Trinidad and Tobago
About
| The home of carnival, steel bands, calypso and limbo dancing, Trinidad and Tobago's blend of different cultures gives them an air of cosmopolitan excitement. Liming, or talking for talking's sake, is a popular pastime, as is chatting about, watching and playing cricket. Listen to the big steel bands bang their drums around Queen's Park Savannah, a large park in Port of Spain. Panorama, the Grand Steel Drum (pan) tournament is staged a week before Carnival. Treat your taste buds in the rapidly expanding town of Chaguanas where a wide range of West Indian culinary specialities are available. Capture the variety of Trinidadian life in its capital, Port of Spain, where bazaars throng beneath modern skyscrapers and mosques rub shoulders with cathedrals. The architecture of the city incorporates a mixture of styles from Victorian houses to Stollmeyer's Castle, an imitation of a Bavarian Castle. Watch the sun set in Tobago's capital, Scarborough, from the Fort King George and admire the quaint houses spilling down from the hilltop to the waterside, and visit the Court House and the Tobago Museum. |
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| Capital: | Port of Spain (POS) |
| Currency: | Trinidad and Tobago Dollar (TTD) |
| Language: | English. |
| Dialling code from SA: | + 1 868 |
| Time Zones: | UTC / GMT -4 (6 hours behind South Africa) |
| Side of the Road: | Left. |
| Best Time to go: | Trinidad and Tobago has a warm, sunny climate year round. |
| Best For: | Island relaxation |
| Plugs: | 115 volts AC, 60Hz. American-style plugs with two flat pins (and sometimes a third grounding pin) are used. |
| Drinking Water: | Mains water in hotels and towns is safe to drink. Outside of the main towns, water may be contaminated. |
| Health: | There are adequate and well-equipped medical facilities, however visitors are required to pay for these services. Comprehensive health insurance is recommended. |
| Customs: | Normal social courtesies. |
| Local Offences / Laws: | Severe penalties for the use of illegal drugs. Nude or topless bathing is not allowed in Trinidad and Tobago. |
| Duty Free: | The following goods may be imported into Trinidad and Tobago by persons over 17 years of age without incurring customs duty: • 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250g of tobacco • 1.5L of wine or spirits • Goods up to the value of TT$3,000 (you can only claim this limit once a year; if you make multiple trips, a record will be made of each claim until you meet the limit) |
| Prohibited Imports: | Prohibited and restricted imports include firearms, honey, some toy guns and pornography. |
Issuing Authorities
High Commission of Trinidad & Tobago
258 Lawley Street, Waterkloof, 0181
Tel: 012 460 9688
E-mail:hcpretoria@foreign.gov.tt
Consular: hcpretoriaconsular@foreign.gov.tt
Web: foreign.gov.tt/hcpretoria
The High Commission is responsible for the Republic of South Africa, Angola, Namibia, Malawi, Mauritius, Madagascar, Mozambique, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Public Holidays 2025: Jan 1-2; Mar 30-31; Apr 18, 21; May 30; Jun 19; Aug 1, 31; Sep 1, 24; Oct 20; Dec 25-26
Public Holidays 2026: Jan 1; Feb 16-17, Mar 20, 30; Apr 3, 6; May 30; Jun 4; Aug 1, 31; Sep 24; Nov 2-9; Dec 25-26
Visa Requirements
Visas are not required for South African passport holders for tourism or business purposes for a stay of up to 90 days.
Entry Requirements
- Visitors must also have an onward or return ticket to travel to the destination.
- Valid passport (valid for six months after the date of their departure) from their country of citizenship.
SA Representative
Representation accredited from Kingston, Jamaica
Travel Health
| Compulsory: | Yellow Fever |
| Recommended Travel Vaccines: | Hepatitis A & B, Tetanus, Polio |
