Trinidad and Tobago: Harbours, bridges and formalities for sailors
25 harbours
Trinidad and Tobago: 25 harbours, clearing in, papers and fees. Plan your trip with weather, tides and route.
Formalities
outside the EU customs unionCurrency: Trinidad and Tobago dollar
Clearing in: Independent state, outside the EU and Schengen. Ports of entry: Chaguaramas on Trinidad, Scarborough and Charlotteville on Tobago. Give notice of arrival in advance via SailClear; after arrival first the health authority (Port Health), then customs and immigration with the whole crew. Between Trinidad and Tobago and between ports too, clear out and in with customs and immigration. Free of charge during office hours (8 am to 4 pm), otherwise with an overtime fee.
Ausreise: Clear out at a port of entry before departure (port clearance): the next state asks for the certificate on clearing in.
Documents: Passport valid for at least six months; Germans visa-free, usually 90 days stamped on arrival. Boat papers, insurance, crew list and the clearance from the last port. Goods for the boat duty-free only as yacht in transit with proof; customs has been checking this more strictly since November 2025.
Fees: Outside office hours customs 264.20 TTD on arrival and 224.91 TTD on departure, immigration 100 TTD each (as of 1 January 2025); harbour master navigation fee 50 TTD per month, departure tax 75 TTD.
Fairway: Buoyage follows IALA system B: red to starboard when entering from seaward, the reverse of Europe. Strong current in the Bocas del Dragón between Trinidad and Venezuela; yachts have been attacked in the Gulf of Paria and off the north coast: heed coast guard warnings and do not sail near the Venezuelan maritime border at night.
Nature: Buccoo Reef Marine Park and the reef off Speyside (Tobago): do not anchor, use moorings; do not disturb turtles on the beaches from March to September.
Tropical storm season: 1 June to 30 November; Trinidad lies on the southern edge of the hurricane belt and is rarely hit, which is why Chaguaramas is where many yachts spend the season (boatyards with storage ashore). Insurers often require a berth south of 12 N: check your policy.
Emergency: Police 999, fire and rescue 990, ambulance 811; coast guard (TTCG) on VHF channel 16.
Sources: MSATT: Customs and Immigration Fees as of 01/01/2025, Trinidad Cruisers: Clearing Customs and Immigration, Caribbean Compass: Island Spotlight Trinidad (October 2025), Noonsite: Trinidad & Tobago, Auswärtiges Amt: Trinidad and Tobago, travel and safety advice (as of 2026-10-20)
Harbours by cruising area
Tobago (Scarborough, Store Bay, Charlotteville)
- Betsy's Hope
- Buccoo
- Charlotteville (Man of War Bay)
- Parlatuvier
- Plymouth
- Scarborough
- Speyside
- Store Bay (Tobago)
Trinidad (Chaguaramas, Port of Spain)
Frequently asked questions
Trinidad and Tobago: Do I need to clear in?
Independent state, outside the EU and Schengen. Ports of entry: Chaguaramas on Trinidad, Scarborough and Charlotteville on Tobago. Give notice of arrival in advance via SailClear; after arrival first the health authority (Port Health), then customs and immigration with the whole crew. Between Trinidad and Tobago and between ports too, clear out and in with customs and immigration. Free of charge during office hours (8 am to 4 pm), otherwise with an overtime fee.
Trinidad and Tobago: Which documents do I need on board?
Passport valid for at least six months; Germans visa-free, usually 90 days stamped on arrival. Boat papers, insurance, crew list and the clearance from the last port. Goods for the boat duty-free only as yacht in transit with proof; customs has been checking this more strictly since November 2025.
Trinidad and Tobago: What fees apply?
Outside office hours customs 264.20 TTD on arrival and 224.91 TTD on departure, immigration 100 TTD each (as of 1 January 2025); harbour master navigation fee 50 TTD per month, departure tax 75 TTD.
Trinidad and Tobago: What is the emergency number at sea?
Police 999, fire and rescue 990, ambulance 811; coast guard (TTCG) on VHF channel 16.
Trinidad and Tobago: How many harbours does Sailseer cover?
Sailseer covers 25 harbours with harbour info, weather and route planning.