When considering a Caribbean vacation, there are so many destinations, including St. Kitts and Nevis, the British and U.S. Virgin Islands, St. Lucia and the Turks and Caicos Islands.
All offer pristine beaches, crystal clear water, amazing sunsets, stunning resorts and local culture, the last being something visitors can easily miss when traveling to these islands. Resort properties don’t always offer a true representation of an island’s history and local color. Getting out and exploring the local haunts, eateries, mingling with local residents and learning about the history is an all-too-often-missed opportunity by travelers.
We ventured to the Turks and Caicos Islands and made a point to hang with some local residents and learn about their folklore, cultures and traditions. We learned how to remove a live conch – a local delicacy – from its shell along with about a dozen ways to cook and eat it. We learned the story behind the local settlement and the rum, both called Bambarra, how Mudjin Harbor got its name and that we had to eat at Crackpot Kitchen.
Welcome to Turks and Caicos. Now Get Out – and See the Islands
We knew we wanted to explore while on the Turks and Caicos Islands. There are 40 islands and cays, of which only eight are inhabited. We wanted to eat where the locals eat, snorkel in the most amazing spots and venture off the main island. We started our research as soon as we landed in Providenciales, or “Provo,” as the locals call it.
Zhavargo Jolly, the Turks and Caicos Minister of Tourism, said tourists should get out and see all that the islands have to offer, from whale migration and local artisans to an island fish fry and underwater beauty. Jolly says the best place to find reputable and safe excursions is to start with the Experience Turks and Caicos website.
“No one wants to travel somewhere, no matter how beautiful and exciting, if it’s not safe,” Jolly said. “So we spent much of last year’s budget strengthening that because we understand that tourism is such a significant driver for us.”
We also hit up our taxi driver and a few employees at The Shore Club where we stayed. They live nearby and, in many cases, would say “born and raised” when asked whether they lived locally. They know where to get the best jerk chicken and which beach is really the prettiest even though it may be a little too off the beaten path for the unadventurous tourist.
We also talked with our Skypass Caribbean associates who helped us navigate customs. (More on that pro move later.)
Karen Whitt, a Dallas native and 20-year resident of Turks and Caicos Islands, is the senior vice president of marketing for The Hartling Group, which owns The Palms, The Sands and The Shore Club. Her advice for exploring the islands is to start with your hotel’s website, concierge and social media.
“There are four or five Facebook forums,” Whitt said. “There’s one that’s literally called ‘What Things to Do in Turks and Caicos.’ You just join the forum and people go in there all the time and ask questions like ‘what was your experience with this or that excursion?’ I also highly recommend Experience Turks and Caicos. They can tell you about the sister islands, what to do in North Caicos, how to get there, or what to do for a day on Grand Turk.”
There’s So Much More to See Than the Hotel
Hotels and resorts are luxurious and beautiful, but local history, traditions and people should also be an integral part of any trip. So rest up by the beachfront infinity pool with a fruity drink one day and then go see what else is out there.
Jolly said part of his job in tourism is to encourage visitors to see the less-populated areas of the islands and visit local eateries and vendors. One thing he recommends is using one of the islands’ experience concierges that can be found on the website.
“These experience concierges are reputable and you would be guaranteed that you get a truly local experience,” he said. “We try to push our local tour guides that can give you that true experience because we know when people travel to places like Turks and Caicos, they want that unique experience.”
He added the concierges find out what type of experience a visitor wants. Do they want to do outdoorsy things? Bounce from restaurant to restaurant? Hit the nightlife or focus on water-related activities? Then, they start planning from there.
The islands of Turks and Caicos, like many island destinations, feature a tourist hub with shopping, restaurants and nightlife, but also less-populated, more natural spots.
Although rental cars can be a great option for exploring, we were uneasy about driving on the left-hand side of the road as they do in Turks and Caicos Islands, so we hired a taxi driver to take us through Middle and North Caicos. Luckily for us, he was a 75-year-old native of the island who knew all sorts of history, people and places we needed to see.
Cardinal Arthur picked us up at the port where the Provo ferry dropped us off on North Caicos and our adventure began. He took us to meet Henrietta Delancey, owner of Lee’s Gift Shop, who has been weaving baskets all her life, a skill passed down from the generation before her. We even got a quick tutorial on how she picks and dries the grass before weaving it into baskets.
He took us to lunch at Miss B’s Bayside Café, where we shared some fresh conch fritters and rum punch alongside tables full of locals (always a good sign!) While there, we met Miss B’s father, a native and also a restaurateur, who shared stories of his home islands.
The open-faced cave leading to the beach at Mudjin Harbor and the rocky outcropping that gives Dragon Cay Resort its name were also highlights of our stop on Middle Caicos.
Both Jolly and Whitt said the best way to ensure a reputable tour guide or taxi is to look for those that are licensed and insured. The island has a slew of “jitneys” or unauthorized taxis that are known to take advantage of unsuspecting tourists, so arrange transportation in advance for the best experience.
These islands have a history of being a melting pot of cultures. Natives to the islands were the Taino and Lucayan Indians, whose civilizations disappeared shortly after Christopher Columbus landed there in 1492. There’s also Bahamian, Bermudian, Spanish, French, African and Jamaican cultural influences here as well, even though the islands are British overseas territories. The primary language is English, but the local dialect is a beautiful blend of Jamaican and Turks and Caicos Islands Creole.
After a day of sightseeing on land, we were ready to get out on the crystal-blue waters surrounding Turks and Caicos Islands.
Think the Beaches Are Pretty? Wait Until You Get on the Water
Arguably the most beautiful trait to these Caribbean islands is the turquoise water that surrounds them. The calm, shallow waters around Turks and Caicos Islands make for some excellent swimming, kayaking or paddle boarding and the multiple reefs accessible by boat reveal stunning underwater life.
Whitt recommended eco tours such as Big Blue, which does kayak tours into the mangrove areas around the islands.
“You can see baby turtles, baby sharks and all sorts of birds,” she said. “It’s a beautiful breeding ground.”
We snorkeled along Leeward Reef before landing at Little Water Cay, an uninhabited island surrounded by the most beautiful beaches we saw on the trip. This island is home to Turks and Caicos rock iguanas, which are docile, moderately social and fun to watch. If trekking to Little Water Cay, be sure to take the short walk across the island to see both sides.
Another unique way to experience the water around Turks and Caicos Islands is on horseback. Whitt recommended Provo Ponies, which has retired racehorses and thoroughbreds who love the water. While horses walk belly-deep in the clear waters, riders can dangle their feet in the water on horseback.
“You get on the horse at the stable and as you ride toward the beach the horses get so excited,” she added. “They migrate right to it. It’s incredible.”
Ever Heard of Junkanoo? Don’t Leave Until You Experience It
Jolly said it’s advantageous to also check the islands’ calendar of events so you don’t miss any fun events.
Take the island fish fry, for example. It’s worth making sure you visit on a Thursday for this event. It’s a flea-market-style party with a menagerie of restaurants, goods from local artisans and a musical finale that’s worth the trip in itself. Junkanoo is a Bahamian-style street parade where locals in vibrant costumes wind through the crowd playing a variety of instruments.
It’s a masterclass in celebration, where onlookers are invited to join in and dance as the lively parade meanders through the crowd.
No matter where your travels take you, expand safely beyond the borders of your accommodations. Get out and experience the culture, people and places a destination is known for. While the bulk of the restaurants and shops in Turks and Caicos Islands were on the main island of Provo at Grace Bay, the breathtaking beauty, colorful locals and native culinary delicacies were miles away from the tourist spots.
Our Tips on Getting to the Islands, Around the Islands and off the Islands
A valid passport is required for entry into Turks and Caicos Islands.
Go during the off-season, which typically extends from August through November. While some smaller shops and restaurants may close during this time, many remain open and are not busy or crowded. We traveled in October and found the islands peaceful and the locals with free time to spare. We never waited in a line or struggled to get into a restaurant.
An airport concierge is your friend. We used Skypass Caribbean, who met us as we deplaned, escorted us past the customs lines to a fast-track area and right to our taxi. An added bonus is we got several restaurant and snorkeling tips from these locals as well.
Getting around the island can be tricky. There is no public bus or train transportation, Uber or Lyft. There are taxis and rental cars, and many hotels have shuttles. Just be prepared if renting a car to drive on the left side of the road, which is all fine and good until you hit your first traffic circle. There are no traffic lights on Turks and Caicos Islands, so learn to use those seemingly backward circles pronto. Also, locals advise negotiating taxi fares before you get in. Often the rate is per person, not distance.
If you haven’t downloaded the Mobile Passport Control app, do it before you go. This allows access to a different and much shorter line at customs as you re-enter the U.S.
Do your research ahead of time to ensure your travel days include any festivals, events or markets.
Melonee Hurt covers music and loves to write about travel for The Tennessean, part of the USA TODAY NETWORK — Tennessee. Reach Melonee at [email protected] or on Instagram at @MelHurtWrites.
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