The Turks and Caicos Islands
If you dream about white sand beaches, Crystal clear turquoise water and plenty of sun for relaxation and water activities, you are probably dreaming about the Turks and Caicos! We have found beaches like Grace Bay are absolutely stunning. We have been to Providenciales twice and to Grand Turk once by cruise ship. These islands are not ones you will want to miss out on if you get the chance to visit. Here are our experiences traveling in the Turks and Caicos Islands!
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How to get to the Turks and Caicos and Transportation
You can get to the Turks and Caicos Islands by plane or by cruise ship. Providenciales (PLS) in the Caicos portion of the archipelago has the only major international airport that is serviced by most major US airlines and has flights to the United Kingdom on British Airways, flights to Canada and to other countries in the Caribbean. Grand Turk also has a small International Airport that currently has domestic flights to mostly Providenciales on local airlines. The Turks islands are a decent distance away from the Caicos. The main cruise port of the Turks and Caicos Islands is on Grand Turk as there is no large port in the Caicos Islands. Providenciales does have a port for small ships, but most ships come to Grand Turk and that is the most likely way you will travel there.
There is ferry service between the Caicos Islands but there is no ferry service between the Turks and Caicos parts of the country. There isn’t any public transportation on the islands so you can rent a car, take a taxi or use private transportation services. Resorts like Beaches have their own transportation services included. I personally recommend taking private transportation services and booking tours to see the islands and the culture of the country.
Providenciales Airport Services and Transportation Options:
Country Information
The Turks and Caicos Islands is a self-governing British Overseas Territory with a total population of around 50,000 people. They have a parliament called the House of Assembly and a Premier. They also have a governor appointed by King Charlles III. The capital city is Cockburn Town on Grand Turk but most of the population is in the Caicos Islands with Providenciales being the most populated. The country is split into the Turks to the East and the Caicos to the West. The Caicos have more islands and are larger. The closest other country is The Bahamas as the Turks and Caicos are part of the same archipelago (Lucayan) as The Bahamas. The currency is the US Dollar and English is the spoken language. Being an English Overseas Territory they drive on the left side of the road. No visa is needed for US Citizens, and you will be given a customs form as you fly into the country by your airline. If you have ever packed ammunition or guns in your bags for hunting or any other type of trip you need to make sure you do not bring it with you when flying into the Turks and Caicos as it is strictly prohibited. Even one bullet has caused arrests. As of this writing in August 2025, The Turks and Caicos are rated a Level 2: Exercise Increased Precautions due to crime. We have felt safe when we visited the Turks and Caicos Islands but do use normal precautions and research state department warnings as in any country things can change. This is a tropical destination so prepare for high heat and humidity. The islands are within the hurricane belt so do watch weather forecasts and purchase travel insurance if traveling there from June to November during hurricane season.
Providenciales - Caicos
The heart of the Turks and Caicos tourist infrastructure can be found in Providenciales. Over half of the people who live in the Turks and Caicos live there and its home to almost all the resorts in the Turks and Caicos. It has the largest airport and unless you are heading to the country by cruise ship you almost certainly will make it to Providenciales. It’s still a quiet island with many luxury resorts like The Ritz-Carlton and others. There are plenty of shops and restaurants around the island but the true draw to the island is the outstanding beaches and water sports. Grace Bay is the crown jewel and one of the best beaches we have been to on our extensive travels so far. We have visited twice and enjoyed it each time!
Where we stayed
There are a variety of resorts and smaller hotels around the island. We have stayed at both an amazing All-Inclusive Resort on Grace Bay Beach and another very nice hotel a little not directly on the beach, that was not all-inclusive but was still a good option.
Beaches Turks and Caicos
On our second trip we headed to Beaches Turks and Caicos and spent several days exploring the large and well-done resort. Beaches is a family All-Inclusive resort that is owned by the same company as Sandals. We really like the brand as its high quality and truly all inclusive. What I mean about truly all-inclusive is what we found was that from arrival to departure I never pulled my wallet out or even had it with me. The price includes round trip Airport transfers, luggage service to and from your room, all food including fine dining, many pools, resort activities, a waterpark diving if you are certified, excursions like snorkeling and much more. We found the service was top notch with incredibly friendly staff. At beaches Turks and Caicos there are currently 4 different themed resort areas called villages with a 5th to come this year. The villages are the Caribbean, French, Italian and Key West. Here is information about our stay, the villages and the rooms.
The Caribbean Village
We stayed in the Caribbean Village section of the resort while we were there but like when staying in any Village at the resort we could visit any of the others. We stayed in a very nice king mahogany bed room with a balcony. The room came with a mini fridge stocked with water, juice and soft drinks but you can ask for beer and other adult beverages to be added. This is in case children are in the room and you don’t want them accidentally getting alcoholic drinks. The Village has two pools with swim up bars, and multiple restaurants. It has access to the beach and more. There is a golf cart service to others villages and we saw a wedding taking place along the shore. Check out the videos below for a tour of the village!
The Italian Village
Next to the Caribbean Village is the Italian Village that is the most active Village from our experiences. It has a large pool that usually has a DJ playing music and, in the mornings, you can join water aerobics that is popular and something we tried and enjoyed. The Italian Village has a shopping district with a resort gift shop, build a bear workshop, an emeralds store and more. For dining there are multiple options from Italian, brick oven pizza, a British Pub and beach front dining. They have a great Frozen Yogurt spot that’s included where you can pick multiple flavors and toppings! The buildings, fountains and sculptures make you feel like you have entered a Tuscan Village. Part of the Pirates Island Water park is in the Italian Village.
The French Village
The French Village is the only Village that is not right on the beach but it’s still an amazing Village. It has a very elegant pool and a stage for entertainment. The buildings are all named for French cities and regions and have beautiful architecture and room decor. The village has many great dining options like you might expect with a French themed area. They have a French Fine dining restaurant, a pizza restaurant and a great French Cafe that has crepes, deserts and amazing coffee. It’s a great place to cool down for a little while and relax like you are at a Parisian Cafe. Like the Italian Village, the Pirates Island water park is right next to the French Village and the golf cart/bus runs to the Caribbean and Italian villages from the lobby area. It’s a beautiful village to stay in!
The Key West Village
The quietest Village to us at Beaches Turks and Caicos in the Key West Village. Its next door to the Italian village and has rooms and Villas that remind us so much of our times in Key West. They have gotten the general Key West architecture right as they have balconies that are like the Hemingway House and other historic buildings there. This Village has a large green space area that we saw being used for weddings and other group events. The Village has three pools with the quiet and relaxing infinity pool that overlooks the beach being our favorite. It has three restaurants with one being a seafood restaurant that overlooks the beach, an international food buffet and a Mediterranean food restaurant. We had the chance to tour a 4 bedroom over 2,800 square foot villa right on the beach! Here is our tour of the Key West Village!
Other Areas of the Resort
There are a few areas of Beaches that are not in a village. The Pirates Island Waterpark is one such area that has a nice lazy river, water slides and plenty of pool areas. There is a pirate ship with a 50s style diner serving burgers, hot dogs pizza and more. The Red Lane Spa and gym have an included hot and cold plunge pool, steam rooms and a nice gym. They of course offer massages and other services for an extra cost. Near the spa are two Asian food restaurants with one being a teppanyaki style restaurant and the other a sushi restaurant.
The resort has a great aqua center with sail boats, water tricycles, and tours that are included like the snorkeling tour we took. The resort has plenty of activities like the kids camp featuring Sesame Street, a Friday Caribbean Street party and parade, water aerobics, games and more. We found there is plenty to do there if you want to be active!
Check Out Beaches Turks and Caicos
Ports of Call Hotel
On our very first trip to the Turks and Caicos we stayed at a nice small hotel that was not on the beach but had golf cart service to enjoy the beach. The Ports of Call hotel has a nearby shopping area with a nice Mexican and other restaurants and a souvenir shop. There are larger resorts near Grace Bay. We stayed in a king bedroom that had a good amount of room.
Providenciales Island Tour (Safari Tour)
On our first visit to Providenciales we took a Safari Style Island tour in a Safari Truck to see the great beaches all around this island. Provideciales is for certain a beach destination. There are plenty of shops and restaurants across the island but not as many historic or natural landmark sites. On our island tour we also saw plenty of luxury homes and areas and we swam in multiple beautiful beaches.
Chalk Sound National Park
There is a beautiful National Park on Providenciales called Chalk Sound National Park that is a nearly landlocked lagoon with shallow crystal-clear turquoise water. You can find plenty of sea life and things like Iguanas on the many small islands there. Its a great place to swim with its very shallow water and do things like Kayaking. Do be cautious if you go on an island as there are toxic plants, so read up on that. We stopped and watched the sound but did still not there. It’s a beautiful place to see!
The Hole
On our Safari tour we visited an interesting natural sink hole that goes deep into ground and out to sea. You can repel down and pull yourself back up if you would like but we opted to enjoy the spot from the top.
Providenciales Safari Style Island Tour We Took:
Other Providenciales Tours and Services (Click Below):
Grand Turk
The more remote and lesser populated Turks islands are separated from the Caicos Islands by the 7,200-foot-deep Turks Passage. The steep drop off can been seen from the main island of the Turks and capital of the Turks and Caicos Islands, Grand Turk. They are named the Turks due to a type of cacti (Turks Cap Cactus) that has a red top that looks like a Turkish hat. There are only two populated islands out of the 8 in the Turks islands with Grand Turk being by far the largest with near 5,000 people. It’s a very high chance if you come to Grand Turk, it will be by cruise ship as they do have an airport but only have service to Providenciales. We visited Grand Turk by cruise ship in 2025.
The Grand Turk Cruise Port
We were the only ship at the port, and it can handle at most 2 large ships at once. The port itself is a very nice port and small so it’s easily accessible. There are multiple shops that you will find in many ports and a Margaritaville with a nice pool nearby. There are a couple of nice beaches right at the port. The water is gorgeous so enjoy the beach and don’t just go to the nice pool. There is also a great exhibit on the NASA Mercury program as Astronaut John Glenn in Friendship 7 and Astronaut Scott Carpenter in Aurora 7 both splashed down near Grand Turk and visited the former US Naval and Missile Tracking Station after retrieval. They have a replica of a Mercury capsule near the airport and at the port. There are also maps and history of the country at the port. Do go visit the craft market and support local business while in the port!
Grand Turk Island Tour
Since we have only been to Grand Turk once we wanted to see the history and culture of the Island, so our tour took us to most of the main points on the Island. The island is only around 7 miles long and 2 miles wide, so it doesn’t take too long to get around.
The Airport and Government Buildings
Grand Turk has multiple small settlements and then the capital city of Cockburn Town. We passed by the small JAGs McCartney International Airport that mainly has flights to Providenciales. There they have a replica of Friendship 7 that was John Glenn’s Mercury Capsule that splashed down near Grand Turk. We also passed by the Governor’s Mansion who is appointed by the King or Queen of the UK, and the pink house of parliament, the courts and other government offices all painted in Caribbean colors. We also passed the old prison that is now a museum before we made it into Cockburn Town.
Cockburn Town
As with much of the Turks and Caicos, Cockburn Town is not a large area so you can easily walk the downtown area. Downtown Cockburn Town has a few shops and a nice craft market. It’s right across from a stunning beach and there are plenty of small restaurants and street food. As we love learning about the history and culture of the countries we visit so we wanted to visit the National Museum of the Turks and Caicos Islands in our brief visit to the nation’s capital.
The National Museum of the Turks and Caicos Islands
The National Museum of the Turks and Caicos is in the historic Guinep House that has an interesting story itself. Much of the structure of the home was built from shipwrecks including a mast that was used a beam in the home. It’s a Bermudian style home and it is two stories tall. The museum covers from the Lucayan Indigenous tribe to the colonial times including the slave trade to more modern times. There are artifacts like a large cannon from a very early 1500s Spanish shipwreck and a chief’s chair from the Lucayans. It also told the stories of Grand Turks time as an exporter of sea salt to the world from its salt ponds. The museum does a great job showing the culture and history of the nation and only costs $5 a person to visit. If you like history and culture head there!
The Grand Turk Lighthouse and the Salt Industry
We continued to drive throughout the country heading to the furthest North point of the Island. We passed by former Salt ponds and past homes, small gas stations and stores. The Grand Turk lighthouse is the only lighthouse in the country and was built in 1852. As of now you cannot enter the lighthouse, so we just passed by it to see it from the outside. It’s a nice area overlooking the sea around the island. After seeing the lighthouse, we headed back South towards our next couple stops. We passed by Salt Ponds full of wild flamingos, so if you have never seen wild flamingos you will want to try to visit the area. We stopped at the Grand Turk sign to get pictures and then finished our tour at our last stop.
Governor's Beach
We finished our tour of Grand Turk with a swim in the beautiful water at Governors beach. There are several small beach clubs with beach chairs, umbrellas and small snack areas. The water is crystal clear where I could see fish swimming around my legs. I heard many people comment about how amazed they were with the water there. I couldn’t agree more as we continue to say it’s about the best water we have seen to swim in around the world in the Turks and Caicos Islands. After swimming and relaxing in the refreshing water that was perfect, being not too cool or hot, we took a shuttle back to the cruise port before heading back on the ship.
Grand Turk Tour Options
Conclusion and Tips
The Turks and Caicos Islands are a beach lovers paradise with stunning water and plenty of water activities like snorkeling to see the many fish around reefs. Providenciales is the main island for visitors that has great resorts like Beaches Turks and Caicos that are well worth visiting. The Turks and Caicos absolute main draw is visiting the wonderful beaches, resorts and adventure/water activities. If you are looking for big cities, and huge shopping centers then this is not the destination for you as this is a quieter country (don’t get me wrong there are plenty of nightlife options but in general it’s a quiet place for relaxation and a bit of adventure. Grand Turk is a place unless you fly there on a domestic airline in the Turks and Caicos Islands from Providenciales, you will most likely be coming by cruise. We took a historic island tour with a beach visit but there are ATV, UTV and buggy tours as well.
This is a tropical destination so be prepared for heat and a lot of sun. Sunscreen, personal small fans and a lot of water is needed! The Turks and Caicos Islands are within the Hurricane belt, so we recommend travel insurance and watching the weather if you visit between June and November (Hurricane season). Beaches Turks and Caicos is truly a one-of-a-kind resort that is great for any age. Head to the Turks and Caicos Islands and you will fall in love just like we have with the amazing water, and people!
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