You may have to shuttle over
from Trinidad.

Area: Located 22 miles from Trinidad, Tobago covers just 116 square miles. The island is cigar-shaped, 26 miles long and 9 miles wide.

Language: English.

Population: About 47,000.

Time Zone: Atlantic Standard Time, 1 hour ahead of Eastern Standard Time.

Time Zone: Atlantic Standard Time, 1 hour ahead of Eastern Standard Time.

Rainy Season: June through December. Showers can be torrential, real frog stranglers, but usually clear quickly. Both Trinidad and Tobago are well south of the normal hurricane belt, but powerful storms don't respect any man-made boundaries and hurricanes still clobber the region periodically.

Documents: U.S. & Canadian citizens need a birth certificate with some form of photo ID that is valid for 2 months. For everyone else, passports are required of anyone above 16. Visas are required of some citizens. Entry permits are good for 1 month. If you plan to stay longer, ask for up to 3 months on arrival since extensions can be a time-consuming process. An ongoing, dated ticket (not open-ended) may also be required at immigration, plus proof you are able to support yourself during your stay. A specific address for your stay will also be requested.

Currency: The Trinidad and Tobago or TT dollar is worth about TT$6.24=US$1. This is a floating rate that has steadily been declining in value since 1985. Banks are open 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 9 a.m. to noon, 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday. US currency is readily accepted everywhere. Banks may charge a fee for cashing traveler's checks.

Taxes & Tipping: The hotel room tax is 10% and the service charge (tacked on to about everything) is also 10%. There's also a 15% value added tax on all goods and services. An exit tax is required upon leaving: TT$100 and it must be paid in the local currency, a real annoyance.   

Electrical Current: Either 115 or 220 volts, 60 cycle on both Trinidad & Tobago.

Getting There: As the national airline of Trinidad and Tobago, BWIA (www.bwee.com) offers the most frequent shuttle service from Trinidad; at least 12 flights daily but weekends can be very crowded. LIAT (www.liatairline.com) also flies in from other islands. The airport runway has been extended so it can now accept direct international flights. Check other carriers, particularly American Airlines and American Eagle ( www.aa.com ).

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