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Trinidad

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Trinidad’s Nightlife & Entertainment

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Trinidadians take their entertainment very, very seriously. As Trinidad’s cosmopolitan population has grown more affluent, nightlife and entertainment choices have grown to meet the growing demand, with a range of settings and activities to keep you entertained all night long. The multitude of bars, nightclubs and lounges, roadside watering holes, multi-level VIP clubs with dazzling lights and sizzling cocktails, shows exactly how serious a business partying is to Trinis. What would you like, small lime or a big fête? Do you have the stamina to hop from lime to club to bar to club to late night doubles and back? Whatever. Trinidad has no shortage of entertainment options. And if you just want to enjoy a movie, a play or a concert, you’re covered there too. There’s no shortage of possibilities – find your niche and dive in!

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Arts & Culture

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For those in to the arts there are nearly always music, theatre, and dance performances at several venues to be enjoyed. Theatre, dance and concerts find homes at the Central Bank Auditorium, Queen’s Hall, and the National Academy for the Performing Arts (NAPA) in Port of Spain and San Fernando. The CLR James Auditorium at Cipriani Labour College in Valsayn has become a popular theatre venue, and the University of the West Indies (UWI) in St. Augustine a more serious one. In south Trinidad, the main performance space is Naparima Bowl in San Fernando.

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Bars & Lounges

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It wouldn’t be a true fete culture if we waited until Carnival to party! A large group of people gathered on one spot on a Friday evening, especially at the end of the month, means only one thing: they are drinking away the stress of the week at some favourite watering hole. You’d be hard pressed to find any corner of Trinidad without at least a basic roadside bar where you can shoot pool and sing karaoke while downing a six-pack. In every community and town in Trinidad, bars and pubs abound.

Roadside bars tend to be very basic in design and furnishings, while pubs are more upscale and attract a younger, more affluent clientele. Beyond the basics, there are upscale bars and lounges with swanky interiors, good food (whether you’re looking just for finger food or a good meal) and scintillating signature drinks.
Sports bars have become very trendy. They range from upscale places where you can enjoy a seafood platter and cocktails while watching televised sports off a satellite, to no-frills joints where you can shoot pool and swig ice-cold beers. The higher end ones feature big-screen TVs showing popular sports games; karaoke nights; games areas with pool tables and dart boards; and special themed nights featuring performances from contemporary rock, reggae, soca, jazz, world and fusion bands.

Around Port of Spain

The district of St. James has been called “the city that never sleeps” because of its thumping music, sidewalk vendors and straightforward, down-to-earth drinking dens. You’ll find loads of bars along the Western Main Road. Of these, the most famous is the signature Smokey and Bunty‘s, a legendary liming spot where regular characters who are an evening’s entertainment all by themselves, particularly around Carnival time (hint: be on the look out for “Saucy Pow”). Hereford’s Bar also has its charms: at their infamous Hard Wine Thursdays, you can sample their “horny goat weed.”
Around Port of Spain, Ariapita Avenue – sometimes just called “The Avenue” – is a microcosm of the bar and lounge experience in Trinidad, but there are popular hangouts in all the major towns like St Augustine, Trincity, Arima, Chaguanas and San Fernando. Hotels have modern and well-equipped bars and lounges, often with great ambiance.
So if you’re in Port of Spain and your taste runs more towards the swanky lounge, the sports bar and the night club, head towards Woodbrook. Cutters and live entertainment can be found at Sweet Lime on Ariapita Avenue, next door to the Ma Pau casino. The food, entertainment and atmosphere of Zanzibar, one major road over in MovieTowne, make it a favourite sports bar for group limes, and you can take in a movie or a show at the on-site cineplex and Fiesta Plaza.
Other night spots on the Ariapita Avenue strip include the Corner Bar, Studio, Coco Lounge, the Squeeze, Shakers, and Satchmo’s. At More Vino, you will find wines from around the world and fresh sushi. The neighbouring Drink! Wine Bar features DJs on Friday nights. La Casa de Ibiza, Woodford Café and Trotters serve live and televised entertainment with the food. Not far away, Aura serves cocktails, wines and cutters in elegant surroundings, and Minglers and Earth provide cosy indoor seating and picnic-table style pavement seating along Cipriani Boulevard.

But this only scratches the surface. What about the elegant bars and lounges at hotels like the Kapok (Maraval), the Carlton Savannah and Hilton (St. Ann’s), or the Hyatt Regency (Port of Spain water front).
If you’ve got your dancing shoes, take them to the 51° nightclub, where karaoke starts the party off on a Thursday evening. The Zen Nightclub is noted for four levels of dance floors and bars, including a special VIP level. Katalyst has a nightclub interior with an attractive deck outside; likewise, Club Alchemy has merged the night club and lounge experience. It will cost you $80 to $175 to get into a nightclub, though most clubs run regular free entry and free drinks promotions.
If you still have time and energy, fêtes, parties and live concerts featuring local and international acts might be staged in large outdoor venues like the Queen’s Park Savannah at any time, especially around carnival.
Highlights of South, East and Central
The futuristic Space La Nouba nightclub is a is the place to be in the Southland. The interior, designed by renowned masman Brian McFarlane, hosts popular drinks-inclusive Champagne Fridays and themed party nights. Privé (an exclusive nightclub with guest-list-only entry) and the 110 Jazz and Calypso Lounge are also popular.
Along the east-west corridor, Trincity Mall’s restaurants and bars include the very popular Bootleggers and J. Malone’s. Discerning limers might also drift towards Trevor’s Edge in St. Augustine or Sandbaggers in Trincity.

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Films & Movies

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You can catch the most recent movies at several cinemas, including two multiplexes at MovieTowne, at Invader’s Bay in Port of Spain and Price Plaza in Chaguanas; Caribbean Cinemas 8 in Trincity and Southpark San Fernando; and the Digicel Imax in Port of Spain. MovieTowne hosts the Trinidad and Tobago and European Film Festivals. Classic and independent films are also screened by the Studio Film Club, UWI Campus Film Classics, and at film festivals (including the Trinidad & Tobago and European Film Festivals). The single-screen Globe (Port of Spain) and Palladium (Tunapuna) offer double features and cheap seats.

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Party Time: Hit the Clubs

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Trinidadians love to party, and like to do it in very fine style. And once they’ve started, they don’t like to stop. In the last few years, trendy nightclubs have opened in Arima, San Fernando, Chaguanas and Port of Spain, with themed events almost every day of the week. The more exclusive ones maintain strict dress codes, operate with invitation lists, and usually require ID for entry. But no matter where you are in the country, there is a nightclub you can find to dance the night away.
It’s not only about partying, though. Some of the biggest nightclubs have evolved into spaces that present concerts with local music stars and big-name international pop, R&B, and house music acts. Performances by famous acts, both local and foreign, are staged in large sports arenas and in more intimate club settings, where different floors, or levels, cater to different musical tastes and interests. The party market has fuelled this growth of mega-clubs whose various levels and special VIP areas are packed out all weekend. Some present popular international acts like Trinidad-born Nicki Minaj, Beyonce, Maroon 5, One Direction, the Marleys and others.
Cipriani Boulevard is home to a few, and there are others in every major town in the country, especially around Port of Spain, Chaguanas, St. Augustine, and San Fernando.
When the market for the party or concert is too large for even the biggest clubs, mega-concerts move to huge arenas like the Queen’s Park Oval, the Centre of Excellence, the Jean Pierre Complex, the National Stadium or the Queen’s Park Savannah. They often offer general and VIP (or VVIP!) tickets, with the pricier passes providing you with all-inclusive food and drink. These big party and concert events are concentrated around Carnival time, public holidays, and school vacations.
Apart from the clubs, private promotional outfits host parties at any time of year, with names like Unfaithful, Caution, or Unleashed. Some of these offer free premium drinks as part of an all-inclusive package. During Carnival, the parties (fetes) multiply. Some are intimate, with just a few dozen people, while mega-fetes can be packed with over 10,000 jumping and gyrating party animals. At public fetes you pay for food and drinks, while all-inclusive parties provide food and drinks as part of the ticket price.
Outside the Carnival season, there are always mega-concerts in July and August. The main events are Soca for Summer, featuring a who’s who of soca, and Colours, which features popular Jamaican singers as well as top soca acts.
If soca and calypso aren’t your style, other shows during the year feature every kind of music: gospel, chutney, classical Indian, R&B, hip hop, rock, soca, calypso and house.

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Casinos

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Casinos are “private members’ clubs” in Trinidad, and are threatened with closure. Slot machines were very popular (they were shut down last year), but roulette, baccarat, blackjack, Caribbean stud poker, craps and Rhum 32 were still available at press time. Trinidad residents must first apply to join, but visitors do not have to. The government has in recent years indicated the intention to close down the industry, though nothing concrete has materialised to prevent people from trying their luck! One of the most popular is Ma Pau, next to Sweet Lime on Ariapita Avenue in Woodbrook.

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Driftwood Restaurant & Bar

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Hilton Trinidad

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Skyview Lounge

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Space La Nouba Nightclub

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Trinidad’s Best Beaches, Coast to Coast

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Trinidad is unlikely to come up among “top 10 Caribbean beaches” listings – though magnificent Grande Rivière was recently tipped by British Airway’s High Life magazine as one of the 50 most beautiful in the world – but that doesn’t mean there aren’t countless beaches and activities to fill a day or weekend on a Trini beach. The four coasts are distinct, owing to the three different bodies of water which meet the coastlines.
The most popular beaches are on the north coast: Maracas, Las Cuevas, and Blanchicheusse, though the Atlantic waters can get rough between November and April. The north and northeast coasts also boast the greatest concentration of accommodation, ranging from private beach houses to all-inclusive resorts. But that’s when the northeast, in direct path of the northeast trades, becomes are surf country. Because of the current, be sure to check with locals for advice on the safest bathing areas.
The beaches of the east coast, onto which break the waves from the Atlantic Ocean, are a stark contrast to the popular north coast beaches. The currents are stronger, and it’s unwise to go swimming. West coast beaches are much calmer, sheltered by the Gulf of Paria.
However inviting they may look, it’s best to avoid the beaches in the Chaguaramas area, with the exception of Macqueripe, due to the preponderence of yachts and industry in the area. The same goes for beaches in the southwest and southeast of the island, as the oil and petrochemical industries can sometimes contaminate otherwise pristine beaches.
Here are some of the best and most popular choices for beach excursions in Trinidad.

North coast

Maracas Bay:
Maracas Beach is the most popular beach in the north — great food, good stretch of sand, on-site facilities, surfing if the conditions are right, lifeguards (10am–6pm), and a hotel and gas station nearby. Popular for camping at Easter time (permit required). Currently seeking Blue Flag certification. About 40 minutes from Port of Spain. A refurbishment and upgrade project is supposed to be completed in early 2016
Tyrico Bay:
A great smaller, quieter alternative to Maracas if you’re a bit agorophobic, especially since you’re still a stone’s throw away from Maracas’ amenities. A lifeguard service is usually provided 11am – 5pm daily.

Las Cuevas Bay:
This long, looping Blue Flag beach has great bathing; small caves along the beach to tuck away if you’re not up for sunbathing; white sand, and flowering trees. There is a snack bar; changing facilities including showers and toilets (nominal fee); parking; and lifeguards (typically 10am–6pm daily). About 50 minutes from Port of Spain.

La Fillette:
About 100 winding steps lead down to the rocky beach below. Often calm waters, good for snorkelling.

Blanchisseuse:
Popular weekend getaway. Several hiking trails to the nearby waterfall, into the rainforest, and along the as-yet unpaved north coast. Guesthouses and holiday homes available for rent (springing up in increasing numbers). The Marianne River that flows into the bay is great for kayaking. In season, there’s also good surfing, turtle-watching, plus bird-watching year round. An hour or more from Port of Spain.

Scotland Bay:
Sheltered and secluded bay in Chaguaramas only accessible by boat. Calm clear water good for snorkelling and swimming. About 30 minutes from Port of Spain.
Macqueripe Bay:
Small secluded bay at the end of the Tucker Valley Road in Chaguaramas. Good for swimming and snorkelling, with recently renovated bathroom/changing rooms, car park, children’s play park — and a new zip-lining course overhead. Entrance fee.