Trip Report for our First Time in the Turks and Caicos
May 9th, 2011, 12:17 PM
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Trip Report for our First Time in the Turks and Caicos
We really enjoyed our first visit to Providenciales. We'll be back!
PROS:
- The gorgeous water and gorgeous beach. You probably already know that Grace Bay beach is usually rated the Best Beach in the World and there is a reason why! It is absolutely phenomenal. The sand is beautiful and you can walk for miles. The water is the most amazing color you'll ever see. Clear, fairly calm, just breathtaking.
- The Alexandra Resort and Spa. We really enjoyed this hotel. We got a great deal for a studio ocean-view. We especially enjoyed the location on the beach, our good size balcony, the stocked kitchenette, and the huge pool. Definitely recommended for a great value.
- Taylor Bay Beach: Shallow and calm bay for children.
- Hemingway's Restaurant: Dinner was fantastic.
- Bay Bistro: We enjoyed their breakfast.
- Mango Reef: What a view!
- The Somerset: They offered a "Caribbean Night" dinner special that included a table on the beach with a full buffet (drinks not included) and music at sunset -- fantastic.
- Caicos Dream Tours: Great 1/2 day snorkel trip that included a conch dive and stop at a secluded beach.
CONS:
- The island itself is a major disappointment. You could see that at one time there was great potential for the island to boom into this amazing retreat it could be, however the economy has clearly hurt this island. Most of what we saw off the main beach was just in shambles. It was very sad.
- Malcolm Beach Roads: They were the worst roads I've ever encountered in entire my life and we were in a Jeep Wrangler. Not worth it.
- Sail Provo: We exchanged emails ahead of time and I'd recieved a confirmation reply saying our trip was confirmed for Thursday, but to call once on the island and they would provide us with location and time details. I called and they informed me that our boat was not full enough, so they would not be offering the day sail. I understand this can happen, but they could have let me know in the original email that we were "on hold" not "confirmed" so I could have been prepared with a back-up option. Luckily our resort was able to get us in last minute on the Caicos Dreams Tour.
- Snorkeling: Just so so. We snorkeled at Coral Gardens as well as the barrier reef on our snorkel boat. Not horrible, but I've seen a lot better.
SOME THINGS TO NOTE
- The island was very windy. Not sure if this is normally the case (we were there in early May), but just thought I'd pass that along.
- I did not encounter one single bug! I brought bug spray (due to past experiences on other islands), but never even thought about it once.
- Meals do not need to be incredibly expensive. We stocked up with essentials at the grocery store (yes, that was expensive), but our meals were fairly typical (unless we ordered drinks, appetizers, and desserts, etc.).
- Things really do quiet down early. The latest we saw anything open was 10 p.m. And most restaurants we ran across didn't open until 7 a.m.
- The place is very kid friendly!
That's everything in a nutshell. Let me know if you have any questions.
PROS:
- The gorgeous water and gorgeous beach. You probably already know that Grace Bay beach is usually rated the Best Beach in the World and there is a reason why! It is absolutely phenomenal. The sand is beautiful and you can walk for miles. The water is the most amazing color you'll ever see. Clear, fairly calm, just breathtaking.
- The Alexandra Resort and Spa. We really enjoyed this hotel. We got a great deal for a studio ocean-view. We especially enjoyed the location on the beach, our good size balcony, the stocked kitchenette, and the huge pool. Definitely recommended for a great value.
- Taylor Bay Beach: Shallow and calm bay for children.
- Hemingway's Restaurant: Dinner was fantastic.
- Bay Bistro: We enjoyed their breakfast.
- Mango Reef: What a view!
- The Somerset: They offered a "Caribbean Night" dinner special that included a table on the beach with a full buffet (drinks not included) and music at sunset -- fantastic.
- Caicos Dream Tours: Great 1/2 day snorkel trip that included a conch dive and stop at a secluded beach.
CONS:
- The island itself is a major disappointment. You could see that at one time there was great potential for the island to boom into this amazing retreat it could be, however the economy has clearly hurt this island. Most of what we saw off the main beach was just in shambles. It was very sad.
- Malcolm Beach Roads: They were the worst roads I've ever encountered in entire my life and we were in a Jeep Wrangler. Not worth it.
- Sail Provo: We exchanged emails ahead of time and I'd recieved a confirmation reply saying our trip was confirmed for Thursday, but to call once on the island and they would provide us with location and time details. I called and they informed me that our boat was not full enough, so they would not be offering the day sail. I understand this can happen, but they could have let me know in the original email that we were "on hold" not "confirmed" so I could have been prepared with a back-up option. Luckily our resort was able to get us in last minute on the Caicos Dreams Tour.
- Snorkeling: Just so so. We snorkeled at Coral Gardens as well as the barrier reef on our snorkel boat. Not horrible, but I've seen a lot better.
SOME THINGS TO NOTE
- The island was very windy. Not sure if this is normally the case (we were there in early May), but just thought I'd pass that along.
- I did not encounter one single bug! I brought bug spray (due to past experiences on other islands), but never even thought about it once.
- Meals do not need to be incredibly expensive. We stocked up with essentials at the grocery store (yes, that was expensive), but our meals were fairly typical (unless we ordered drinks, appetizers, and desserts, etc.).
- Things really do quiet down early. The latest we saw anything open was 10 p.m. And most restaurants we ran across didn't open until 7 a.m.
- The place is very kid friendly!
That's everything in a nutshell. Let me know if you have any questions.
May 9th, 2011, 05:38 PM
#2
thanks for the trip report.
Windy is actually unusual. Wind does make the water wavy, usually its flat and calm like a swimming pool. Still gorgeous regardless!
Glad you enjoyed it.
Pictures please! 8-)
Windy is actually unusual. Wind does make the water wavy, usually its flat and calm like a swimming pool. Still gorgeous regardless!
Glad you enjoyed it.
Pictures please! 8-)
May 24th, 2011, 05:56 AM
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Thanks for sharing this thoughtful, point-form analysis of your trip. Sounds delightful! So many here are considering Turks & Caicos as a potential island destination, so I'm bumping this report up to the top!
Daniel
Daniel
May 24th, 2011, 07:11 AM
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Turks & Caicos beaches are always on the lists of best beaches...Grace Bay is 12 miles long with white sand and beautiful warm water. There are other beaches to choose from as well .Turks & Caicos IS SPECIAL for many reasons !! Better beaches? Where? There are many places with live music, a new comedy club and wonderful dining . There is always something to do.. just look for it!
Nov 13th, 2011, 10:40 AM
#6
I enjoyed your take on TCI. In 3 trips we had 2 that had perfect weather and 1 that was great but extremely windy. These three were during March, 3 yrs. in a row. All in all, Grace Bay is still our favorite beach.
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