Tranquility Travel BlogTurks & Caicos Property Management and Vacation Villa Rentals

There are the original Three main fishing villages here. These are The Bight, Blue Hills and Five Cays.

Five Cays is still where the fisheries are located.

Blue Hills is a local area with many small local eateries and bars.

The Bight stretches from the Grace Bay Road down to Turtle Cove Marina. There is one of the best places to snorkel from shore here called The Bight Reef. This is located in front of a resort here called Coral Gardens.

There is the most well known tourist area here of Grace Bay. This is where the majority of the resorts are located.

Leeward is at the Eastern end of the island of Providenciales. This is where the leeward Marina is located which is where many of the fishing and excursion companies are located. This is also a very nice residential community, rapidly expanding.

Turtle Cove Marina, is a very popular part of the Island, comprising an extended Marina., Restaurants, some shops and bars. There is a small hotel, a new Condo development for long term and short term rentals, beautiful large homes and some smaller quaint Island homes that are also rented out short term. There is a wonderful place to snorkel from the shore here called Smith’s Reef.

Long Bay. This is on the South Shore and is a residential area. There is a very picturesque Beach here. long Bay Beach. It is rockier with many conch shells along the stretch of it. This is a very popular place for horse-riding and walking.

Turtle Tail. This is on The Southern Shore and is the residential area that can be seen behind The IGA Supermarket here. There is a large inland area of water here called Flamingo Lake which is very popular for bone-fishing and Flamingo watching at certain times of the Year. There is a small Marina here where two of the Dive operators go from.

Sapodilla Bay, Taylor Bay and Chalk Sound. These are higher end residential neighborhoods.  Chalk sound is the inland body of water that is the brightest shade of blue you have ever seen. Sapodilla Bay is a beautiful quiet bay. Great for children to wade into. Taylor Bay around the corner is a very beautiful and quiet bay, with some gorgeous homes set along it.

Discovery Bay and Cooper Jack. Residential area comprising extended canal systems for people to have their boats out front of their homes.

Downtown.  There are some offices, Banks,. a few shops and Government offices here. They are building a new sports centre downtown now, and there is a new Ball park and Stadium.

Kew Town. This is predominately a local/Haitian/Dominican area behind the Downtown and airport area.

From TripAdvisor.com

The islands are known for a style of music called ripsaw, a genre in which a handsaw is the primary instrument, often accompanied by guitar, accordion, drums and other percussion. Though the style has its roots going all the way back to the days of the slave trade, ripsaw music can still be heard all around Providenciales—and its influence can still be heard in some of the island’s most popular musical acts. One of the best loved modern musical pioneers is Lovey Forbes, who created a totally new genre, “combina,” that marries traditional ripsaw and contemporary foreign styles.Forbes and other local acts (also popular around the island are reggae, calypso and soca) can be heard in the annual Turks & Caicos Music and Cultural Festival alongside international headliners—the 2006 Festival, July 31 through August 7, features Ludacris and Fantasia, among others. 

Two other performance venues are the Williams Auditorium, located on South Dock Rd. and home to events like The Cactus Slam Festival, and Brayton Hall off Leeward Highway, which often hosts events and shows sponsored by the Turks & Caicos Friends of the Arts Foundation.

Though Cockburn Town may be the political capital of Turks & Caicos, Providenciales is definitely the nightlife capital of the islands. The nightlife, like most everything on the island, is geared towards tourists and with resorts already on the island and more springing up every year, there’s plenty going on after dark and after a long day at the beach.

With so much competition between resorts on the island, the largest hotels are always looking for ways to gain an edge-and often that means great bars and hot live music right on the resort grounds. You can enjoy drinks on the beach and listen to some of the best talent Providenciales has to offer at The Palms , Beaches and a number of others.  Of course if you’re looking for a wild party, you can spring for a dinner/disco pass at Club Med for all you can drink and eat.

Right in the heart of Grace Bay are a number of great bars.  Live music and Karaoke is usually going on at one or another each night. Next door to the Saltmills, Danny Buoys is the local Irish Pub with great English fare - try the Shephard’s Pie!  Bambooz in the Saltmills is the most “Americanized” bar with chic colorful decor, two pool tables, and a hip beat - great for specialty island drinks and interesting foods.  Calico Jack’s is a great outdoor island bar known for their specialty pizzas upstairs in the Ports of Call.  Tiki Hut has $12.95 Chicken/Rib night Wednesday’s at the marina.

From TripAdvisor.com

A Taste of 10 Unique Things to Do in the Turks and Caicos…

A sultry vacation spot with a rich mixture of activities, the Turks and Caicos in the Caribbean make the perfect escape from the everyday. This article presents the islands’ Top 10 original things to do from long time island dwellers and frequent visitors.

Adventures for the ocean-lover are plenty, from fishing trips on a privately chartered boat to a memorable scuba-diving excursion around the flourishing reef system. Guests can create their own personal paradise in a private Turks and Caicos villa, complete with travel concierge service.   Snorkel off the villa dock for a window on the undersea world, experience luxury at the fingertips, and dine on decadent local cuisine.

A list of ten laid-back and original vacation ideas perfect for the curious vacationer are suggested in the article “10 Unique Things To Do in the Turks and Caicos.”

One unique  suggestion is all about Luxury at Your Fingertips. “Have a personal chef grill up your catch from your fishing excursion (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.”

Read the complete article at  “10 Unique Things To Do in the Turks and Caicos.“ and get lost in a journey of discovery!

I often receive requests for information regarding wedding requirements, particularly since Villa Del Sol came on line. Here they are!

Planning your wedding in paradise?  The following are the legal requirements for obtaining a marriage license in the Turks & Caicos Islands:

• 1. Passports with stamp showing date of entry in the Turks & Caicos Islands.
• 2. Original Birth Certificates
• 3. Both Parties must be in the Turks and Caicos Islands at the time of the application
• 4. For couples wanting to be married in the Turks and Caicos Islands, they must reside in the Turks & Caicos Islands for a period of 24 hours prior to an application being made to the Registrar in Grand Turk. The ceremony can take place with 48 to 72 hours after the application has been granted
• 5. For Americans, proof of Marital Status must be provided. That is, if single, a sworn affidavit is required. If divorced, either an Original or notarized copy of the Divorce Decree, sealed by the Court, is required. In the case of a widow/widower, the previous spouse’s Death Certificate is required. In the case of Change of Name by Deed Poll or Adoption, proof of same is required
• 6. If either party is unmarried, and is a citizen or resident of a country other than the USA, a Declaration certifying this fact must be sworn before a Notary Public or other person authorized to administer oaths in that country, and must accompany the application for the Marriage License.
• 7. If from other than an English speaking country, all documents must be translated and notarized, accompanied by originals, likewise notarized as above.
• 8. Irrespective of country, if under the age of 21, consent, in the form of on affidavit stamped by a Notary Public, from one or both parents or guardian must be presented.
• 9. The marrying couple must not be within the prohibited degree of relationships to each other.
• 10. A letter stating occupations, marital status and age at the time of application, home address and father’s full name, must be attached to the application.
• 11. If a church wedding is desired, proof of membership and standing in home church may be required.
• 12. The party’s must produce evidence of the date of their arrival in the Turks and Caicos Islands.
• 13. No blood test is necessary.
• 14. The fee for the license is $100.00 + admin fees, the total generally being between $200-300.00

Marriage Licenses are issued at the Office of the Registrar in Providenciales. The office is open to the public from Monday through Friday, 9.30 am to 4.30pm.

Please be reminded that Passports or any documentation written in a foreign language must be translated and notarized in advance of arrival.

And for YOUR Turks & Caicos wedding destination?  Visit Tranquility’s dream wedding page.