Last minute fun-trip...quick questions
Jan 27th, 2006, 05:40 AM
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Last minute fun-trip...quick questions
We [happy happy news for us] have just found we have a week in February we can get away, and have decided on Turks and Caicos. Never been there, but it looks wonderful, relaxing and warm.
Several questions I hope to have answered.
1. Car rental.
a. Best place, best price.
b. 4WD necessary for touring [we never sit still] or is a regular car fine?
2. Boat snorkel excursions
a. best all day
b. best all around
c. where is the best place a boat snorkel trip can take you?
3. Shore snorkeling. I understand, from a dear friend on this forum and others that there aren't as many places in T&C to snorkel as there is say on Grand Cayman...but, where to go? What places not to miss.
4. Sea Glass and shells. Is there a good beach to do a little sea glass hunting, or shell hunting?
5. Grocery store to stock up on yogurt, snacks etc.
6. Best mid range restaurant [not big foodies, just like good 'grub' or food as it were. Doesn't need to be fancy or extravagant].
7. Parasailing...where?
8. Horseback riding?
any other thing that anyone thinks we should go and do, or not go and do would be appreciated.
Can't wait...only 4 weeks!!!
Thank you, in advance for any guidance or answers to the above, AND MORE! :c)
Karen
Several questions I hope to have answered.
1. Car rental.
a. Best place, best price.
b. 4WD necessary for touring [we never sit still] or is a regular car fine?
2. Boat snorkel excursions
a. best all day
b. best all around
c. where is the best place a boat snorkel trip can take you?
3. Shore snorkeling. I understand, from a dear friend on this forum and others that there aren't as many places in T&C to snorkel as there is say on Grand Cayman...but, where to go? What places not to miss.
4. Sea Glass and shells. Is there a good beach to do a little sea glass hunting, or shell hunting?
5. Grocery store to stock up on yogurt, snacks etc.
6. Best mid range restaurant [not big foodies, just like good 'grub' or food as it were. Doesn't need to be fancy or extravagant].
7. Parasailing...where?
8. Horseback riding?
any other thing that anyone thinks we should go and do, or not go and do would be appreciated.
Can't wait...only 4 weeks!!!
Thank you, in advance for any guidance or answers to the above, AND MORE! :c)
Karen
Jan 27th, 2006, 05:56 AM
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To answer some of your questions:
1A. Lots of places - rates are all pretty similar.
1B. Get a 4WD as some of the more remote beaches are accessible only by dirt roads.
2. Sorry don't rememer names of boats and tour operators but there are several.
3. Best places for "off beach" snorkeling sites are Coral Gardens, Smith's Reef and Malcomn's Reef (you need 4WD to get there). There's not much else available from shore.
4. Grace Bay is about 11 miles in length - while you'll find some shells and sea glass there's not too much of a variety.
5. IGA Supermarket will have everything you need.
6. Much has been written on this forum about restaurants on Provo. Use the search feature and read all you can.
7. You can Parasail along Grace Bay. There are several operators who travel up and down "resort row". Lot's of parasailing activity near Club Med.
8. Don't remember seeing horseback riding. Perhaps others can answer this question.
1A. Lots of places - rates are all pretty similar.
1B. Get a 4WD as some of the more remote beaches are accessible only by dirt roads.
2. Sorry don't rememer names of boats and tour operators but there are several.
3. Best places for "off beach" snorkeling sites are Coral Gardens, Smith's Reef and Malcomn's Reef (you need 4WD to get there). There's not much else available from shore.
4. Grace Bay is about 11 miles in length - while you'll find some shells and sea glass there's not too much of a variety.
5. IGA Supermarket will have everything you need.
6. Much has been written on this forum about restaurants on Provo. Use the search feature and read all you can.
7. You can Parasail along Grace Bay. There are several operators who travel up and down "resort row". Lot's of parasailing activity near Club Med.
8. Don't remember seeing horseback riding. Perhaps others can answer this question.
Jan 27th, 2006, 06:07 AM
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Hi Karen,
Just sent you an e-mail so I hope that helps some. Also, it is Smiths Reef, not Smugglers which I emailed. There's a guy on this site Howard, who is an expert on T&C. I hope he sees your post and responds. Talk to you later,
Sandy
Just sent you an e-mail so I hope that helps some. Also, it is Smiths Reef, not Smugglers which I emailed. There's a guy on this site Howard, who is an expert on T&C. I hope he sees your post and responds. Talk to you later,
Sandy
Jan 27th, 2006, 12:40 PM
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They were big, eat you kind of sharks, but I think this was by the airport and if they fed them there, hopefully they all lived over there.
I've heard this statistic:
You have a better chance of dying by a coconut falling on your head than by getting attacked by a shark.
So look up!
I've heard this statistic:
You have a better chance of dying by a coconut falling on your head than by getting attacked by a shark.
So look up!
Jan 27th, 2006, 01:03 PM
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Where are you going to stay ??? For acr rental there are several agencies on the island--Avis, Budget etc. All are about the same price. If you go to Malcolm Road Beach you will need a four wheel drive. I really don't think the trip is worth and the snorkeling is better at Coral Gardens. For half and full day trips we used J&B tours which are good. The half day trip takes you to Little Water Cay to see the iguanas, stops at a deserted cay for a while, stops to snorkel and another stop to shell. www.jbtours.com. Sail Provo does an all day sail snorkel trip thru the cays. For food and drink IGA on Leeward highway. Dining--Mid range dining--Bay Bistro at Sibonne--Aqua in Turtle Cove and Coco Bistro on the right on the way to RWI. Barefoot Cafe and Calico Jacks are fun in the Ports of Call shopping plaza. For a local spot drive out to Blue Hills for lunch and have cracked conch at Da Conch Shack--formerly Bugaloos Hemmingways at the Sands is a nice place for lunch. Even if you don't eat there stop by Anacona at Grace Bay Club on Wed Fri or Sat when they have music. Very romantic place. If you do a Howard search on this site you will pull up my trip reports and posts. Have fun
Jan 27th, 2006, 01:11 PM
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OOPS--Actually it is a HowardC search. You will have to sort out the provo posts as there are my posts on other islands too. Horse Back riding--Have seen some on the beach . Some is by owners who don't do rides but ride their horses to dinner. Try Caicos Corral. www.caicoscorral.com--Phone 946-4351
Jan 27th, 2006, 04:02 PM
#11
1. www.wherewhenhow.com, click on cars, lists all the car rentals.
a. best place best price to stay? eat? etc?
b. 4wd only for Malcolms Beach, you can get by with small car otherwise.
2. a. JBtours.com, Silverdeep.com, sailprovo.com. All excellent.
b. all good.
c. All do about the same, out to the reef, Iguana Island (actually called Little Water Cay.) snorkel for sand dollars, look for JoJo the Dolphin. All day goes to 3 different spots snorkeling, and Middle Caicos for a stunning beach and picnic.
3. Coral Gardens, and Smith's Reef.
4. Pelican Beach. Tons of big 9or all size) conch shells, regular shells, too many to bring back.
5. IGA supermarket very well stocked.
6. Bay Bistro, Hemmingways, Mango Reef (it's really gotten better!) Tiki Hut.
7. Parasailing all along Grace Bay, but they are around Beaches towards Sands.
8. I've seen horses around the Sands, there is a small stable in front of Coral Gardens.
a. best place best price to stay? eat? etc?
b. 4wd only for Malcolms Beach, you can get by with small car otherwise.
2. a. JBtours.com, Silverdeep.com, sailprovo.com. All excellent.
b. all good.
c. All do about the same, out to the reef, Iguana Island (actually called Little Water Cay.) snorkel for sand dollars, look for JoJo the Dolphin. All day goes to 3 different spots snorkeling, and Middle Caicos for a stunning beach and picnic.
3. Coral Gardens, and Smith's Reef.
4. Pelican Beach. Tons of big 9or all size) conch shells, regular shells, too many to bring back.
5. IGA supermarket very well stocked.
6. Bay Bistro, Hemmingways, Mango Reef (it's really gotten better!) Tiki Hut.
7. Parasailing all along Grace Bay, but they are around Beaches towards Sands.
8. I've seen horses around the Sands, there is a small stable in front of Coral Gardens.
Jan 27th, 2006, 05:31 PM
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The small stable is behind Coral gardens. Actually there are two on either side of the road. When we were down with son and his wife they talked to the owner Since they have three horses and it is private. He is the one who rides his horse up the beach to go to dinner at Hemmingways.
Jan 28th, 2006, 02:51 AM
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re #4 . it is completely illegal to remove any shell of any kind from the beaches in turks & caicos. as i recall it is punishable by a fine to attempt to take shells off the island.
the beautiful sand you are going to t&c to enjoy is created when the corals and shells decompose and get continously rolled back and forth in the surf until they become the unbelievbly fine, soft sand you will find. in addition ocean creatures often scavenge a new home from a shell discarded from another. actually, as i recall, it is illegal to take sand from the island as well. i did buy a conch from bugaboo that he (or someone) made into a bowl sort of thing with little shell legs.
i have rented from scooter bob and provo fun cycle with excellent results. i like to trade with the local agencies thus hopefully supporting the local economy more.
tiki hut and aqua bar are good restaurants. and the grocery is quite large. you should be able to save dining $$ by eating in your condo.
do drive over by chalk sound. the color of the water there is like nothing i've ever seen.
there is a conch farm tour which some enjoy and think interesting (they have some conch pearls for sale) but which bores others right to tears.
you can rent jet skies or a small boat to tour some cays on your own at the leeward marina.
blamona could you please tell me where pelican beach is.. jeez and i was smuggly thinking i had found every beach on the island. lol.
snorkeling at smiths reef is good but gets very shallow in spots so you need to be careful of the reef there. and not anything spectacular, but there are several places (unnamed and unmarked) along grace bay to try. in front of aqua marine beach houses is one. also from taylor bay beach swim out the channel by the villas to the last one and then turn right in the water.
the beautiful sand you are going to t&c to enjoy is created when the corals and shells decompose and get continously rolled back and forth in the surf until they become the unbelievbly fine, soft sand you will find. in addition ocean creatures often scavenge a new home from a shell discarded from another. actually, as i recall, it is illegal to take sand from the island as well. i did buy a conch from bugaboo that he (or someone) made into a bowl sort of thing with little shell legs.
i have rented from scooter bob and provo fun cycle with excellent results. i like to trade with the local agencies thus hopefully supporting the local economy more.
tiki hut and aqua bar are good restaurants. and the grocery is quite large. you should be able to save dining $$ by eating in your condo.
do drive over by chalk sound. the color of the water there is like nothing i've ever seen.
there is a conch farm tour which some enjoy and think interesting (they have some conch pearls for sale) but which bores others right to tears.
you can rent jet skies or a small boat to tour some cays on your own at the leeward marina.
blamona could you please tell me where pelican beach is.. jeez and i was smuggly thinking i had found every beach on the island. lol.
snorkeling at smiths reef is good but gets very shallow in spots so you need to be careful of the reef there. and not anything spectacular, but there are several places (unnamed and unmarked) along grace bay to try. in front of aqua marine beach houses is one. also from taylor bay beach swim out the channel by the villas to the last one and then turn right in the water.
Jan 28th, 2006, 07:04 AM
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Virginia,
Husband loves photography, thus the shell question.
I do collect the sea glass though, hope that isn't illegal!!!! 
Thank you for the snorkel site info. We love doing this, and have more snorkel photos than any two humans need ever have.
Kellie,
I love it! Thanks for the humor. I think I'll probably be looking up, down and all around! We ended up sharing part of a snorkel trip at Queen's Monument in GC last year with a reef shark that was just a bit too nosy. He saw us, got a good gander, left...and then came back to watch us! He was beautiful, but selfish about sharing his reef!
Howard! Thank you for looking in. I had heard you were 'da man' when it came to all things Turks and Caicos.
We really enjoy snorkeling. We tried diving, and it just wasn't for us. So anywhere that we can snorkel would be great, and again, thank you all for the info on where to go.
Thank you too for the mention of not getting a 4WD unless we planned to try to go to Malcolm Road Beach. Hubby will probably choose the car, but that is good information to have.
A Traveller, do you post on the Cayman boards???
Blamona, thank you too for the information!
You have all been very helpful. Cutting and pasting what you have sent into my trip bible and going to go ahead with plans
We will be on the island Feb 20-28. Hoping for good weather!!!
karen
Husband loves photography, thus the shell question.
I do collect the sea glass though, hope that isn't illegal!!!! Thank you for the snorkel site info. We love doing this, and have more snorkel photos than any two humans need ever have.Kellie,
I love it! Thanks for the humor. I think I'll probably be looking up, down and all around! We ended up sharing part of a snorkel trip at Queen's Monument in GC last year with a reef shark that was just a bit too nosy. He saw us, got a good gander, left...and then came back to watch us! He was beautiful, but selfish about sharing his reef!
Howard! Thank you for looking in. I had heard you were 'da man' when it came to all things Turks and Caicos.
We really enjoy snorkeling. We tried diving, and it just wasn't for us. So anywhere that we can snorkel would be great, and again, thank you all for the info on where to go.
Thank you too for the mention of not getting a 4WD unless we planned to try to go to Malcolm Road Beach. Hubby will probably choose the car, but that is good information to have.
A Traveller, do you post on the Cayman boards???
Blamona, thank you too for the information!
You have all been very helpful. Cutting and pasting what you have sent into my trip bible and going to go ahead with plans
We will be on the island Feb 20-28. Hoping for good weather!!!
karen
