Turks and Caicos IslanderTurks & Caicos Property Management and Vacation Villa Rentals

1. Eat!

I know, you were expecting to see something about the world famous turquoise waters of Grace Bay Beach in the number one spot. But ya know when you live in Turks and Caicos your number 1 priority becomes searching out and finding great deals on meals!

Now you can try the usual suspects like Coco Bistro, Coyaba, and Magnolia’s for some pretty good fare but bring lots of cash for the privilege because you’ll pay a minimum of $100 per person.

My favorite place for dinner is Lemon Cafe! Great ambiance, great food and dinner usually runs at about $50 per person. Fine dining at its best. If you’re lucky, you’ll get to see the manager fire spin!

Since I ain’t rich by a long shot I’ve searched out local places for food that was decent and cheap. Chinson’s has the best jerk chicken and beef on the Island and Hole in the Wall has some of the best steamed fish you’ll ever taste.

Angela’s Top ‘O the Cove is great to get some junk food that you can eat there or take out for a picnic lunch on the beach. Hey Jose is pretty good as well as cheap, kids seem to love it.

The Flamingo Cafe (or Ricky’s cafe to the locals) is right on the beach and is fun for lunch or dinner. The grouper sandwich is great! You can walk right in off the beach in barefeet and bathing suit and enjoy the laid back atmosphere. There’s often music and dancing at night. A great local hangout.

Graceway Gourmet has lots of variety for lunch…create your own salad at the salad bar or try some of the hot stuff they cook everyday. It’s a great place to stop for a quicky lunch before heading out to the beach. Try the jerk chicken pasta salad. I take it home and heat it up in a pan…delicious!

Head on over to the world famous Conch Shack for the best rum punch on the Island! It’s right on the beach in beautiful Blue Hills and you can watch how they get the conch out of its shell.

Now these places are not high end but they will satisfy your hunger at a price that will leave you some extra coin to use for other activities.

2. Explore the Beaches!

Grace Bay Beach is of course the most well-known and renowned beach here in Provo and it deserves to be! The water is stupid clear and a vision to behold. Check out these pictures of Grace Bay Beach:

Grace Bay is where all the resorts are but even in high season it never feels crowded here.

If you’re looking for something a little more private though there are some superb out of the way beaches that you can explore. My favorite is Pelican Beach in Leeward: (put pictures here) The first time I sat down in the white sand and looked out to the horizon and saw the color of this beach, I felt like I’d come home! I really think that Pelican Beach was the deciding factor in me moving to Turks and Caicos. Keep an eye on this blog, I’ll be writing about the five best beaches in Turks and Caicos soon!

3. Party!

You read that right! I said party! The first time I visited Turks and Caicos I was like, “Sheesh, there’s nowhere to go if you want to party.”  That isn’t true! Most of the restaurants and resorts have something going on each month.

Lemon Cafe has an Arabian Nights once a month and a dance party every second month…both are phenomenal!

Then you have Vino Tiempo (The Wine Bar) which is a pretty good place to go most nights to find a crowd. If you’re at The wine Bar check out The Vix next door. You just might find a group of expats from around the world guzzling drinks and singing.

Danny Buoy’s has live music, Karaoake night and various other things going on.

Jimmy’s Dive Bar is where you want to go for after parties.

Best thing to do is follow this blog to find out when special events and parties are taking place. You can also subscribe to individual newsletters to get the skinny on what’s happening around Provo or ask your concierge.

4. Snorkel! Snuba! Scuba Dive!

Before coming to Turks and Caicos I had never snorkeled in my life. First time I tried it I thought I was going to drown so I practiced snorkeling in a pool before heading into the open water again. Looked a little silly doing so but it worked and now I love to snorkel! You can choose to take a half-day or full-day snorkeling cruise where all the equipment is supplied or you can snorkel right off the beach at Coral Gardens.

If you have never been scuba diving you might want to try Snuba Diving. Snuba bridges the gap between snorkeling and diving. The diving tank stays on a raft and you get to breathe underwater without all the heavy equipment. Great for all family members!

Of course, scuba diving is huge in Turks and Caicos! These Islands have been consistenly mentioned as one of the top ten places to dive in the world. There are some great diving outfits that will cater to your diving wishes. You can dive at night, dive with the gloworms, dive all day…half a day…whatever floats your boat!

5. Explore North and Middle Caicos!

I love Provo, I really do but for true Caribbean flavor you need to get yourself on over to North and Middle Caicos!

Caribbean Cruisin’  started a new Discovery Tour and Treasure Hunt excursion this November! Take the ferry over to North Caicos with a local guide and explore all the incredible sites there are to see on these two Islands.

Not only will you get to see awesome, beautiful Mudjin Harbor but you’ll also get to go on a treasure hunt!

6. Walk a Potcake on the beach!

Head on over to Potcake Place and take a peek at some beautiful potcake puppies that you can take for a walk on the beach! Who knows, you just might end up adopting one of these incredible Island dogs to bring home with you! Even if you don’t, you will have everyone on the beach coming up and talking to you about the puppy…it’s a great way to meet people!

7. Take a ride on the good ship Atabeyra!

This schooner is my favorite boat in all of Turks and Caicos! You can go on a half day or full day trip, take a sunset cruise, a glow worm cruise or get married aboard this magnificent boat. Every couple of months the Atabeyra heads out to a deserted Island and has a huge party on the beach complete with a DJ and food. That is a party not to be missed.

8. Go Fishing!

Okay, so I’m not into fishing but a day out on a boat with rum punch and a great group of folks is my kinda day! I also love eating fish! And there ain’t nothing better than cooking up a fish that you just pulled up fresh from the water!

You can book all sorts of fishing trips here in Turks and Caicos. There’s deepsea fishing, bottom fishing, light tackle trolling, shark fishing, bonefishing, night fishing, etc. If fishing is your thing, you’ll definitely love doing it here.

9. Stay in a Private Villa!

Choose your own personal and private piece of paradise by renting a Turks and Caicos Villa.

Go all out and get all your needs attended to by your own personal concierge and your own personal chef! Talk about luxury.

Seabreeze Villa has got to be my favorite Turks and Caicos Villa of all time. It is stupid beautiful! The views are magnificent and are the stuff dreams are made of.

Imagine looking out at that view while receiving an incredibly relaxing massage after which you sit sipping a cocktail watching the sunset as your chef prepares a meal for you. Shut up! How cool would that be. Love, love, love it!

10. Do Nothing!

Oh yeah…sit on the beach, rum punch in hand gazing out into the incredible turquoise waters and daydream. This is one of my favorite activities. I often do this and will close my eyes for a moment and when I open them again I am still awed by the beauty before me.

It’s hard to believe that being in the Turks and Caicos Islands, surrounded by its warm, wonderful, turquoise water and its friendly folks is not just a dream that I might wake from one day soon. Fortunately, I haven’t woken up yet!

On Saturday, April 16th why not take the whole family out to watch the incredible kiteboarders that will be competing in the 2011 Windvibes Kiteboarding Tournament!

The Tournament takes place at Long Bay Beach and you’ll be able to get food and beverages right on the beach. There’s also going to be a raffle for a free kiteboarding lesson!

Provo has the world’s best beach for kiteboarding and for watching kiteboarders show their stuff! It’ll be a great day out for everyone!

Call: 649-342-2941 or email: info@provokiters.com for directions or more info.

Chalk Sound National Park has to be seen to be believed! The color is a uniform electric blue that will blow your mind, not just the first time you see it, but every time!

This is one of those must see things here in Providenciales. Until you see it with your own eyes you just can’t appreciate how incredibly surreal and beyond beautiful it is.

Now imagine having access to this natural wonder while you are on vacation! You could wake up each day and take a leisurely stroll along your own private sandy beach path to explore the grottos and cays of Chalk Sound.

The snorkleing is phenomenal as is the kayaking…as each gives you a different view of the heart-stopping beauty of Chalk Sound. Check out this incredible luxury villa that blends in perfectly with its natural surroundings. You will feel like you are vacationing in your own private piece of paradise.

Turks and Caicos Articles

11 Unique Things to Do in the Turks and Caicos

When you think about that Caribbean vacation get-away on the horizon, your thoughts can quickly cloud with images of your own personal paradise. This is the exact euphoric feeling that’s seen mirrored on the faces of Turks and Caicos vacationers when we greet them at the Provo airport on arrival. The TCI really is that paradise destination, with inviting soft, warm sand and clear turquoise water that can never be properly described-it must be experienced. Above and beyond the enticements of the tropical sun and crystal sea, these islands offer so much variety for the curious traveler.

Painting a Landscape of Activities

The Turks and Caicos offer activities for the ocean-loving guru, from privately chartered fishing trips to unforgettable scuba-diving excursions around the most beautiful reef systems in the world. Turks and Caicos bonefishing is famed throughout the Caribbean, as well as sport fishing for swords and marlin. Both private charters and group expeditions are available with experienced captains.

Vacations almost always include trying new, local foods to experience the culture first hand, and with the many restaurants sprinkled throughout the TCI, especially on the island of Providenciales (“Provo” to natives), it’s easy to get lost in conversation over dinner and drinks with friends and family. Below we’ve put together a list of laid-back vacation ideas perfect for the open-minded vacationer.

1.        A Jaw Dropping Adventure! A nighttime TCI shark fishing excursion – chartered by local skippers that know locations where these fish come out to feed at night!

2.        Luxury at Your Fingertips. Have a personal chef grill up your catch (shark!) with a catered party set on the beach in your private villa’s outdoor living room! Try a Grace Bay Turks and Caicos villa outfitted with a comfortable outdoor living room with a grill overlooking picturesque views of the sweeping landscape.

3.        Enjoy a Margarita…Or Two. If the family has a love for water sports, have the kids try tubing, snorkeling, or waterskiing off Grace Bay Beach while you watch and enjoy drinks on the beach in the warm afternoon sun.

4.        Tee Time. Pretend to be a professional by playing on the Karl Litten 18 hole, par 72 championship Turks and Caicos golf course and try to get scores that compete with the best!

5.        Window on the Undersea World. Go for a ride on the Undersea Explorer, a glass bottom, semi-submarine to see spectacular views of the coral reef without getting wet!

6.        Kayaks and …Dinosaurs? Kayak over to Iguana Island with Big Blue Unlimited to visit the sanctuary that many lucky iguanas call ‘home,’ all while enjoying time on its intimate beaches.

7.        Langostas y Música! Island guests can first attend “Mad About Lobsters” night (in season at The Somerset before treating their ears to traditional Caribbean music. Enjoy musical traditions by a local artist or band performed at a number of restaurants and clubs.

8.       More Than Just An Aphrodisiac! Dine on Queen conch, a type of snail that can only be described as ‘Decadent!’ and offered at restaurants across the islands.

9.        Sun Up, Sun Down. Wake up early at your private villa to hear and breathe nothing but the soothing sounds and salty scents of the ocean water and witness a breathtaking sunrise. Afterwards, take a Pilates class before the rest of the family wakes at Studio 90 Degrees. On a romantic note later in the day, visitors can take a sunset cruise with locally made rum punch in hand.

10.     Mouth Watering Food and a Great Party! The first Saturday of each month, Lemon Cafe hosts its renowned and much anticipated monthly fete! Enjoy their delicious Moroccan/Mediterranean food and live entertainment.  Lemon Cafe’s chef, John Tsavalas, has created a menu that is perfect for meat lover and vegetarian alike. And you’ll enjoy the food and entertainment in a luxuriously comfortable setting.  And as for his desserts…..heavenly!

11.      The Private Villa Experience. Instead of just having a ‘place to stay,’ Caribbean travelers can choose their own unique sanctuary, a private Turks and Caicos villa. Villa guests describe their experience as truly personal and pampering. Island visitors can even have all their holiday details handled by a professional guest concierge, including arranging for transportation, booking tours and diving charters; or arranging for a full body massage right at the villa.

Endless Possibilities

Rejuvenate yourself with a postcard perfect escape in the Turks and Caicos, and get lost in a journey of discovery where new adventures are right around the corner. The Turks and Caicos invite spirited travelers to come play and indulge themselves with these 10 unique tips or with ideas of their own. The possibilities are endless.

About the Author

Basia Zaidan is the energetic owner of Tranquility Property Management and Vacation Rentals Ltd on the island of Providenciales in the Turks and Caicos. Basia and her team know the TCI like no one else. She has a lively Travel Blog, insider knowledge of the islands, and a reputation for giving exceptional attention to her clients.

For more information visit www.turkscaicosluxuryvillas.com, call (649) 231-1474 or email the author at basia@turkscaicosluxuryvillas.com.

Turks And Caicos Island

Why choose the Turks and Caicos Island Beaches some people might ask? With other options such as Hawaii and Florida so much closer to home, a visit to the beaches of the Caicos Island might appear to be too far an inconvenience to consider. Assuming this would however be wrong. There are many important advantages of choosing a holiday at the Turks and Caicos Island Beaches over others. For instance, unlike most islands that are surrounded by deep waters, people can either choose to swim or walk amongst the waves of the beaches. Thanks to the topography of the island, people are able to walk for far longer distance extending from the shore without risking running into strong currents. The shallow seas are ideal for people who want to learn water surfing or kiting. When you get too tired or get tossed from your bored (as sometimes does happen) all you need to do is simply stand up and try again. Then there is also the welcomed warmth of the water and the weather. Although, a wet suit is always encouraged, people without one do not face too great a risk of picking up a chill.

Like most Caribbean islands, the waters of the Turks and Caicos Island beaches are typically warm throughout the better part of the day. People can therefore comfortably swim for much longer periods. More importantly, the combined factors of the warmth of the sea and its shallow length, makes the Turks and Caicos Island Beaches amongst the safest in the world. The Turks and Caicos Island Beaches are also a great destination for people who might wish to enjoy some private time alone on a beach. Finding an isolated beach on the coast of Florida will take some doing. On the islands of Turk and Caicos, achieving this is a lot more easily done. There are dozens of beaches laced amongst the different islands. In recent decades, the Turks and Caicos Island Beaches have become the default destination of people who wish to enjoy the experience of kite boarding. Also known as kitesurfing, there are three key features that allow people to embark on this sport; clear skies, comfortable winds and an ample supply of waves.

But perhaps the strongest draw to a visit Turks and Caicos is the difference in cultural experience that the islands offer to visitors. Many of the visitors to the islands are constantly amazed by the comfortable accommodations which are found amongst its different hotels and villas such as Esencia Villas as well as the friendliness of the people. Visitors can choose from many different exotic meals ranging from freshly caught seafood to salads as well as traditional sandwiches and burgers. Best of all, there is the remarkable vista of a rising and setting sun to look forward to. Seated on the balcony of one of the several beach side villas located on the islands, tourists can look back at the adventures of their day, inhale the soft fragrance of the ocean breeze and truly be relaxed and content.