3 biggest mistakes to avoid when planning your own Trinidad Carnival trip
Hello and thanks for stopping by our blog! This blog is all about planning your own Trinidad Carnival trip. If you’ve been thinking about doing it on your own, here are the most common pitfalls that you can avoid. We’re also sharing some known Trinidad Carnival facts with you too. Here we go!
(1) Not doing your research
While with any other destination, your lack of research may result in a cramped hotel room/Air BnB, in Trinidad, the possibilities of a misstep due to lack of research can be more serious. This is a Trinidad Carnival fact. From your booked accommodations being in a less ummmm, desirable area or being completely out of the Port of Spain area where most events happen, you could also be next to a party venue. While you’re trying to get some much need sleep after a party (also known as a fete), with an unresearched location, there could be music blasting! There are also some areas of Trinidad that can be dangerous to someone arriving at the wee hours of the morning.
A couple of specific examples that we’ve heard of were: booking accommodations in south Trinidad which is a few hours away from the largest Carnival which is located in Port of Spain. This person was told that they would be taken by a driver to the main parade, however the driver just dropped the person off at a random side street and he didn’t have a clue where to go!
Another example was a couple who booked at a hotel in Tobago because they were told that there’s a Tobago Carnival and they could experience it there. Thankfully, they contacted us and traveled with us to Trinidad, because although Tobago has a Carnival, it is in no way as large and elaborate the experience that Trinidad Carnival is!
All of this to say…do your research. The success of your Trinidad Carnival trip depends on it!
(2) Secure transportation when you get there
The second mistake that many revelers make as they embark on their Trinidad Carnival adventure is think they can just secure transportation when they arrive. Big mistake! Another Trinidad Carnival fact. We cannot tell you how many times we’ve heard from other travelers (not our clients) that they were stranded at their hotel waiting for transportation to pick up their costume or to go to a fete. We’ve also heard horror stories where people have been stranded after a party because their arranged transportation failed to show up.
Trinidad Carnival is easily the busiest time of the year for many of the local taxi drivers. Add to this the Trinidad Carnival fact that many taxi drivers don’t work at night during Carnival time and you have a perfect recipe for a taxi shortage!
Our advice? If you’re booked at a hotel, try to pre-arrange your itinerary and transportation needs with the concierge desk/a recommended taxi driver. It might cost you more, but it beats being stranded after J’ouvert in the streets somewhere covered in mud from head to toe!
(3) Plan at the last minute
If you think Trinidad Carnival is like any other trip that you’ve planned, then think again! This is definitely a Trinidad Carnival fact. Trinidad Carnival usually occurs in Feb or Mar every year and is Trinidad’s high season, meaning that you’ll pay twice to three times (or more) the price for anything compared to the rest of the year.
To properly plan your Trinidad Carnival trip, you’ll need to start planning at least 1 year in advance to ensure you get the best rates, accommodations, costumes and to properly plan your itinerary. Hotels and other accommodations typically start getting booked 1 year out, with some being sold out right after Carnival ends in any respective year! In addition to this, everything just gets more expensive the longer you wait to secure them. Do yourself (and your wallet) a favour and start your planning and booking as far in advance as possible.
If you end up wanting to go at the last minute though, you can always book with a Trinidad Carnival provider like us! We provide everything you need to have a stress-free Trinidad Carnival experience. Our Trinidad Carnival packages receive rave reviews from our clients year after year. Your package components are guaranteed, especially your accommodations, since we have a room block with the 4-star rated Hilton Trinidad. All you have to do is book your flight and we’ll pick you up at the airport!
To check out our packages, click here.
Or, you can plan it yourself and we can help with that too!
Plan your own stress-free Trinidad Carnival Experience with our comprehensive guide. Check out our Ultimate Trinidad Carnival All-Access – click here!
Til de next lime,
Your Events by Ashé Team
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