Trinidad and Tobago travel advice

This advice has been reviewed and reissued with an amendment to the Summary (removal of reference to Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting paragraph). The overall level of the advice has not changed.

Travel Summary

• You should be aware that there are high levels of violent crime, especially shootings and kidnappings. British nationals have been victims of violent attacks, particularly in Tobago where law enforcement is weak. See the Crime section of this advice.
  

• Around 57,000 British nationals visited Trinidad and Tobago in 2006 (Source: Central Statistical Office). 85 British nationals required consular assistance in Trinidad and Tobago in the period 01 April 2006 – 31 March 2007. The main types of incident for which they required consular assistance were for: replacing lost and stolen passports; violent crime; and dealing with arrests or detentions, mostly for drugs offences.
  

• The hurricane season in the Caribbean normally runs from June to November. See the Natural Disasters section of travel advice and our Tropical cyclones page.
  

• There is an underlying threat from terrorism. Attacks could be indiscriminate, including in places frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers. See the Terrorism section of this advice.
  

• We recommend that you obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling. You should check any exclusions, and that your policy covers you for all the activities you want to undertake. See the General (Insurance) section of this advice and our Travel Insurance page.

Safety and security

Terrorism

There is an underlying threat from terrorism. Attacks, although unlikely, could be indiscriminate, including in places frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers.

For more general information see our Terrorism Abroad page.

Crime

Trinidad

There is an increasing level of gang related violence and crime in Trinidad. Incidents are concentrated in the inner city neighbourhoods east of Port of Spain's city centre, particularly Laventille, Morvant and Barataria, but can occur in other areas.

Theft from vehicles and property can be a problem in parts of downtown Port of Spain and in other urban areas. Cruise ship passengers should take particular care when walking around the docks and downtown, and should avoid straying into areas affected by gang violence. There has also been a worrying increase in violent crime, muggings and robberies in all areas in 2009. There have also been attacks, some involving firearms, at tourist sites, including Fort George, the Pitch Lake, Las Cuevas beach and also at car parks of supermarkets, shopping malls, nightclubs, restaurants and business premises, including hairdressers and vegetable stalls. There have been a number of incidents involving British nationals, including stabbings and violent attacks.

You should not carry large amounts of cash or wear eye-catching jewellery. Use hotel safety deposit boxes to store valuables, money and passports. Do not walk alone in deserted areas even in daylight.

Tobago

Although many visits to Tobago are trouble free, crime against tourists in Tobago and the inability of the Tobago authorities to apprehend and prosecute the perpetrators remains a concern. The authorities on the island are taking positive steps and the response times of the police have improved.

There have been a number of serious robberies against tourists and residents. Some of these incidents have been accompanied by violence, including attempted rape. In August 2009 a British couple were attacked in their home in Bacolet. The couple suffered life threatening injuries that required medical evacuation to Port of Spain.In Bon Accord a British visitor was subject to a robbery and sexual assault at her villa in the Black Rock area. Caution is therefore advised when renting villas in Tobago. All villas should have adequate security measures in place, including the provision of external security lighting, grills and 24-hour security guards. You should be aware of your surroundings at all times and preferably carry a mobile 'phone with roaming capability for use in emergency. Petty theft from cars has also increased.

Visitors are advised to visit isolated beaches such as Englishman's Bay and King Peter's bay only as a member of an organised group. Consult your tour operator if in doubt. For more general information see our Rape and Sexual Assault Abroad page.

For more general information see our Victims of Crime Abroad page.

Political Situation

Trinidad and Tobago Country Profile

Local Travel

Road Travel

The standard of driving in Trinidad and Tobago is erratic. High speed road accidents on the main East/West and North/South highways in Trinidad that result in fatalities are a regular occurrence. Some of the roads are narrow and winding and the surface of a low standard. When hiring a car, you should drive with care. If you do not have a vehicle, you should use hotel taxis, particularly after dark.

For more general information see our Driving Abroad page.

Sea Travel

In June 2007 an accident involving two bathers and a motorised boat resulted in serious injuries and an air evacuation. Bathers should be aware that no local maritime legislation in Trinidad and Tobago law exists under which boat drivers can be charged and prosecuted for reckless driving following an incident.

For more general information see our River and Sea Safety page.

Local laws and customs

Drug traffickers face severe penalties in Trinidad and Tobago. The authorities are alert to the carriage of illicit drugs of any kind and checks are thorough. You should pack all luggage yourself and do not carry items which do not belong to you.

Trinidad and Tobago has a number of laws, which make certain homosexual acts illegal.

You should be aware that it is an offence for anyone, including children, to dress in camouflage clothing.

For more general information for different types of travellers see our Your Trip page.

Entry requirements

Visas

British visitors do not need visas to enter Trinidad and Tobago. Visitors are generally given 90 days to remain in the country but extensions can be obtained from the Passport and Immigration Department, 67 Frederick Street, Port of Spain.

Passport validity

You should ensure that your passport has a minimum of six months’ validity before entering Trinidad and Tobago.

Health

In some areas of Trinidad and Tobago medical facilities can be limited and may not be up to UK standards. Private clinics are able to treat most ordinary problems, but there may be a need for medical evacuation to Miami or elsewhere in cases of serious accident or illness. You should check that your insurance covers this.

Dengue Fever is common to Latin America and the Caribbean and can occur throughout the year. There has been a marked increase in the number of reported cases in Trinidad in 2008.

There have been some reports of a yellow fever outbreak amongst the monkey populations in rural forested areas on the island of Trinidad. This has lead to an increased demand for yellow fever vaccines from hospitals and clinics.

Please refer to your GP and advice contained within the links below for guidance.

In the 2008 Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic the UNAIDS/WHO Working Group estimated that around 13,000 adults aged 15 or over in Trinidad & Tobago were living with HIV; the prevalence rate was estimated at around 1.5% of the adult population. This compares to the prevalence rate in adults in the UK of around 0.2%. You should exercise normal precautions to avoid exposure to HIV/AIDS. For more general information on how to do this see our HIV and AIDS page.

You should seek medical advice before travelling to Trinidad & Tobago and ensure that all appropriate vaccinations are up-to-date. For further information on vaccination requirements, health outbreaks and general disease protection and prevention you should visit the websites of the National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC) and NHS Scotland's Fit For Travel or call NHS Direct on 0845 46 47.

For more general information see our Travel Health and Swine Flu pages and the UK Department of Health at: www.dh.gov.uk .

Natural disasters

Earthquakes

Earthquakes are a potential threat and tremors are felt occasionally. For advice on how to protect yourself in the event of being caught in an earthquake or tremor, please see: http://www.geologyuk.com/index.htm

Hurricanes

The hurricane season in Trinidad and Tobago normally runs from June to November. You should monitor local and international weather updates from the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO). You can also access the National Hurricane Centre for updates. Please also see our Tropical cyclones pages for more detailed information about what to do if you are caught up in a hurricane.

General

Insurance

We recommend that you obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling. You should check any exclusions, and that your policy covers you for all the activities you want to undertake. For more general information see our Travel Insurance page.

If things do go wrong when you are oversees then see our When Things Go Wrong page.

Registering with the British High Commission

We recommend you register with our LOCATE service to tell us when and where you are travelling abroad or where you live abroad so our consular and crisis staff can provide better assistance to you in an emergency. More information about registering with LOCATE can be found here.

Honorary Consul, Tobago

The British High Commission has an honorary consul in Tobago, James Morshead, who can assist in cases of emergency & lost passports. His telephone number is (00) (1) (868) 639 8855, mobile number (00) (1) (868) 680 4609. In his absence, Jeremy Knott provides back-up cover. He can be contacted on (00) (1) (868) 639 2689 or mobile numbers (00) (1) (868) 631 8269 or (00) (1) (868) 374 9822.

These telephone numbers are not for casual enquiries and should only be used in cases of genuine emergency.