Turks and Caicos ?
- Thread starter Lidig8r
- Start date
DCLonghorn
1,000+ Posts
was considering T&C for my honeymoon last Nov but ended up going to Nevis (wife had never been, i had). I've never been to TC but talked to my friends dad who goes a lot. i was looking at The Sommerset - Grace Bay. he's been to a few different hotels there and this is his favorite. said it's quiet and relaxing. no fams. planning a trip here next summer.
Congrats on the wedding and good luck with the honeymoon planning.
Congrats on the wedding and good luck with the honeymoon planning.
DCLonghorn
1,000+ Posts
Read an article in USA Today that quoted a Bahamian Paper that said that the island has been closed to cruise ships and that the island has been devastated. The Carribean is taking a bashing this year!!
Got a text and talked to the booking agent and owner of the villa we were/are supposed to stay. The villa is right on the coast in a bay.
They both said that Provo wasn't hit that hard.. the airport was opened on Monday of this week... most of the structures, hotels weren't significantly damaged. The place we have came through unscathed.
The Link
They both said that Provo wasn't hit that hard.. the airport was opened on Monday of this week... most of the structures, hotels weren't significantly damaged. The place we have came through unscathed.
The Link
DCLonghorn
1,000+ Posts
Glad to hear, give a report when you return.
DCLonghorn
1,000+ Posts
Lidig8r, who did you buy trip insurance from? I'm looking for insurance for my trip.
Alright DC and others.. it's trip report time...
We got into Turks and Caicos (thru Miami) at about 4 in the afternoon on Oct 16.. was met by a valet who had arranged a rental car and then escorted us to our place...
One of the great views looked like this...
[/URL]
As for rental cars, it depends on what you plan to do and the type of person you are. I like to go to out of the mainstream places and see the local sites, explore places tourists don't go, and since we did not stay in a resort, we got a rental car... $350 for the week.. and well worth it! The only thing is.. being British, you drive on the other side of the road and the steering wheel is on the right side of the car.. after the first day, you get used to it.
let's address shopping... it's not like St. Maarten where there's a shopping district and deals to be had.. there are local shops, a few jewelry stores but don't go expecting to get major purchases... they didn't negogiate much at all and the prices were still high, ("Sport.. it's off peak and you just came through a hurricane!") Maybe there was better shopping on Grand Turk, but we didn't take a puddle jumper there which brings us to...
Grand Turks was hit hard by Ike and is rebuilding. There are numerous daily flights there from Provo, but we elected to stay on Provo. Not much damage at all on Provo.
Now.. as for the ocean... a brilliant aquamarine blue.. very warm. The tradewinds were up a bit which made a lot of the surf too choppy for snorkeling but great for bobbing around... This is us on Grace Bay beach...
As for dining, there's a dive called appropriately enough, Jimmy's Dive Bar... strong drinks, food is meh for the most part... across the street from the Seven Stars Resort.. in a small center with Provo Dive and some local shops...
You HAVE to hit Da Conch Shack... a great, kind of dive on the beach. they walk off the beach, get the conch shells, load up a small boat.. bring them right on the beach... and clean the conchs in front of you....
[/URL]
We went down... ate some raw Conch pistels (umm... penis.. supposed to help the virility).. helped clean some conch...
[/URL]
Food there was islandy delicious... spiny lobster.. conch ceviche.. conch fritters and the rum punch...!!!! Get a pitcher.. and take your snorkeling gear. You can snorkel amongst all the conch shells, hovering inches over them.... all sort of fish, the beach is soft, white sand. When you are there, if "John Wayne Duke" is there, he's a good sport, a good waiter from Jamaica.
As for better dining.... we went to Anacoana. Disclaimer time, we went during off peak time so, they did not have all of their best. The first two wines we ordered, they were out of. They were out of veal. The food and wine we did order was ok and better than most. The atmosphere is fabulous!.. their infinity bar is nice and they have lounges and even.. an outdoor bed to sit on amongst torches and a round, outdoor fireplace. Would go there again even though the food did not touch the grub at....
Coco Bistro! The restaurant is set amongst a former nursery so you have palm trees overhead. The food, wine selection, single malt scotches were all superb! Run, don't walk there and make an evening of it.
Magnolia was another great restaurant.. on a slight hill overlooking Turtle Cove and The Tiki Hut... again, food good, atmosphere very good.. a nice, relaxing evening.
As for restaurant service, remember you are on island time. .they take their time.. you're on vacation. Don't be in a rush.
As for other activities... we chartered a boat for 4 hours with Silver Deep. It was worth EVERY PENNY!... If you elect to use them, ask for Alex and Leo. They load the boat up with beer and rum.. and take you a couple of hundred yards off shore to start the day snorkeling. A great start.. many fish, very clear... we saw... a four foot barricuda (which looked much bigger)... and about a four foot nurse shark swam under the SO. She flipped! After snorkeling for pretty much as long as you want, they take you to a conch farm... 15 feet deep and more... you dive down, grab your own conch shells. Again, great snorkeling although not much fish there. You go to shallow water, where you can lounge on the boat or snorkel for sand dollars.. water is only about 3 - 4 feet deep and the bottom sand is pure white. As you are doing that, Leo and Alex are preparing a great conch ceviche...
[/URL]
The night life is pretty tame. And, more time was spent doing this...
[/URL]
A great way to spend a week.. relaxing... taking it easy.. destressing (and yes, I got to watch Texas - Missouri that Sat night!).
Enjoy!
We got into Turks and Caicos (thru Miami) at about 4 in the afternoon on Oct 16.. was met by a valet who had arranged a rental car and then escorted us to our place...
One of the great views looked like this...
As for rental cars, it depends on what you plan to do and the type of person you are. I like to go to out of the mainstream places and see the local sites, explore places tourists don't go, and since we did not stay in a resort, we got a rental car... $350 for the week.. and well worth it! The only thing is.. being British, you drive on the other side of the road and the steering wheel is on the right side of the car.. after the first day, you get used to it.
let's address shopping... it's not like St. Maarten where there's a shopping district and deals to be had.. there are local shops, a few jewelry stores but don't go expecting to get major purchases... they didn't negogiate much at all and the prices were still high, ("Sport.. it's off peak and you just came through a hurricane!") Maybe there was better shopping on Grand Turk, but we didn't take a puddle jumper there which brings us to...
Grand Turks was hit hard by Ike and is rebuilding. There are numerous daily flights there from Provo, but we elected to stay on Provo. Not much damage at all on Provo.
Now.. as for the ocean... a brilliant aquamarine blue.. very warm. The tradewinds were up a bit which made a lot of the surf too choppy for snorkeling but great for bobbing around... This is us on Grace Bay beach...
As for dining, there's a dive called appropriately enough, Jimmy's Dive Bar... strong drinks, food is meh for the most part... across the street from the Seven Stars Resort.. in a small center with Provo Dive and some local shops...
You HAVE to hit Da Conch Shack... a great, kind of dive on the beach. they walk off the beach, get the conch shells, load up a small boat.. bring them right on the beach... and clean the conchs in front of you....
We went down... ate some raw Conch pistels (umm... penis.. supposed to help the virility).. helped clean some conch...
Food there was islandy delicious... spiny lobster.. conch ceviche.. conch fritters and the rum punch...!!!! Get a pitcher.. and take your snorkeling gear. You can snorkel amongst all the conch shells, hovering inches over them.... all sort of fish, the beach is soft, white sand. When you are there, if "John Wayne Duke" is there, he's a good sport, a good waiter from Jamaica.
As for better dining.... we went to Anacoana. Disclaimer time, we went during off peak time so, they did not have all of their best. The first two wines we ordered, they were out of. They were out of veal. The food and wine we did order was ok and better than most. The atmosphere is fabulous!.. their infinity bar is nice and they have lounges and even.. an outdoor bed to sit on amongst torches and a round, outdoor fireplace. Would go there again even though the food did not touch the grub at....
Coco Bistro! The restaurant is set amongst a former nursery so you have palm trees overhead. The food, wine selection, single malt scotches were all superb! Run, don't walk there and make an evening of it.
Magnolia was another great restaurant.. on a slight hill overlooking Turtle Cove and The Tiki Hut... again, food good, atmosphere very good.. a nice, relaxing evening.
As for restaurant service, remember you are on island time. .they take their time.. you're on vacation. Don't be in a rush.
As for other activities... we chartered a boat for 4 hours with Silver Deep. It was worth EVERY PENNY!... If you elect to use them, ask for Alex and Leo. They load the boat up with beer and rum.. and take you a couple of hundred yards off shore to start the day snorkeling. A great start.. many fish, very clear... we saw... a four foot barricuda (which looked much bigger)... and about a four foot nurse shark swam under the SO. She flipped! After snorkeling for pretty much as long as you want, they take you to a conch farm... 15 feet deep and more... you dive down, grab your own conch shells. Again, great snorkeling although not much fish there. You go to shallow water, where you can lounge on the boat or snorkel for sand dollars.. water is only about 3 - 4 feet deep and the bottom sand is pure white. As you are doing that, Leo and Alex are preparing a great conch ceviche...
The night life is pretty tame. And, more time was spent doing this...
A great way to spend a week.. relaxing... taking it easy.. destressing (and yes, I got to watch Texas - Missouri that Sat night!).
Enjoy!
TenaciousTgarden
250+ Posts
great review - glad to hear Provo escaped most of the hurricane damage. Next time, make sure you try Bay Bistro at Sibonne (next door to Hemingway's). Delicious food, great view.
We also did a Silver Deep trip and had an amazing time - they know how to run things!
Man, I need to get back there.
We also did a Silver Deep trip and had an amazing time - they know how to run things!
Man, I need to get back there.
DCLonghorn
1,000+ Posts
The fiancee won 2 American Airlines tickets to anywhere in the US, Mexico and Carribean that we have to use by Dec. 2009. Too bad I already booked our honeymoon. I'm thinking that we take a 5 day trip to T&C or St. Maarten next fall around Thanksgiving. Anyone know what the weather is like in the Carribean this time of year?
DCLonghorn
1,000+ Posts
Thanks for the link.
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