Martinique Carnival
One of the most welcoming events in Martinique is the fantastic four-day carnival. Held annually from the last Sunday before Ash Wednesday, the parties and processions around Fort-de-France are a wonderful sight. Each day has a theme and the whole island comes to a standstill, so don’t plan anything else during this time. Look out for the scary devils’ costumes on Fat Tuesday and also those crazy bwa bwa puppets!
• www.martinique.org

Trinidad and Tobago Carnival
A little further south, Trinidad and Tobago will be celebrating what many see as the greatest carnival of them all. Believed to have started around 1783 with the arrival of the French, the island sways to the sounds of local soca and calypso music, and the stunning masquerade musicians are a joy to watch. Carnival Tuesday begins at 8am and one of the many highlights is the hotly contested Band of the Year competition.
• www.gotrinidadandtobago.com/trinidad/carnival

Plus...
January 8-February 22 
Guadeloupe Carnival
February 18
Mardi Croix, St Croix
February 15-21 
Carnaval de Ponce, Puerto Rico Carnival
February 20-21
The Real Mas, Dominica
February 27
Santo Domingo Carnival, Dominican Republic
April 19-May 2 
St Maarten Carnival
April 22-28
St Thomas Carnival
June 29-July 10
Vincy Mas, SVG
July TBA
St Lucia Carnival
July-August TBA
Anguilla Summer Festival, Anguilla
July-August TBA Crop Over Festival, Barbados
July 28-August 7
Antigua Carnival
August 13-14
Spice Mas, Grenada Carnival
December-January TBA
St Kitts and Nevis