Pura Vida View
Turks and Caicos is absolutely beautiful and definitely at the top of my list of places I will visit again. I have been there twice, both times we stayed on Providenciales island. The first time, I was with my entire family and we rented a house for a week in Grace Bay. There are many private homes for rent on the island and it's a great option for large groups.
Most recently, my husband and I were there for ten days celebrating our one year anniversary and belated covid honeymoon. We stayed on Grace Bay Beach, recipient of the World's Best Beach award for years by several travel and tourism publications. We were at the West Bay Club, a smaller resort affiliated with Grace Bay Resorts. It was nice, not super fancy, but our ocean front suite was amazing.
We had a rental car and explored the entire island by car and boat. We enjoyed snorkeling, boating, golfing, and exploring well known restaurants and beaches as well as "off the beaten path" local favorite spots. We truly made the most of every day we were there.
Providenciales
Turks and Caicos Islands consist of 40 islands and cays (pronounced keys). The Caicos Islands are Providenciales, Middle Caicos, North Caicos, South Caicos, East Caicos and West Caicos
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Providenciales is the third largest island in the Turks and Caicos chain of islands and the most visited island because of all that it has to offer to tourists. Known locally as Provo, the 38 square mile island is home to Grace Bay Beach renowned for its white sand and crystal clear turquoise water. There are also several other unspoiled beaches on the island worth exploring such as Long Bay, Sapodilla Bay, Malcolm Beach, Pelican Beach, amongst others.
Provo was largely undeveloped until the 1990s at which time its population was just under 5,000. The first hotel in 1990 began a development surge and over the next decade the tourist industry boomed. It is now the most populated and developed island of the Turks and Caicos.
There is a large dock to accommodate yachts and container ships as well as an International airport, the Providenciales airport, which is the only airport and the main point of entry for all of Turks and Caicos. Island tours can be arranged from Provo to the other islands via ferry or by plane. You can ride the TCI Ferry to explore North and Middle Caicos and recently they have started to offer twice a week ferry service to South Caicos
Besides tourism, fishing is a major contributor to the island's economy. The Caicos Bank, is a shallow sea with coral reefs just south of the island which is abundant with conch and lobster.
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Best
Time
To
Visit
It is beautiful year round, however there are some months that are better than others. The best months to visit are between April and June. May - July are also good months to be in Turks and Caicos but keep in mind Hurricane season runs from June - November. Late summer through the end of fall is the rainy season.
The busiest season coincides with the holiday and spring break and runs from December through March.
A Few Facts
Language: English is the official language of the Turks and Caicos and is spoken by a majority of the population. You can easily distinguish the language of the natives and tourists as the natives speak an English-based Creole, which is a blend of English Vocabulary with African grammar.
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Currency: U.S. Dollar
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Passport: A valid passport is required for entry and exit.
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Getting Around: cars are the main means of transport for residents and visitors. There is no train, bus or subway service. There is also no public transport, although some resorts and tour companies offer shuttles. There are taxis, but they can be quite pricy. Drivers drive on the left side of the road as in the UK and some cars even have the drivers seat on the right side. That can take some getting used to. Also there is very little traffic law regulation so it can be a bit unsafe and drivers should be vigilant and keep a safe distance.
Fuel Cost: Gasoline is quite expensive, however most drives are not long distances.
Safety: Turks & Caicos Islands is one of the safest countries in the Caribbean.
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Explore
There are endless things to do on the Turks and Caicos Islands. We had a car so we were able to easily explore most of Provo. We enjoyed driving around and exploring off the beaten path areas and beaches as well as checking out the more populated and touristy areas. But even if you don't rent a car, you can arrange most activities and tours through your resort or the tour companies themselves. There are hundreds of tours to choose from, I could never list them all here, but trust me you will not be bored...if you want to explore and be active while you are in Turks, you will not be disappointed.
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Check out Things to Do in Providenciales
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Coral Reef
The Turks and Caicos Barrier Reef is the third-largest barrier reef in the world. There are over 60 unique coral species and more than 250 fish species. The approximate 340 miles of barrier reef surrounding the Turks and Caicos is what protects and defines the islands and leads to the pristine water with soft waves and white sand beaches. There are several reefs that you can easily access directly from the beach. Some of the most popular are Bright Reef (Coral Gardens), Smith's Reef, and Malcolm's Road Beach Reef. The Barrier Reef is historically one of the most dangerous regions for ocean vessels in the world and it's estimated that the area has seen more than a thousand shipwrecks over the last few centuries. Some of these shipwrecks are now spectacular dive sites.
I think we ate our way through the island we tried and enjoyed so many delicious restaurants.
