OceanBreeze1

We are considering T & C for the last week in February, 2010. We are looking for a "beach holiday" where it is guaranteed warm in February. Last year we went to Aruba & the temps were in the mid 90's every, single day. Perfect. The year b/f we went to South East Florida for the last week in Feb. & it was freezing....temps plummeted to the low 40's.....brrrrrr..... so we do not want to take a chance on Florida again.
So, is T & C "guaranteed warm" at the end of February or do we need to venture farther south & if so, where?

JeanH

I've always read that you need to get below 17 degrees latitude to assure winter warmth.

For that reason, our winter travels have included Grenada, St. Kitts, Nevis, Panama, Colombia, Costa Rica. We've never been disappointed with the temperature, although we hit amazingly wet weather in Bocas del Toro Panama.

I just looked it up, Turks and Caicos are at 21.45N. Way above 17 degrees.

I spend lots of time on Ambergris Caye, Belize. It's about 17.2 latitude. The weather is usually lovely in January, gets better in February and is warmer yet in March. But, there are evenings with jackets and long pants.

OceanBreeze1

Jean, how do you get to? Does anybody fly direct or is it too small?

OceanBreeze1

How do you get to Belize?

JeanH

Belize City via Dallas or Miami on American Airlines, through Atlanta on Delta, Houston on Continental, and I think Newark once a week. And US air through Charlotte. Also Taca flies from several cities via San Salvador.

Ambergris is an island off the coast. 15 minute flight on a 12 seat Cessna or a 75 minute water taxi.

That said you won't beaches anything like Turk and Caicos in Belize. Beautiful beaches on Grenada though.

gabriele

http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/w...s=91187&refer=

Caribzack

We have been to Turks & Caicos early January, end of January and many times in February...beach every day, pool every day and shorts only!! No worries...go!!

virginia

provo is my favorite island, i've been 3 times and would love to return but would not go in jan/feb/march. can be too cool & windy and water temp below my happy zone. i am picky and prefer to don bathing suit when i get up and add no more than a big t-shirt in evening or shorts if i must go in public- we rent villas.
any island south of bahamas/t&c will be warmer. usvi/bvi, jamaica, grand cayman etc should average 83. by the time you get as far south as aruba avg daily is 86. info found using wunderground.com trip planner.
anyway that offers you loads of options. tell us more about how you'd like to spend your days & nights and hotel budget to get some specific suggestions.
finding out where you can fly to easily is a good start. kayak.com is useful to check multiple airlines flight time and price at the same time.

OceanBreeze1

Thanks, virginia! Sounds as if Provo wld be below my "happy zone" also! I do what you do...swimsuit, cover up, beach, pool. However, I do like to "get dressed" to go out for dinner around 8:00PM every night.
Had not considered renting a villa so I will look into that for Grand Cayman. We need a direct flight from Toronto. Any suggestions for places to look to rent a Grand Cayman Villa?

TPAYT

Check out www.VRBO.com and www.homeaway.com

We've used both in different parts of the world with great success. Or else just google Grand Cayman villas & condos.

OceanBreeze1

thx, TPAYT!

virginia

most cayman villas can be rented through http://www.caymanvillas.com/
we had thatch hill on the north side near rum point. good house, beach soso, snorkeling good. not near tons of restaurants as on seven mile beach.

Tribe_of_Chuck

We took our family to T&C three years ago. We stayed at the Beaches resort. The date of our vacation was 2/13 to 2/21. It was COLD breezy and rainy!!!! It never got above 68 degrees and it rained all but two days. The staff told us that this was typical for this time of year. Keep in mind the pools are not heated.....The ocean temp was a nice 75+ degrees, you froze when you got out! We spend $400. on sweatshirts in the gift shop.
Beautiful island, but we will never go north of Jamaica in the winter months again.

PDCornwell

We were in the Bahamas (Nassau) for the New Years Eve week and it was sunny every day, but it was very windy and only in the 70s (the wind made it feel colder). Took a day trip to Exuma and it was 80s, sunny and the water was like bath water - just gorgeous. So you never really know! We did a week in T&C the first week of May and it was 80s-90s, sunny all week and the water was beautiful. I really think the best time to go there is March and on.

Caribzack

Tribe of Chuck...the staff was wrong, February (high season)is beautiful. We have been going for many years and many times in Feb. and it is warm and beautiful!

joester

stay as far south as possible to insure warm weather - we went sailing the Abaco out islands in early Feb this year - never went swimming or snorkling once. the second morning it was 49 degrees in Hopetown. water temps were about 70, and we had shorty suits, but the breeze was just cool enough to keep us out of the water. had a great trip anyways - more time spent on golf carts exploring Guana Cay and Green Turtle Cay - and the sailing was absolutely fabulous! you always need to be flexible,and not let weather ruin your attitude....

virginia

here is an accurate accounting of provo weather for the past 9 years. http://www.wunderground.com/history/...=Turks+Islands
the trip planner section of this site can be used for every island.

mamamia66

If you look into Grand Cayman, check out Plantana condos on 7 mile beach. We stayed at Westin without kids this past year but checked out condos up & down 7 mile beach and those looked to be some of best (based on location & price). Close to restaurants to walk to, on a perfect part of 7 mile beach, nice pool, etc. I would think it would be hard to go wrong on Grand Cayman's 7 mile beach though. We would go back to that island in a heartbeat!

Holiday

went to Turks and Caicos last Thanksgiving and could not get in the water it was so cold. Very windy and rough and boys could not dive 2 out of 4 days due to rough seas. Not a good time to visit T&C although the water was beautiful.