Dates
Feb / March (Mon & Tue before Ash Wednesday)
July – August (Grand Kadooment in early Aug)
Location
Port of Spain, Trinidad
Bridgetown, Barbados
Duration
~10 day experience
6-week festival season
Vibe
High-energy, fete-heavy, the biggest in the Caribbean
Beach + carnival — relaxed by day, electric by night
Budget range
£1,500 – £3,000+
£900 – £2,000
Crowd
Large international crowd
UK-heavy crowd, very welcoming
Best for
Fete loversMas band experienceSoca fansVeterans
First-timersBeach loversUK travellersCouples
Key events
- J'ouvert
- Monday Wear Road March
- Carnival Tuesday
- Panorama steelband
- Soca Monarch
- Foreday Morning (J'ouvert)
- Grand Kadooment
- Pic-o-de-Crop calypso finals
- Party Monarch
Did you know?
The original. Trinidad invented modern Caribbean carnival — J'ouvert, mas bands, and soca all started here.
Crop Over originated from the celebration of the end of sugar cane harvest season — one of the oldest carnivals in the Caribbean.
