Turks & Caicos Review

Hello love! If you’re following me on Instagram then you’ll see I recently [April 2021] took a trip to the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI). They are a group of islands located in the Caribbean near the Bahamas and the Dominican Republic. This trip was planned 4 weeks in advance and came together perfectly! Pour up a glass of wine [or water!] and read this very informative Turks and Caicos review. Then when you’re done, share it on your social media please.

I booked a flight on Delta to Providenciales (PLS) from Atlanta for $406. [I’m headed there again soon and this flight was nearly $600!] It was a 3 hour non-stop flight. In order to get into TCI you needed:

-a negative PCR Covid test taken no more than 5 days before your arrival date and the complete lab report (they will not accept a rapid test)

-travel insurance that covers COVID-19

-a passport

-a travel authorization that you obtain by filling out a questionnaire and uploading the documents above

I recommend checking directly with Turks and Caicos tourism site for detailed and up to date information about visiting TCI.

Once I arrived at PLS we deplaned and headed into the terminal. The airport is small so you will not walk down a jet bridge. The customs and immigration line was a little long only because two planes arrived at the same time. You show them your travel documents and then you are all set!

We rented a car from Sixt. We ended up with a Honda Fit that was $205. A lot of people rent Jeeps because the roads in TCI are a bit rough. Jeep rentals start at $500+. Because TCI is a British West Indies territory they drive on the left side of the road. I could not write a Turks and Caicos review without mentioning this! This was quite an adjustment to make! There are no traffic lights either, just roundabouts and stop signs. Driving in TCI is not for the faint of heart! Most of the Belongers (natives to the island) drive compact cars too.

Our very first stop was the grocery store, Graceway IGA Supermarket. EVERYTHING is imported into TCI so this means higher prices. Here are just a few examples:

1 pound of sliced turkey: $15
Bottle of mayonnaise: $8
Carton of 18 eggs: $4
Loaf of bread: $3
Stella Rosa Wine: $19
Carton of strawberries: $10
Lay’s bag of chips: $4

We stayed at an AirBnB just 20 minutes away from the airport in Grace Bay. This is the tourist hub with resorts, restaurants, and many things to do. Our AirBnB was a very cute luxury condo in a gated community. We had all the amenities of a condo as it was fully furnished. I loved the location and proximity to Grace Bay Beach and plenty of places to eat. You can check out our AirBnB here! Our AirBnB was about $800 for 4 nights and it was well worth it. [Upon updating this post in February 2022 it’s now upwards of $350 per night.] The shower was amazing! I especially loved the pool deck and everything about it was photo ready.

Okay so let’s talk about food! Everything I ate was great! And especially the drinks. They are heavy handed with the shots over there! Below is a picture of the meals I ordered along with the name of the restaurant. Each of my meals were $25-$70. I did not hold back on ordering whatever I wanted.

Mr. Flounders-fried grouper with jasmine rice and macaroni and cheese. I ordered a second helping of the macaroni and cheese because it was so good! On a second trip here I ate the mango cheesecake which was very very delicious!

Omar’s Beach Hut-conch fritters as an appetizer and fried fish sandwich with fries and a rum punch

Hemingway’s-omelette with breakfast potatoes and bacon

Bugaloos- conch fritters and conch fried rice

Las Brisas- fried snapper and french fries along with conch bisque

The Terrace on Grace Bay- shrimp and grits

Buns Burger Bar- Buffalo wings with a cheeseburger and fries and a strawberry milkshake [not pictured]

Beaches in the Turks and Caicos

In my Turks and Caicos review I’m going to cover 5 beaches we visited during our trip. Here’s a short review of each one:

Grace Bay Beach-main tourist hub, busy but everyone is spread out.
5 Cays-Omar’s Beach Hut sits on 5 Cays and it is so beautiful! We saw horses on this beach.
Sapodilla Bay– This beach was stunning! There are Belongers (Natives to the island) who set up bars and you can even purchase tacos and grilled food right on the beach! Here we met some new friends who gave us the scoop and helped us plan excursions.
Chalk Sound– The most secluded but beautiful beach I have ever seen in my life!
Long Bay– The quietest beach. I took a few naps in between my margaritas here.

Turks & Caicos Excursions

Now let’s talk about excursions! I’m going to cover the two excursions I booked in this Turks and Caicos review. First, we went on an ATV Tour. We used Real Adventure and they meet at Chalkie’s which is near Sapodilla Bay. Our ATV’s were newer models, cleaned and sanitized for us. We wore helmets too. This was my favorite excursion! It was really cool to see the island this way. We drove through neighborhoods and into Chalk Sound National Park. Our tour was 2 hours and honestly, I could have gone another two hours because it was such a cool experience! An ATV tour is one of the best ways to explore Provo in my opinion. Chalk Sound National Park is incredibly vast and we saw quite a few interesting things along the way, abandoned cards, trash dumped, and even appliances dumped on the side of the road. There was so much dust! If you choose an ATV tour bring a pair of leggings and a lightweight long sleeve shirt and a neck gaiter. I also wore my bonnet under the helmet. If you want to explore Chalk Sound National Park I recommend renting a Jeep. There’s no way the little toot toot we rented would have made it on that rocky road! Our ATV excursion was $200 per person for a two hour tour.

My second excursion was parasailing. From my research I learned Cap’t Marvin’s was the oldest company for parasailing on the island and there were great reviews. I booked a day ahead of time and saved $10 for a total cost of $75 for this excursion. I got picked up on Grace Bay Beach and we sailed off into the ocean. There was a family on the boat who went first so I had some time to prepare myself mentally. Parasailing was the absolute most terrifying thing I have ever done in my life! I was so nervous about losing my balance on the back of the boat, making sure the harness wasn’t too far high or low, and then my life jacket wouldn’t zip so the anxiety was real! I lasted about 10 minutes in the air and the entire time I was reciting affirmations. While it was a very nice experience and gave amazing views of the water–I was too nervous about the life jacket. This summer I plan on investing in a proper fitting life jacket so that next time I will feel more comfortable.

We did visit Shisha Lounge, a hookah bar near Grace Bay. We were only there for 20 minutes but there was a cool vibe there. There were sections too. I would definitely recommend checking it out.

Tips for traveling to Turks & Caicos

Bring a Yeti cup. I have two but bought a cheaper version and instantly regretted it!
Buy a case of water for your room. We kept a few bottles frozen for beach days. Water at most restaurants is $2-$6 per bottle. I drank at least 3-5 bottles per day.
Pack less. I knew better but I did not do better. I didn’t wear some of my outfits because I wore a beach coverup and my swimsuit. Honestly, a carry on and a backpack will be all you need.
Speaking of-bring a beach coverup or two or three.
Speaking of outfits-bring lightweight clothing. Think shorts, sandals, flowy dresses, etc.
Download an app called Maps.Me before you go then download the maps for TCI. I used this app to get around the island. Google and Apple maps did not work unless I was connected to WIFI because T-Mobile only allows 2GB of data (unless you add an international plan).
Bring a fanny pack for easy access to your things during excursions.
When not wearing a fanny pack, I recommend a wallet crossbody.
Bring a beach cooler. Most Airbnb’s will provide a cooler and beach chairs.
Budget $100-200 per day per person for food and drinks. There’s no dollar menu anywhere on that island!
Bring your skin care products. The sun and sweat will tap dance on your skin.

You won’t need most of your makeup products. Most days I only did lashes, filled in my brows and lip gloss. I put on foundation for photos outside near the pool and immediately took it off when I was done. I sweat so much in just those 20 minutes!
Have about $200-300 cash on you. They accept USD on the island. Some places on the island are easier to pay with cash. I used the ATM and it cost me $5 to withdraw $50.
Be prepared to shower 2-3 times per day depending on excursions and activities planned. For excursions like ATV tours bring a neck gaiter and cover your hair.

Is the Turks and Caicos safe?

Now let’s talk about the serious stuff! I felt completely safe on my flight and throughout the island. Delta has such great cleanliness and sanitizing standards that I was not worried. This was my third trip since the pandemic began and I chose Delta because of their standards and protocols. Before boarding they checked our documents to ensure we met TCI requirements to be allowed into the island. Most, if not all of the people who work in tourism on TCI were fully vaccinated as well. Before entering each store and restaurant you had to sanitize your hands. Most people wore masks in public settings and maintained a distance well beyond 6 feet. Honestly, they are handling this pandemic much better than the US.

I truly enjoyed my time in the Turks and Caicos Islands. In fact, I have already started planning a second trip in early 2023. I love the island and it’s beauty. I felt a great sense of peace and calm. There’s a joke about everything being on “island time” which is true. No one is ever in a rush. Being in the Turks and Caicos allowed me time to simply slow down and reflect. Turks and Caicos set a very high standard as far as food, customer service, and beautiful beaches. It is my hope that this Turks and Caicos review helps you plan a trip to visit the island so you can experience its beauty for yourself.

If you have any questions about my experience feel free to DM on Instagram @janethadanielle! Additionally, I am available for press trips and you may view my media kit by clicking here.

PS: I went to Aruba too! You can read about my solo trip in Aruba here!