Trinidad and Tobago reward cruisers with far more than merely beautiful beaches. While best known for the Carnival celebration, these twin isles tempt travelers ashore year-round with awe-inspiring architecture, bountiful biodiversity, and memorable mouthwatering meals. Continue reading to learn more about our favorite destinations in Trinidad and Tobago.

This article was adapted from our Island Icon Series in the June 2023 Edition of Yachting Magazine.

1. Magnificent Seven

The 260-acre Queen’s Park Savannah is the nexus of social and cultural events in Trinidad’s capital, Port of Spain, particularly during its internationally renowned Carnival and steel-pan festivals. But any time of year, visitors can take a stroll along its western edge to take in the Magnificent Seven. This architectural sampler of resplendent early 20th-century mansions fully lives up to its moniker.

Castle Killarney—also known as Stollmeyer’s Castle—was the first to arise on the block, its design inspired by Balmoral Castle in Scotland. The Palladian-style Whitehall takes its name from the gleaming coral used in its construction. The Archbishop’s Palace melds Indian Empire design with red granite and marble brought over from Ireland. Intricate iron railings adorn the elaborate Roomor, while stonework stands out on the French Colonial-style Hayes Court. A 93-foot-tall clock tower dominates the German Renaissance design of the Queen’s Royal College. The elegant French Provincial Mille Fleurs was originally built as a gift for Port of Spain’s mayor and still stands as a gift that keeps giving to all who pass by.

2. Maracas Beach

The 1.25-mile crescent-shaped Maracas Beach on Trinidad’s north coast is as much a destination for its natural beauty as for its “bake and shark” vendors. This classic street food wraps shark meat in fried flatbread and slathers it with condiments of your choosing.

3. Asa Wright Nature Centre

Trinidad’s remarkable biodiversity is on full display in the Asa Wright Nature Centre in the Arima Valley. Schedule a tour to this 1,200-plus-acre preserve, where more than 600 butterfly species flit among the more than 2,000 varieties of flowering plants. The center’s 400-plus species of birds draw in enthusiasts eager to spot tanagers, toucans, colorful motmots and the elusive oilbird.

4. Veni Mangé

For a culinary and visual feast, dine at Veni Mangé in Port of Spain. Opened in 1980 by a Cordon Bleu-trained chef and her sister, this bustling, art-filled restaurant sets the standard for authentic West Indian fare on the island. It’s best known for its rendition of callaloo, Trinidad’s national dish, as well as oxtail.

5. Fort King George

If you’re spending time on Tobago, see the restored 18th-century colonial buildings and beautiful vistas at Fort King George, overlooking Scarborough and Rockly Bay. The officers’ quarters house the Tobago Museum and its collection of Amerindian artifacts, 17th-century maps and military relics.

Other Island Hopping Tips:

• Best Places to Unwind on Bahamas’ Harbour Island
• Things to Do and See on Catalina Island
• 3 Unique Things to Do in BVI

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James Hackett’s Lush Kingdom textiles are a visual shorthand for the Caribbean. With their rich color palette, creative designs and evocative names such as Hibiscus Blue, Lush Parakeets and Guava Season, they provide both wearer and viewer with a tastemaker’s touch of the tropics.

It was a custom Hackett textile that acclaimed Grenadian American fashion designer Fe Noel used for her styles featured in a 2019 issue of Vogue. Beyoncé and actress Gabrielle Union have been spotted wearing Hackett-Noel collaborations.

Hackett describes Lush Kingdom as “what you want to see the Caribbean to be—something that is imagined by our most creative selves and inspired by our surroundings and the things that make us unique.” His patterns adorn everything from sketchbooks and face masks to his own pocket collections of dresses and swimwear.

He finds inspiration all around him on Trinidad. His pattern Desi Deratta pays homage to the island’s East Indian heritage and the handloom prints from that region. Nu Africana celebrates Emancipation Day, and is one of several free print downloads offered on the Lush Kingdom website to encourage experimentation and collaboration between creatives. His bestselling print, Vivrant, captures the island’s foliage as well as Hackett’s overall aesthetic: “I want people to feel they’re looking at something lush, rich and vibrant.” 

Where did the name Lush Kingdom come from? I was walking home on a nice, sunny day. Everything just felt cool. I was looking at the Northern Range. There were these wonderful colors in people’s gardens. I thought, “I’m living in a lush kingdom.”  

What advice do you have for aspiring designers? Find your point of view. All of us have unique stories that people are interested in hearing. The best you can do is share and show your point of view.

James Hackett’s Top Trinidad Picks

Food trucks at Eddie Hart Frounds (El Dorado): The vendors offer such a variety of street foods, including the ever-popular doubles, which are two flatbreads with chickpeas inside.  

Macqueripe Beach: It’s one of the quieter beaches. You reach it on a wonderful walk, descending through the bushes. It feels like a secret adventure.

Maracas Falls: It’s such a lush environment. There’s a natural pool where you can take a dip, get some rest and then hike back out.

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“In my films and in my life, I am constantly looking to show untold stories of the Caribbean,” says Trinidadian filmmaker Mariel Brown. Her documentaries, which have won four prizes at the Trinidad and Tobago Film Festival, provide insightful portraits of her fellow islanders. She has chronicled the life of the country’s first prime minister (Inward Hunger: The Story of Eric Williams), showcased the herculean effort behind making a Carnival band (The Insatiable Season), and explored her relationship with her late father, Wayne Brown (Unfinished Sentences), a celebrated poet, author and former contributor to Yachting.

Brown also helps her fellow auteurs on Trinidad and Tobago share their stories through FilmCo, a nonprofit that serves as a unified voice for the fledgling film community. “We’re creating a space where film matters and where filmmakers are taken seriously,” Brown says. February saw the launch of FilmCo2Go, the first streaming service with all-Caribbean content.

Brown and FilmCo also now helm the Trinidad and Tobago Film Festival, which unspooled in virtual fashion this past year. “That made it possible to engage with more people from farther afield, which was wonderful,” she says. Look for the festival’s 16th edition this September.

What distinguishes the Trinidad and Tobago Film Festival? It’s the one festival where you can see only Caribbean content. The productions are either made by Caribbean people or about the Caribbean.

How did your father’s passion for sailing feature in your life? He was a lifelong sailor who wrote beautifully about sailing and water in his poetry. A great deal of my childhood and teen years revolved around sailing with him on his boat, Lisa. In Unfinished Sentences, the water is the continuous thread that unites all the visuals and shows how important the sea was to him.

Mariel Brown’s Best of Trinidad

Ali’s Roti Shop (St. James): Their beef and bhagi roti is delicious. A stop at Ali’s is one of the first things I do when returning to Trinidad.

Maracas Beach: It’s one of our prettiest beaches. I love diving in the large, rhythmic waves and having a shark-and-bake on a sunny day.

Queen’s Park Savannah (Port of Spain): I come here in the afternoons to sit, people-watch, and drink coconut water straight from the coconut.

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There was never doubt about which instrument Seion Gomez would play. After all, the award-winning steel-pan arranger was born in Trinidad, the birthplace of steel pan. His father was a founding member of Phase II Pan Groove, a steel band celebrated for its musical innovations. Gomez first picked up the sticks at age 9 and was arranging for steel bands across Trinidad by age 18.

Nowhere is Gomez’s talent on greater display than at Panorama, the annual steel-band competitions that take place in the islands. “Panorama is the Super Bowl of steel pan in Trinidad and Tobago, and throughout the Caribbean,” he explains.

Gomez established himself as a star at the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Panorama, held every July, leading the Sion Hill Euphonium Steel Orchestra to six consecutive titles. But this native son takes special pride in leading the 90-member Buccooneers Steel Orchestra in Trinidad and Tobago’s Panorama, held in the weeks before Carnival in February.

“When a performance is going well, the experience is like heaven,” he says. “You close your eyes, and the music takes you. The more you listen, the more you hear, and you can’t let it go.”

What do you enjoy about playing steel pan? It is a mix of different emotions. At one time, it’s going to be this big boost [of] energy and a real cool and continuous vibe. Then other times, you’ll get that calm, soothing sensation.

What makes for a winning Panorama performance? When it’s well-organized, and you have good music on well-tuned instruments—those are ingredients for a perfect performance.

How are you raising the level of steel-pan performances? As an instructor at the University of Trinidad and Tobago, I have the opportunity to mold young minds to create something new. We’re getting some ingenious ideas; I think you’re in store for some really good music.

Top Spots in Trinidad & Tobago

Chaud (Port of Spain, Trinidad): It has a mix of cuisines but with a local touch. Their ambience, food, service and setting are all quite nice.

Maracas Beach (Trinidad): I think visitors know the beach because of Richard’s Bake & Shark [a well known street-food restaurant specializing in shark]. But for me, it’s all about relaxation.

Nylon Pool (Tobago): It’s warm, serene and relaxing, with the ocean water just above your knees. It’s a gorgeous place to be.

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