Where to stay in Trinidad and Tobago, the short answer
The best area to stay in Trinidad and Tobago depends on the trip you want, with options spread from Castara, Tobago, Culloden Bay and Golden Lane, Tobago, Arima and the Northern Range, Trinidad to Grande Riviere, Trinidad. Every stay we recommend below is genuinely sustainable and chosen so your money stays on the island.
Where to stay in Trinidad and Tobago by area, at a glance
| Area | Best for | The vibe | Our sustainable pick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Castara, Tobago | couples and slow travellers wanting an unspoilt fishing village | laid back fishing bay, no big resorts | Castara Retreats |
| Culloden Bay and Golden Lane, Tobago | divers, snorkellers and nature lovers wanting total quiet | secluded reef coast, eco lodge territory | See guide |
| Arima and the Northern Range, Trinidad | birdwatchers and rainforest and wildlife enthusiasts | misty rainforest valley, birding heartland | Asa Wright Nature Centre & Lodge |
| Grande Riviere, Trinidad | turtle watchers and adventurous off the beaten track travellers | remote turtle nesting coast | Mt. Plaisir Estate Hotel |
Quick picks
- Castara, Tobago: couples and slow travellers wanting an unspoilt fishing village
- Culloden Bay and Golden Lane, Tobago: divers, snorkellers and nature lovers wanting total quiet
- Arima and the Northern Range, Trinidad: birdwatchers and rainforest and wildlife enthusiasts
- Grande Riviere, Trinidad: turtle watchers and adventurous off the beaten track travellers
Castara: A Quiet Fishing Village
Fly into Tobago’s A.N.R. Robinson airport at Crown Point (airport code TAB), then it is roughly a 45 to 50 minute drive up the leeward coast, easiest by hire car or pre booked taxi as bus services are infrequent. Castara is a small working fishing village wrapped around two sandy bays with guesthouses rather than chain hotels, suiting visitors after a quiet, local paced escape rather than nightlife.
Where to stay in Castara, Tobago
Castara Retreats is a top place to stay in Castara, Tobago, Trinidad and Tobago
Castara Retreats is a Green Key certified, locally led eco lodge of treehouse style cottages set where the rainforest meets Castara Bay on Tobago’s quiet leeward coast, a partnership between a British family and Tobagonian local management with a real stake in the business.
Solar panels supplement the power and the in house Caribbean Kitchen cooks from scratch with locally grown produce, while the retreat sponsors the Environmental Research Institute Charlotteville (ERIC) to regenerate the coral reef in Castara Bay and was built by some forty villagers using local labour and materials.
Arima and the Northern Range: Birds and Rainforest
From Trinidad’s Piarco airport near Port of Spain (airport code POS) it is only around a 25 to 40 minute drive to the town of Arima, then a winding climb up into the Arima Valley where the Asa Wright area sits at roughly 1,200 feet, so a hire car or arranged transfer is the practical choice. This is the lush, bird rich heart of the forested Northern Range, ideal for naturalists, hikers and anyone wanting cool green hills rather than beaches.
Where to stay in Arima and the Northern Range, Trinidad
Asa Wright Nature Centre & Lodge is a top place to stay in Arima and the Northern Range, Trinidad, Trinidad and Tobago
Asa Wright Nature Centre & Lodge is a Green Key certified rainforest reserve lodge in the Arima Valley of Trinidad’s Northern Range, a locally run conservation centre and one of the oldest nature lodges in the Caribbean.
Solar panels installed with an EU funded grant cut its carbon footprint, alongside water conservation, waste sorting and a zero plastics approach, with the surrounding protected forest reserve safeguarding the birds and wildlife at the heart of the centre’s mission.
Grande Riviere: Turtle Watching
Grande Riviere lies on Trinidad’s wild northeast coast, a long drive of roughly two to two and a half hours from Piarco airport (POS) over slow mountain roads, so a hire car or a transfer arranged through your lodge is strongly advised. It is a small, remote village famous as one of the world’s densest leatherback turtle nesting beaches, suiting travellers who want raw nature and seasonal turtle watching over comfort and convenience.
Where to stay in Grande Riviere, Trinidad
Mt. Plaisir Estate Hotel is a top place to stay in Grande Riviere, Trinidad, Trinidad and Tobago
Mt.
Plaisir Estate Hotel is a Green Key certified eco lodge on a former cocoa estate in Grande Riviere, set directly on the beach that holds the world’s densest concentration of nesting leatherback turtles. The property is solar powered and its rooms are designed to block bright and white light that would disturb the turtles, while the village beyond is fitted with turtle friendly streetlights, tying the hotel into the community’s long running leatherback conservation work.
When is the best time to visit Trinidad and Tobago?
The driest, sunniest stretch runs from January to May, with February to April the most reliable and March typically the driest month, which is also the peak window thanks to good weather and the late winter and spring season. The wetter season runs roughly June to December with October usually the rainiest, though September often brings a brief drier, cheaper spell. Trinidad and Tobago sits at the far southern edge of the Caribbean below the main hurricane belt, so although the Atlantic hurricane season officially runs 1 June to 30 November, direct hits are rare and the islands are generally considered a lower risk choice within the region.
Is Trinidad and Tobago safe, and how do you get around?
Be aware that Trinidad has a high level of violent crime and a nationwide State of Emergency has been in force and repeatedly extended (most recently extended on 11 June 2026); the UK FCDO is not advising against travel but urges heightened caution, with specific care around parts of downtown Port of Spain and named districts such as Laventille, Morvant and Beetham, while Tobago is generally quieter, so always check the latest gov.uk advice before booking. They drive on the left as in the UK and most hire cars are right hand drive, which feels familiar for British drivers; a hire car is effectively essential for the rural areas in this guide as public transport is limited, and an International Driving Permit alongside your UK licence is recommended. The currency is the Trinidad and Tobago dollar (TTD), US dollars and cards are widely accepted in tourist spots, and tipping is usually around 10 per cent, though many sit down restaurants already add a service charge so check the bill first.
Why we only list sustainable stays in Trinidad and Tobago
Every hotel in this guide was hand picked and checked for how it actually runs, and most are locally rooted so your money stays in local hands rather than leaving with an all inclusive chain. For the full breakdown with photos and booking links see our guide to the best sustainable hotels in Trinidad and Tobago, or zoom out to the best sustainable hotels across the Caribbean.