photo: Turks and Caicos Tourism

Turks and Caicos Islands are a beautiful destination if you’re looking for a getaway that accommodates both lazy days on the beach and exciting island excursions. After visiting my first time, I knew the destination would remain in my top favorites. 

The Turks and Caicos Islands are a British Overseas Territory consisting of the larger Caicos Islands and smaller Turks Islands, two groups of tropical islands in the Lucayan Archipelago of the Atlantic Ocean and northern West Indies.

We visited Providenciales, the third largest island in the Turks and Caicos chain, and the most developed island, with Providenciales International Airport serving as the hub of tourism activity. The 38 square mile island is home to Grace Bay Beach, recipient of the World’s Best Beach award from several travel and tourism publications. 

In this Turks and Caicos travel guide, I’ll share everything you need to know to have the perfect week on the island of Providenciales.

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When to Visit Turks and Caicos

photo: Villa Milestone Turks and Caicos Caribbean

Most may say the best time to visit Turks and Caicos is between December and April when the weather is most pleasant with calm seas, low rainfall, and warm temperatures, making it ideal for beach activities. However, this is also the high season which means higher prices and more crowds. For a better balance of good weather and lower costs, you may want to consider visiting in February, March, or April.

We played our luck and visited in the middle of September – peak hurricane season. A hurricane had missed us by a week, and thankfully we had a wonderful vacation.

High Season: December – April is the high season in Turks and Caicos, where you’ll usually get the best weather, calmer season, less rainfall, and warm temperatures. Since most travelers will plan to visit during high season, you’ll also see larger crowds and higher prices (on an already pricy island!) during these months.

Shoulder Season: Late April through early June and mid-November through early December are considered the shoulder season for Turks and Caicos. While I haven’t visited during shoulder season, I would definitely plan my next trip back during these months, which offer pleasant weather, fewer crowds, and generally lower prices compared to the peak season. You may experience warmer temperatures with more humidity and sporadic rain showers, but in my opinion it’s worth the trade off of large crowds.

Low Season: June through November is considered the low season for Turks and Caicos, as the islands fall within the hurricane belt. While we got lucky our first time visiting during low season (missing a hurricane by just one week!), we wouldn’t recommend traveling during these months. 

How to Get to Turks and Caicos

photo: Visit Turks and Caicos Islands

The best way to get to Turks and Caicos is by plane, arriving at Providenciales International Airport, the primary airport of the islands. All scheduled international flights to the country land at this gateway.

The airport is quite small as compared to other international airports, with just 8 gates. However, we do recommend arriving early when departing the island to ensure enough time to check any luggage and go through security.

Several international airlines fly to the Turks and Caicos, including British Airways, American Airlines, United, Air Canada, Delta, Jet Blue, West Jet, and InterCaribbean. All airlines share a general ticketing and check-in hall. When we visited Turks and Caicos we flew Jet Blue airlines roundtrip, and have no complaints! 

Where to Stay in Turks and Caicos

When we visited Turks and Caicos, we stayed within the main Grace Bay Beach area of the island, which is home to many beachfront hotels, upscale shopping and delicious dining.

The Ritz-Carlton, Turks and Caicos

photo: The Ritz-Carlton, Turks & Caicos

We stayed at The Ritz-Carlton, Turks and Caicos, one of the more luxurious (and expensive!) resorts on the island. Aside from the high cost, the experience was nothing short of a five star experience.

Upon arrival at the property, we were greeted with refreshing cocktails and friendly hospitality. We did not opt to book a Club Level room this time, however if we returned to the property, we would recommend the extra spend to book a Club Level suite, which enhances your entire stay with a dedicated Concierge, a private Club Lounge, unique in-room amenities and exclusive experiences that immerse you in the best of the destination. Five times each day, the Club Lounge offers complimentary food and beverage presentations. These daily offerings — breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, hors d’oeuvres and cordials — tell the destination’s story through locally sourced ingredients, iconic dishes and signature drinks.

Seven Stars Resort & Spa

photo: Seven Stars Resort & Spa

If you’re looking for another luxury option, we might also mention Seven Stars Resort & Spa is worth checking out. Situated right next to The Ritz-Carlton, this resort is known for providing high caliber service and five-star dining. 

During our vacation, we enjoyed cocktails at the property’s restaurant, Seven, whose bartenders are known for crafting unique cocktails to your specific requests, taste, and preferences. It was a highly personalized experience, and the cocktails were fabulous!

Beaches Turks & Caicos

photo: Beaches Turks & Caicos

Truthfully, staying at The Ritz-Carlton for five days became expensive, as costs for drinks and dining add up quickly! When we return to the island, we would likely opt for an all-inclusive accommodation, such as Beaches Turks & Caicos. This all-inclusive resort on Grace Bay features five magnificent villages boasting the architecture and ambiance of Italy, France, the Caribbean and Key West, a 45,000 square-foot waterpark, 18 specialty restaurants, a 12-mile beach lapped by clear turquoise waters, and 10 impressive pools.

The all-inclusive amenities include unlimited fine dining at 18 restaurants, unlimited premium liquors and 14 bars including a swim-up bar, and a multitude of activities including SCUBA diving and equipment, snorkeling and equipment, day and night entertainment, pickleball and spots, and more.

Where to Eat in Turks and Caicos

We genuinely enjoyed all of the food we tried during our time on the island; everything is so fresh. This was our first time trying conch – both fried and as part of ceviche – and it was so yummy! The fried conch tasted almost like fried calamari and the ceviche conch was light and flavorful.

photo: Island Scoop

Island Scoop: Don’t be fooled, this ice cream shop has the best breakfast we had during our time on the island. If you want to start your day with something savory, we went back (twice!) for the Everything Bagel, which features the classic all-seasoned bagel topped with eggs, tomatoes, mixed spring salad, cheese, and bacon.

The Terrace on Grace Bay: This quaint, open-air beach bar is a lovely spot to enjoy lunch in a laid back setting, whether you’re on your way back from the beach or headed out for lunch after a midday siesta. Let me tell you, when we go back to Turks and Caicos, we will be going back to The Terrace for their Loaded Nachos.

photo: Casa Nonna Turks & Caicos

Casa Nonna: An open and inviting restaurant at The Ritz-Carlton, situated just steps away from the beach with stunning oceanfront views. We enjoyed the Fried Calamari (so fresh!) and the Ricotta Cheese Gnocchi, but be careful of this dish as it’s super heavily creamy.

BLT Steak: Also located at The Ritz-Carlton, this steakhouse features award-winning wine lists and the most perfectly seasoned cuts of steak. 

What to Do in Turks and Caicos

Providenciales is a beautiful island to explore, with plenty of activities and excursions. We went on a Deluxe Catamaran Half-Day Snorkel Sail at Bight Reef (also known as Coral Gardens). Located near Grace Bay Beach, this reef is part of the Turks and Caicos Barrier Reef, the third largest barrier reef in the world.

We also embarked on a jet ski tour to see turtles and a shipwreck, and an evening sunset sail with unlimited champagne and endless vibes.