Soca Islands — Local services in New York

For those of you are looking to book with a travel group, here's my review on Soca Islands

Trinidad Carnival 2/26 - 3/6: with Soca Islands

I booked an all-inclusive package with Soca Islands, which included VIP fete tickets, a costume with Yuma + costume collection, hotel accommodations, costume photoshoot, airport transfers, and group transportation to and from events. Yes, I know you can book everything yourself, but I didn’t want the hassle of figuring it all out since this was my first time in Trinidad. I’m a pay-for-convenience kind of gyal!

Booking Process: Super easy to book through their website. They have a chat function where you can ask questions before booking, and they provide a general itinerary upfront so you know what you're signing up for. They also offer payment plans, which is a plus.

Cost: $3,350 without costume $4,300 with Front Line Costume

and honestly, worth every penny for a stress-free experience!

Itinerary & Organization: Hands down, the most organized trip I’ve ever been on. They were transparent, clear, and over-communicated (in the best way possible). ✔️ Text reminders throughout the day ✔️ Final itinerary emailed weeks before the trip, with links to past events so you could see how people dressed ✔️ Detailed packing list, clothing themes, helpful apps, and maps ✔️ No surprises—very detailed itinerary

Accommodations: Soca Islands offered two hotel options: Kapok Hotel and Hololo Haven. I stayed at Hololo Haven.

✔️ Clean rooms with balconies ✔️ Air conditioning (very important because my friends stayed in an Airbnb with no AC 😩) ✔️ 30 minutes from the airport in a quiet residential area ✔️ Welcoming concierge ✔️ Meals included: Breakfast and lunch provided

Transportation: ✔️ Group travel was included, so we all met at a designated bus, got taken to our events, and picked up afterward. ✔️ Clear meetup times & locations for every event. ✔️ Spacious, air-conditioned buses made travel easy. ✔️ Private driver option available if you prefer to go solo or with friends. No need to worry about hunting for rides—transport was smooth and well-coordinated.

Food: ✔️ Most events included food & drinks with admission. ✔️ Plenty of street vendors outside events for quick bites. ✔️ Food delivery apps available if you want to order in. Great variety of cuisines too. ✔️ Hotel provided daily snacks, bottled water, and juice.

Nightlife & Events: See photos for Itinerary AM Beach, Scorch Unite, Phucket, AM Bush, Soca Brainwash, Sunny Side Up, Jouvert ✔️ Tickets to all events were prepurchased and already included. ✔️ You can skip events or come & go on your own using a rideshare. ✔️ No pressure to stick with the group—you can do your own thing.

Safety: Met several solo female travelers, and they had no issues. Strong police presence at events made things feel safe. As long as you take normal precautions, you’ll be fine traveling alone.

Final Thoughts: Soca Islands delivered an incredible Carnival experience—organized, transparent, and stress-free. Communication was top-tier, and I never had to guess what was happening next. 10/10...

Best. Trip. Ever! Long review alert but I can't say enough about my great experience with Soca Islands. We went as a group of 8 (as part of a larger group) and everyone had the time of their lives!

To start, all of the fetes were phenomenal! There was a different vibe at each one so we experienced a variety of celebrations. Not sure how we made it to all of them but we did! #teamnosleep. Roger's advice on when to arrive/leave was spot on to maximize our fun. The cultural events and the beach trip to unwind were amazing to experience as well.

The accommodations - I really liked Kapok hotel. It wasn't what we originally chose so when Roger said we moved, I was nervous. But it was clean, the staff was nice, the food was good (try the lamb burger and the pizza) and it was close to the action. We walked back after Monday's parade.

Next, Roger was flexible and communicative with our opinionated group at every step, and he always answered questions with grace & patience. When things didn't go as planned (which happens with large groups, larger crowds and spotty cell service) he was quick to communicate and execute a solution. If you don't do well waiting on other people, I suggest you opt for separate transportation (cuz people be hella late).

Most important were the vibes - and our group was top tier vibes at all times. The party wasn't only at the fetes, but carried over onto the maxi rides! And when we were out on di road, everyone looked out for each other.

Lastly, Roger was extremely accommodating. I was proposed to on di road (completely surprised) and the Soca Islands photographer was there to capture all the angles!!! (so grateful). He also captured other epic moments of our group throughout the week (we were lit lit!). Additionally, the morning after the carnival parade, I requested if Soca Islands could arrange an impromptu trip to Avocat waterfall (it wasn't included in our itinerary). Within an hour he had the details to us and within 2 we were on our way. Oh and the goodie backpack filled with useful items was a nice unexpected touch!

I will say this as my only critique - before booking, when I was researching which company to use, I had a BUNCH of questions. Soca Islands was slow to respond and that made me a little nervous about moving forward (I mean, it was a lot of $). But I took a chance, and I'm so so SO glad I did. Once booked, and as we got closer to the trip, ALL of my questions were answered and my mind was put at ease.

I would HIGHLY recommend Soca Islands to anyone doing Trinidad Carnival (especially for the first time). This was the trip of a lifetime! And Roger is definitely on the guest list for our wedding in 2025!!!! Thank you for a beautiful and fun-filled experience. -...

Dennis and I (Deborah) are retired US Military Personnel and have traveled the world for work and personal reasons. We have traveled with groups and by ourselves with the intent of exploring new regions and experiencing the local culture.

I must admit traveling with Soca Islands Tours far exceeded our expectations. We were prepared for the normal tourist adventure. We were pleasantly surprised with the experience of a lifetime. This says a lot from seasoned travelers.

What really made the difference, in addition to the varied itinerary, was the host expertise and interaction. Roger was an amazing host. He was able to pivot to accommodate as necessary the group's desire and make recommendations to ensure a meaningful/pleasurable experience. We were even blessed with an add-on to the itinerary (Malaysia) which was remarkable.

Overall we enjoyed the established tours and all the accommodations were top tier hotels. We enjoyed the group make up; coming from various Caribbean Islands and as far as from the United States. Had we not used the services of Soca Islands Tours, I am not sure we would have been exposed to many cultural sites (although famous). The cruise in Vietnam was another plus for us.

Thank you to Roger and the team for the top notch service we received throughout the entire process. We are actually looking forward to our next adventure with Soca Islands Tours. We are Soca Islands...