Caribbean islands offer Carnival travel choices: St. Lucia, Barbados and more

Trinidad (Feb. 27-28)

(Credit: LatinContent / Getty Images/Sean Drakes)

Trinidad is the mecca for Carnival in the Caribbean. The riotous, multicultural spectacle starts with the pre-dawn J’ouvert (daybreak in French Creole) on Carnival Monday, Feb. 27, when people throw paint on one another. It culminates with Parade of the Bands, where several thousand scantily clad costumed revelers dance to pulsating soca.

Birthplace of the steel pan, Trinidad is an oil-rich country whose ports have long been flooded with empty oil drums. Resourceful locals turned them into instruments. Panorama, the world’s largest steel pan competition, is held over several days in January and February leading up to the big final competition in Queen’s Park Savannah in Port of Spain. Many of the preliminary competitions are held in Port of Spain’s pan yards, where tourists are welcome to hear steel pan bands practice throughout the year.

Tour companies such as Banwari Experience (banwaricaribbean.com) will help you “play mas” with a Carnival band, which means you don a costume and march in the parade. They also can set you up to be part of fêtes, Carnival-themed parties held all over the island that include your food and drink.

WHERE TO STAY Downtown Port of Spain’s traffic is at its worst during Carnival, so consider the Hilton Trinidad (hiltoncaribbean.com/destinations/trinidad.html), within walking distance of Queen’s Park Savannah, where many events are held. Carnival rates begin at $500 a night.

INSIDER TIP If someone asks if you want a wine, they’re not wondering if you’d like a chardonnay. They’re asking if you want to wind — as in wind your hips or gyrate, presumably in tandem with the person asking.

INFO ncctt.org/new

Pictured: The Junior Queen of the Carnival competition is part of the festivities in Port of Spain, Trinidad.