The Turks and Caicos islands are great place to get away and escape the winter months. The crystal clear water, the perfect weather, and being on the beach.
We went to Turks and Caicos to escape the winter and were not disappointed.
We booked a condotel (yeah, I didnβt know what that was either) but it was the perfect choice. The place had only a few rooms, which consisted of a separate bedroom, bathroom, living room and a full kitchen and private balcony. We were right on the bottom floor so you could step out from you room and see lizards scurrying and exotic birds preening their beautiful feathers. Oh, and I canβt forget our daily visitor, the stray cat. Sigh.
The weather
Turks and Caicos overall has great weather and a tropical climate. The hottest month is August and September and the rainy season is typically from late August to early December, with November being the rainiest month. This is also hurricane season, so you can expect heavy rains at times. Overall, the islands see around 33 inches of average rainfall every year, with some islands seeing more than others, but 350 days of sunshine.
Average temperature in any given month is between 80 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit, so you can expect warm weather no matter what time of year you visit. The average sea temperature is between 74β78Β°F (23β26Β°C) in the winter months to 82β84Β°F (28β29Β°C) in the summer months. So, with the warm temperature outside all year round, the water temperature is always just right too.
Best time to visit
My personal preference is to visit in the winter, to escape the snow. I also try to avoid visiting during spring break and the peak season for fewer crowds. The high season, however, runs from December to April. With peak tourist season you can expect to pay more for accommodations, activities and food and drinks, with the cruise ship stops being popular during this time of year.
So, the best months to visit is during the low season and outside the rainy season, from April to August, where you can get lower prices and less people at that time of year. In my opinion, this is the perfect time to visit.
During the high season, if you want a drink on the beach, expect it to cost around $18 USD per drink and dining out for two is easily $100 USD. However, if you stay in a condotel, or other hotel with a kitchen, you have the opportunity to save some money on at least some of the meals by cooking yourself (which is what we did).
Outdoor activities
Each of the islands in the archipelago have something to offer, from Grand Turk to middle Turk to Providenciales, where we stayed, there is a lot to explore and a ton of water sports. At Providenciales, we discovered that if you are willing to walk for it there was a beautiful reef right off the shore close to Turtle Bay.
We were staying right in Providenciales, to have access to stores, restaurants and the action so Turtle Bay was about an hour walk on the beautiful beach, which was fine for us. The first time we took a taxi and it was kind of ridiculous. We walked back after our initial go and it made more sense to us to walk on the beach, enjoying the feel of the fine white sand between our toes, admiring the sheer beauty of it all and just taking our time, than giving lots of money to a taxi driver.
The snorkeling in this area is incredible, I wish that at the time of this trip we had our underwater camera so I could show you just how incredible it was. You enter the water and within a few short steps you were underwater and circling a large tropical reef. There is a plethora of fish, corals and we did see a shark, which made me nervous but we kept going back regardless because it was just so perfect.
If you want to just hang out at a beautiful beach, Grace Bay Beach, right in Providenciales, is the perfect place to spend the day. It is also one of the most popular destinations on this island.
The water is like bathwater, you will never want to get out. And because we wanted to continue our water journey we signed up for a snorkeling excursion with Caicos Dream Tours.
They took us out to a secluded area where we dived for conch, getting to keep our shells after they were done preparing the most delicious conch salad I have ever eaten. If you have never had conch they prepare it raw mixed with fresh veggies, lemon, salt, and some also incorporate fruit. Itβs to die for! Itβs pretty much all we ate while we were there, prepared in as many ways as we could find. My favorite was the conch fritters.
The conch was accompanied by rum punch that will sneak up on you if youβre not careful. The guides took us to Iguana Island after to check out these giant lizards close up and to sip on rum punch while we did it. This island is awesome! Especially for reptile enthusiasts like us. The island is completely deserted save for these incredible reptiles and some beautiful bird species. Itβs a long tour and was worth doing because we got to see so much more and snorkel in other areas. This tour was a great time.
One of these other areas includes the barrier reef. The barrier reef runs parallel to the island shore keeping the waters around the beach calm and clear. The reef was teeming with life and some of the most magnificent corals I have ever seen. It left us wanting more. Which is why we continued to go back to our quiet snorkel spot in turtle bay.
We were never overwhelmed by tourists, and the snorkeling off the beach seemed to be virtually unknown to people. We may have encountered 2-4 people total in all the times we went there (which was pretty much every day). Itβs like your own private underwater oasis. I recommend that anyone with an interest in snorkeling, whenever you visit a tropical island seek out these places because they change the trip completely and give you something special thatβs pretty much all to yourself.
Local food
Other than snorkeling in Turks and Caicos, I highly recommend attending the local fish fry. This is where the locals have stands set up and restaurants show off some of their best seafood. There is rum punch served in coconuts, conch cooked in all ways, spiny lobster, fish (of course) and so much more. There was live music and dancing and I had a really good time. I am so glad we didnβt miss this. It is typically held on Thursdays so make sure to extend your stay long enough to check it out. You wonβt find better food in any restaurant I guarantee.
There is also a great restaurant called Coco Bistro. Itβs a little bit of a walk outside of Providenciales but itβs worth it. Itβs this cool refurbished house painted a bright orange, set back off the road surrounded by palm trees. There is outdoor seating with lights strung from the palm trees that become part of the ambience of the place.
They are always busy and they recommend a reservation but if you arenβt picky you can just grab some bar seating, which has some bar tables, couches and a laid-back vibe. You can still get all the same menu items as in the regular restaurant seating and itβs right next to the regular seating so the atmosphere is no different. The food was amazing to say the least. Try it, you wonβt regret it.
Concluding Thoughts
There is a lot to explore in Turks and Caicos and if you have time make sure to check out the other islands, where you can swim with pigs, or go to some of the quieter islands for a real retreat.
If your hungry for more Caribbean islands check outΒ this post by fellow blogger Fill My Passport, a collaborative post from fellow bloggers and yours truly! Or head over to the Bahamas for more great snorkeling adventures.
Comments
This is such a feast for the senses! The pictures are lovely too. I want my bath to be the sea!
Author
Thank you! I’m glad you liked it!!
Thanks for the heads up on how pricy it can be there! I always hear about how beautiful Turks & Caicos are (geez, the water is really blue) but not much on the cost.
Also, when people find out that youβre a vet (while traveling) what are their reactions usually like? What questions do you usually get?
Author
I’m glad you found it useful! I think some people think these islands are all fairly cheap but it’s not, especially because they need to have everything shipped in jacking up the costs. As a vet I tend to get a lot of “I have this dog and it has….what do you think it could be?” or “I could never be a vet, I could never put an animal to sleep.” It doesn’t matter where I am in the world that’s what I always get. It kinda just makes me smile.
That water is so incredibly blue! Did you find it easy to get flights there? Turks & Caicos has been on my bucket list, I mean what is there not to like?!
Author
We did not have any trouble getting flights but the airport is pretty terrible there. Otherwise I agree with your statement what’s not to like?!
TCI is by far my favorite Caribbean Island! Some of the best food we have had on our travels to date. The best part was taking a boat to Middle Caicos and renting a car there to explore that island and seeing wild flamingos. It looks like you had an awesome trip, and you’re right, the water is like bath water only a much prettier color!
Author
We are really hoping to get back there some day to explore some of the other islands. We actually talked about going to Middle Caicos but decided for this particular trip to just stay put in one area and take it all in.
Wow, I’ve had Turks and Caicos high on my Bahamas bucket list! (I think it’s in the Bahamas!) Your photos and first-hand account just solidify that I need to go ASAP!
Author
It’s actually not in the Bahamas but I will be doing a post on the Bahamas next! It’s a bit further south and you should definitely check it out!
We were considering Turks and Caicos this year, but went in another direction instead. But your photos and experience are so enticing – I think I’ll need to nudge a little harder next year!
Author
You definitely should! We loved it there and hope to go back some day to explore more of the islands.
Awesome! You got to see so much of wildlife near the beach. I am craving for some vitamin sea looking at all those blue pictures π
Author
I am always on the lookout for wildlife wherever I go and I think a lot of people overlook some of these secretive animals because they aren’t looking.
I’ve been dreaming of some tropical weather as we’ve had wave after wave of snow here in the midwest. I love the sound of oceans like bathwater. It’s so cool that you found some secluded snorkeling. My only experience in the Caribbean was being herded off of a cruise ship with thousands of other tourists and I didn’t enjoy it very much. This sounds way better.
Author
I have never been interested in the whole cruise ship scene, I feel like you don’t get to really experience a place when you do that. I like taking the time to get to know a place and learn it’s secrets.
We are going here in December and I can’t wait! It looks so beautiful! We are hoping to do some snorkeling so it should be a great time.
Author
Awesome! I hope you have a great time and you are going to love the snorkeling it is beautiful!
I’ve always wanted to visit Turks and Caicos…it looks amazing! I like buying a few groceries, too, not only is it easier on the budget, but eating out every single meal gets old pretty fast! Funny, I stayed in an “apart-hotel” in Belgium…I guess these are new words now!
Author
Eating definitely gets old fast when its multiple meals a day. If you can balance it out so you only eat out once a day it gives you more time to be doing other fun things!
Love hearing about new places like this especially when Itβs a bit off the beaten path ! The Turks and Caicos Islands, hiding at the southern tip of the Bahamian Archipelago, elude most travelers’ radars, right ? With it’s unbelievably clear waters, TCI should definitely be on my bucket list. I would love to just relax on the beach, and kick back on its powdery soft sands π
Author
I completely agree, it did’t seem overrun with tourists and just chilling on the beach or wading in the warm clear water is the perfect way to spend a day!
Never heard of a condhotel until now too. Definitely seems worth looking into! That giant lizard is quite a sight. It reminds me of all the iguanas running around in Aruba.
Author
The condotel was fantastic! It was like having our own apartment for a great price. I highly recommend it.
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