Shake your Caribbean carnival booty Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago
Rio might grab all the attention, but the flesh-flashing party that goes hand in hand with the mass participation Carnival in Trinidad and Tobago is every bit as explosively colourful and crazy, minus the crowds of tourists. Steel bands, elaborate costumes, stick fighting and limbo competitions all form part of the tropical two-day festival, which kicks off on different dates in February or March each year.
It starts at 4am on the Monday before Ash Wednesday, with the main celebrations – masqueraders in costume, bands in competition and plenty of people watching on – taking over Tuesday.
Trinidad & Tobago
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Flights and accommodation fill up fast for Carnival. Make sure to book well in advance.