17 Interesting Facts any visitor should know about Trinidad and Tobago

Trinidad and Tobago is no ordinary Caribbean destination.  This great twin island destination boasts an extraordinary mix of natural attractions along with a unique cultural heritage which makes a visit to the islands an unforgettable experience.  Here are just a few key facts you should know when visiting:

We are Creative

1. Trinidad is the birthplace of the steel pan. Steel Pan, the national instrument of Trinidad and Tobago is the only acoustic musical instrument to be invented in the 20^th  Century.
   

   Photo by Jose Kevo. Used under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic . View original

2. World acclaimed artist and Carnival Designer, Peter Minshall helped design the opening awards ceremonies for the 1987 Pan American Games, the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, the 1994 Football World Cup and the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics.

We’ve Got the Biggest and the Best

3. Carnival! The Greatest Show in the World – Yes, yes…there are Carnivals all over the Caribbean but none as grand, spectacular and alluring as our very own.  Known as the “Greatest show on Earth!” Trinidad and Tobago’s Carnival is a celebration of history, culture, fashion and art all fused together to produce sensational music, sweet sounds of steel-pan and vibrant, colourful costumes.

3. Trinidad and Tobago has the biggest celebration of Divali in the Western Hemisphere.  Known as the “Festival of Lights”, this religious festival celebrated by the Hindu community is enjoyed by the entire population of Trinidad and Tobago who partake in prayer, reenactments and the lighting of deyas (clay lamps) to symbolize the victory of light over darkness and the return of Rama from his exile in the forests of Ayodhya.
4. Tobago has the Largest Brain Coral in the World – A majestic world can be discovered all with a breath and dive.  Among the fish of all sizes and colours, stingrays, turtles, eels, plants, sponges in the waters of Tobago divers can discover the world’s largest single brain coral colony measuring 10ft (3M) high and 16ft (5.3M) across!
   

   Largest brain coral in the world located at Kelleston Drain, off Little Tobago in Tobago

    

5. The La Brea Pitch Lake – A destination of amazement and mystery, the Pitch Lake is the largest natural deposit of asphalt in the in the world. It is the largest commercial deposit of natural asphalt in the world – one of only three in known existence – and holds approximately 10 million tonnes of asphalt. 
6. Trinidad has the Largest Roundabout in the World – We don’t just have the largest roundabout in the world, the Queen’s Park Savannah is the center stage for Trinidad’s Carnival, cultural competitions and shows, sports, local food and other forms of entertainment while being surrounded by many famous attractions such as the Hollows, the Botanic Gardens and the Magnificent Seven.
7. First Olympic 100 m champion from a Caribbean – Before there was Usain Bolt (long before), in 1976 to be exact, Hasely Crawford running out of lane 1 for Trinidad and Tobago shocked the world to win the Olympic 100m gold medal and become the first Caribbean national in history to do so.

An Eco-Adventurer’s Paradise

9. Trinidad and Tobago is the Best Caribbean Destination for Nature Holidays – With over 470 species of birds, over 600 tropical butterflies including the spectacular Emperor, hundreds of rivers and waterfalls and an abundance of eco-adventures, it’s no wonder why Trinidad and Tobago won the 2015 UK Telegraph Caribbean Travel Award for Best Destination for Nature Holiday. 
10. Trinidad and Tobago is the best Caribbean Destination to see Leatherback Turtles – Each year over 10,000 giant Leatherback turtles visit our shores to nest compelling Time magazine in 2015 to name Trinidad and Tobago as the best place in the world to see Leatherback Turtle hatchlings.

11. Tobago has a Swimming Pool in the Middle of the Ocean – The Nylon Pool is a natural, 1 metre-deep crystal clear swimming pool with a sandy bottom in the middle of the sea created by an offshore sandbar and a still lagoon. Take a rejuvenating swim with the deep ocean on one side and palm fringed beaches on the other.

Photo by Dominic Sayers. Used under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic . View original

We’re a Friendly People who Love to Have Fun

12. T&T is the Happiest Country in the Caribbean – In 2015 (and 2013), the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Solutions Network, ranked Trinidad and Tobago the Caribbean’s happiest country.
13. The limbo dance was created in Trinidad and Tobago.
14. During the Carnival season (January to early March), there are over 100 Carnival Fetes (parties) which take place from early night into the wee hours of the morning.
15. In 2012, CNN listed the Trinidadian accent as one of the sexiest in the world. In the same year, a poll released by Gallup ranked Trinis the fifth most positive people in the world!

Trinidad and Tobago are full of Beautiful People

16. First Black Miss Universe Queen – Miss Trinidad and Tobago 1977, Janelle Penny Commissiong, was the first black contestant to be crowned Miss Universe in the chronology of the Miss Universe Competition. Later in 1998, Wendy Fitzwilliam became the second Miss Universe in history from Trinidad & Tobago and was the third woman of African heritage to capture the Miss Universe crown. [insert image of Penny Commissiong]
17. Beauty Borrowed – The beautiful model in the wet red t-shirt, featured in the Jamaica Tourist Board’s iconic 1972 promotional poster is actually a Trinidad and Tobago born national – Sintra Arunte-Bronte.