start, here’s a complete guide that shares everything you need to know about planning your first Trinidad Carnival.

planning Trinidad Carnival + Trinidad Carnival 2024 Guide

When is Trinidad Carnival 2025?

Carnival time in Trinidad and Tobago begins shortly after Christmas, with the start of historical events, celebrations, fetes, and cultural competitions, and ends on the Monday and Tuesday before Ash Wednesday.

Trinidad Carnival 2025 dates for the parade are Carnival Monday, March 3, 2025, and Carnival Tuesday, March 4, 2025. If your budget allows, I suggest booking a full two weeks from February 20 to March 6, but February 26 to March 6 should suffice.

*Travel Tip*

To get the best flight and lodging deals for the Trinidad Carnival, book a year in advance or as soon as possible.
Leave your camouflage-printed items at home. Wearing camouflage in Trinidad and Tobago is illegal unless you’re part of their military.
Purchase your flights with travel insurance to cover emergencies like cancellation of flights, trip delays, medical evacuation, or other unexpected occurrences beyond reasonable control listed on the policy.

Where is Trinidad Carnival 2025?

While there are several carnivals, cultural events, and celebrations throughout Trinidad and Tobago, the biggest celebration is held in Port of Spain, the capital of Trinidad & Tobago.

Plan Your Trip To Trinidad Carnival

✈️ Flights to Trinidad

🏨 Best Hotels in Port of Spain

🚎 Affordable Tours & Day Trips

Traveling to Trinidad

The airport code for Trinidad is POS. Airlines that fly directly to Trinidad from North America, the Caribbean, Latin America, and Europe are Caribbean Airlines, British Airways, KLM, American Airlines, United Airlines, Liat, WestJet, JetBlue, Air Canada, and more that can be found on the visitTrinidad website here.

Alternatively, you can fly into Tobago (TAB) and take a flight or ferry to Trinidad. This option gives you the ability to experience both islands in one trip.

Tobago is also a popular “cool down” destination post-Trinidad Carnival so travelers can enjoy the beaches, diving sites, and other warm weather activities before returning home.

Tips for traveling from Tobago

The inter-island ferry ride is about 3-4 hours. Flights are 25 minutes.
Check the schedules for ferries, as they are known to sell out quickly.
Flights are scheduled every hour via Caribbean Airlines and are about a 1/2 hour.
You can bring a car on the ferry for an additional fee.

Trinidad Carnival 2024 + Trinidad Carnival 2024 Guide + Trinidad Carnival

Best Ways to Get Around in Trinidad

When setting your budget for accommodations and costumes, add transportation to the list. If you’re planning a trip to Trinidad for Carnival, here are the best ways to get around the island, depending on your preference or budget.

Rent a Car

If you’re comfortable driving on the left, going through potentially narrow roads and traffic, renting a car is a great way to get around Trinidad as it gives the most flexibility. If you plan to participate in the fete experience, ensure your travel group has a designated driver on rotation.

*Travel Tip*

Due to some areas being spotty with cell phone service, download an offline version of Google Maps for navigation.

Hire a Driver

The best option for getting around Trinidad for Carnival is to hire a private driver. Like Tobago Carnival, rates can be based on the day, hour, one-way, or round-trip route. The cost for a driver will vary based on the rates they provide, which should be confirmed via text, WhatsApp, or email.

Ride-share Apps

There is no Uber or Lyft service in Trinidad, but several ride-share apps are available in Port of Spain at affordable prices. Below is a list of well-known ride-share apps:

Where to Stay in Trinidad

Finding an affordable place to stay in Trinidad for Carnival can be frustrating. Due to the large amount of travelers visiting the country, the demand for room occupancy at hotels is high. Some masqueraders opt to stay in guest houses, on Airbnb, or with friends and family.

The best area to stay in Trinidad for Carnival is close to the Queens Park Savannah,, where the main stage and events occur. Other areas are Woodbrook, Belmont, St. James, St. Ann’s, and Cascade. Here’s a list of recommended hotels and guest houses in Trinidad. Based on availability and your budget, you can also search sites like Airbnb, TripAdvisor, or Booking.com.

Hotels in Trinidad

Guesthouses and B&Bs in Trinidad

Playing Mas in Trinidad

One of the most important things to include in your budget for Trinidad Carnival is your carnival costumes. Trinidad Carnival has two days of mas, and to play mas, you need to be part of a costume section in a Mas Band. Carnival Monday is for Monday Wear, while Carnival Tuesday is for your full costume.

Mas Bands, sometimes called Carnival Troupes in other Caribbean islands, often host virtual band launches for potential masqueraders where they display male and female Individual, Frontline, Midline, and sometimes Curvy for sections related to the band’s theme for the season.

Costume prices depend on the type of costumes purchased. Frontline costumes cost more as they are more extravagant, sometimes including a large feathered backpack, while Backline is a basic functional version using the same color and pattern as Frontline. Not all bands include a backpack for their frontline costumes, but they offer feathered backpacks, collars, extra shorts, or panties as optional add-ons at an extra cost.

The word J’ouvert is a contraction of the French jour ouvert, meaning dawn or daybreak, and is a large street party that marks the start of the Carnival. J’ouvert bands typically offer a pre-party, security, food, drinks, snacks, and a goodie bag with items from their respective sponsors.

Revelers meet the band between 2 am and 4 am and chip through the streets of the city throwing paint, powder, mud, water, oil, and sometimes chocolate on one another. If you participate in J’ouvert, wear clothes and shoes you don’t mind getting dirty. As the saying goes, “Yuh can’t play mas if yuh ‘fraid powder!”

Here is a list of popular Mas and J’ouvert Bands to play for Trinidad Carnival:

Mas Bands

Bliss Carnival
Exousia Mas
Harts Carnival
K2K Alliance & Partners
Kinetic Mas
Legacy Carnival
Paparazzi Carnival
PetleMas Carnival
Pure Carnival
Resonate Carnival
Rogue Carnival
Ronnie & Caro
Showtime Carnival
Spirit Mas
The Lost Tribe Carnival
Tribe Carnival
Utopia Mas
Wee Mas International
YUMA Vibe Carnival

J’ourvet Bands

Clay Evolution
Cocoa Devils
Dirty Dozen
Dirty Medics
J’ouvert Jumbeez
Josie’s Jamishness
MAD J’ouvert
Mudders International
Red Ants
We Love J’ouvert
Yellow Devilz

Whether you decide to play with a Mas band, J’ouvert band, or both, you need to register to get the all-inclusive experience. Some bands require a registration link from a committee member, while others allow you to register directly online. If you visit the country for Tobago Carnival or at your leisure, you can also register at the mas camp.

Popular costume sections and bands sell out quickly. To secure your spot, pay the initial deposit amount and ensure it is paid in full when it is your time for costume pickup. Some bands accept cash payments for registration and pickup, while others prefer cashless payments using major credit cards online.

Where to Fete for Trinidad Carnival

Fetes or parties are also part of the carnival experience. Several types of fetes are held in Trinidad during Carnival time, such as breakfast fetes, all-inclusive fetes, cooler fetes, j’ouvert fetes, boat rides, and beach fetes. Popular fetes hosted by Tribe, Scorch, and Caesar’s Army, like AMBush and Soaka Street Festival, are committee-based, so you need approval before purchasing tickets. DJ Jel’s Jus’so All Inclusive & Soca Brainwash are other all-inclusive fetes that are highly anticipated.

These fetes usually sell out quickly, so follow event promoters on social media to find out when tickets are released. Be prepared to spend between $50 to $200+ for each fete, depending on the type.

Things to Do in Trinidad and Tobago

Carnival is usually not a vacation, but as a first-timer, I highly suggest finding things to do in Trinidad and Tobago outside of the carnival celebration and in Port of Spain. Make sure to include cultural events like Panorama, Canboulay, Soca Monarch, and Dimanche Gras.

Here is a list of things to do in Trinidad and Tobago before or after the Carnival.

Tobago Museum
Scarborough Botanical Garden
Pirate’s Bay
Buccoo Reef
Nylon Pool
Tobago Cocoa Estate
Little Tobago Island
Flagstaff Hill
Fort King George
Argyle Waterfall
Pigeon Point Beach
Englishman’s Bay
Store Bay
Maracas Bay
L’eau Michel Mud Volcano
Las Cuevas Beach
La Brea Pitch Lake
Temple in the Sea
Caroni Bird Sanctuary
National Museum and Art Gallery
Angostura Rum Distillery Tour
The Trinidad & Tobago Carnival Museum
Gasparee Caves
Down ‘D Islands

Trinidad Carnival Cost

The cost of Trinidad Carnival depends on your budget. While there are many things you can do at an affordable cost, it is not necessarily cheap. If you stay with friends and family, as I have in the past, the cost can be significantly lower than those that would need to pay for food and accommodations.

Below is an estimated cost breakdown of what to expect to pay for Trinidad Carnival:

Flight: $600 – $2,000
Accommodations: $500 – $3,000
Transportation: $200 – $600
Fetes: $300 – $1,200
Costume: $700 – $2,500
J’ouvert: $100 – $300
Monday Wear: $50 – $350
Food, Drinks, and other Miscellaneous Items: $500 – $1000

ESTIMATED TOTAL RANGE: $4000 – $10,000

If you don’t want to plan your trip to Trinidad Carnival, consider taking the Epic Carnival Cruise, which includes tickets to fetes and an added mas package, or using a Carnival concierge company that offers a Trinidad Carnival package.

Many concierge services are available online, so do your research and check reviews to see which suits your needs and budget.

Trini Carnival 2024 guide + Trinidad Carnival 2024

I hope this first-timer’s guide to Trinidad Carnival is helpful. Please comment below and save this post for future reference if you have any questions. To get a recap of my recent Trinidad Carnival experience, read my full Trinidad Carnival 2023 review.