Tobago's beaches need repellent. Trinidad's rainforest adds a vaccine question.

Yes. Trinidad and Tobago has mosquitoes all year, including Aedes aegypti, the day-biting species that spreads dengue, plus sand flies on the beaches around sunset. Dengue has been low since a large outbreak in 2024, and the one travel-clinic question is the CDC's yellow fever vaccine advice for densely forested areas on Trinidad, which doesn't cover a Tobago-only trip or a cruise stop.

Dengue since the 2024 outbreak

Dengue is endemic here, and 2024 was a big year. The outbreak built through the middle of the year, with lab-confirmed cases in the hundreds by July and deaths reported, after just 57 cases and no deaths in 2023. Published 2024 totals vary.

The numbers since then are small. The Health Minister said there were 28 confirmed cases and no deaths from January to July 2025. For 2026, the Pan American Health Organization's weekly tables list Trinidad and Tobago only once, with 59 suspected cases through mid-July. Reporting is patchy, so the full 2026 picture is unclear. There is no CDC travel notice, and the country isn't on the CDC's global dengue list.

January to April is the dry season and the lower-transmission months. Carnival falls in February, and its fetes and parades keep you outdoors in Port of Spain for long days, which is when Aedes bites, with peaks after sunrise and in the late afternoon. Put repellent on over sunscreen before you head out, and reapply after you sweat it off or swim. Our dengue & Zika routine has the full schedule.

Trinidad's forests and the yellow fever vaccine

The CDC's Trinidad and Tobago page says, "Vaccine is recommended for travelers ≥9 months old going to densely forested areas on Trinidad." It adds, "Vaccine is not recommended for cruise ship passengers, airplane passengers in transit, or travel limited to Tobago." For entry, "Vaccine is not required."

The same CDC page lists leishmaniasis, spread by forest sand flies that bite from dusk to dawn, which is one more reason for long sleeves, long pants and permethrin-treated clothing on Northern Range trails.

Sunset on the sand

On the beaches, most bites come at the edges of the day. Sand flies, the tiny biting midges Americans call no-see-ums, come out around sunset on both islands and go for ankles and lower legs, and mosquitoes become a nuisance after dark. Tobago's breezier Atlantic side has a reputation for fewer mosquitoes, and a night of turtle watching on the sand tends to bring more sand flies than mosquitoes. Wear light long trousers for an evening on the beach and spray feet and calves before sunset. Our Barbados sand fly guide explains the midge's schedule.

Where you're going

Here is how the main areas compare for a December–April trip.

Heading on to Grenada? Our Grenada briefing covers St. George's, Grand Anse and Carriacou.

What travelers report

Paraphrased from a forum thread and linked so you can read it in full. It isn't dated, and bites on the beach change a lot with the wind and the hour.

• Tobago (Crown Point) and Trinidad beaches · December trip; sunset

  A traveler badly bitten in Belize asked whether Tobago's sand flies would be as bad before a December trip. One reply had no sand fly problem in Tobago but found mosquitoes a nuisance after sunset; another said sand flies on Trinidad beaches come out around sunset. Posters advised long trousers on the beach in the evening, since bites below the knee are usually sand flies. TripAdvisor ↗

Two last notes. The CDC's page lists Zika, so if you're pregnant, review the CDC's Zika guidance with a healthcare provider before you go. And any fever during or after your trip means a doctor visit, and you tell them you were in Trinidad and Tobago. Dengue usually shows up within two weeks of the bite.

Traveler questions