The Ultimate First-Timers Guide to Turks & Caicos

Turks & Caicos is a little piece of paradise located in the Atlantic Ocean southeast of the Bahamas. It’s known for its incredible crystal clear water, white sand beaches, and world-renowned snorkeling and diving. Turks & Caicos is a British territory and even though it’s one of the smallest countries in the Caribbean, it’s made up of over 40 islands!

Back in September, I got to experience Turks & Caicos for the very first time while on a girl’s trip, celebrating one of my friend’s birthdays. This was a first-time destination for all of us and we quickly fell in love with the beauty and charm of the island. This being our first time though, we had to do a little research prior to taking off, especially with the pandemic going on.

This guide will cover everything you need to know about visiting Turks & Caicos including information on getting into the country with the pandemic restrictions, important things to know before arriving, places to stay, where to eat, and amazing things to do. I hope you find this informative, helpful, and gets you even more excited about visiting this amazing country! Alright, let’s get into it. . .

How To Get Into Turks & Caicos With The Current Pandemic Restrictions:

This is the most important bit of information you can take from this post because without it, you won’t be allowed in the country. These restrictions are obviously changing all of the time as things progress with the pandemic, so always keep out for updated information and do your research, but as of right now, these are the steps you will have to follow to gain access to Turks & Caicos if you are traveling from the United States.

1. First and foremost, you need to be fully vaccinated at least two weeks before your trip
2. You must receive a negative COVID test within three days of your arrival date
3. Purchase insurance that specifically covers COVID. We went through a company called Trawick International, which provides insurance for as little as $10. Check out their website, here.
4. Once you’ve received your negative COVID test and purchased your insurance, create a profile on the official Turks & Caicos website, here.
5. After you fill out all of the required information and create your profile you should receive an approval email within an hour- this is your official travel authorization for Turks & Caicos
6. This will get you into the country, but there’s one final requirement! A day or two before returning home, you need to get another negative COVID test to get back into the US (assuming that’s where you’re originally flying from). Most Resorts are offering COVID tests with results in less than 15 minutes. We paid $50 at Seven Stars Resort. You must make an appointment ahead of time though, which you can do online, here.

Important Things To Know:

When traveling to any country for the first time, there are always different customs to be aware of and certain things to know, which will make your trip run a bit smoother. Some of these things we didn’t know until we actually arrived in the country! So take note of them now, so there are no big surprises once you get there:

1. Uber Isn’t a Thing

We’ve become so accustomed to catching a ride through one click on our phone that when we visit a place without Uber it throws us for a loop. I’d recommend getting a shuttle pre-booked to pick you up from the airport. If you’re staying at a hotel/resort chances are they’ll be able to set this up for you and help you with rides throughout your trip. If you choose to stay in a villa or Airbnb, your host should be able to provide you with a taxi service.

2. Taxis Charge Per Person, Not According To Distance

This was something we didn’t realize until arriving, so I find it really important to share this information with anyone planning ongoing. It was perfectly fine but made our rides pretty expensive as there were five of us. However, if you’re planning a trip to Turks, chances are you already know, it is not cheap!

3. Their Currency is $USD

Even though Turks & Caicos is a British island, they use USD. Always make sure to have some cash on you! It will seriously come in handy.

4. The Tipping Norm Is Between 15-20%

Very similar to the USA, when dining out you’re expected to leave a tip between 15-20% of your bill. Some places we ate at already included gratuity but it might be because we were a larger group. Just be aware and always properly tip your servers!

5. The Water Is Generally Okay To Drink

However, I’d suggest sticking with bottled water just to be safe! Better safe than sorry, especially when you’re on vacation.

Where To Stay:

Turks & Caicos is filled with incredible resorts, beautiful villas, and amazing hotels. There is no shortage of wonderful places to stay while vacationing in this paradise. My friends and I chose to stay in a private villa we found on Airbnb. This was a perfect option for us. We really enjoyed having our privacy, especially a private pool. The full kitchen was very convenient and helpful. And overall, the property was just unbelievably gorgeous. We were so happy with our decision to stay in an Airbnb and it’s an option I would highly recommend. However, if hotels are more your thing, here are a few of the resorts we managed to visit during our time there and looked like incredible places to stay:

Seven Stars Resort

Seven Stars is located right on beautiful Grace Bay beach, known as one of the most pristine beaches in Turks & Caicos. This resort has island-inspired decor and homey comforts along with an incredible range of amenities. Between their stunning bedroom suites, incredible dining options, a luxurious spa, and magnificent salt-water pool, this would be an easy place to call home while on vacation!

Grace Bay Club

Grace Bay Club is a luxury 5-star resort and also located on Grace Bay beach. They offer stylish rooms, suites, or villas with ocean views. The beachfront is absolutely pristine, with amazing dining options and an incredible spa. They are known for their impeccable service and the location doesn’t get any better!

Where To Eat:

If there’s one thing I love as much as traveling, it’s eating! When planning a trip anywhere for the first time, I really like to do my research and find the absolute best restaurants a destination has to offer. It honestly makes the entire experience for me that much better. So trust me when I say, you cannot go wrong with any of these recommendations below. The food in Turks & Caicos was so amazing and we had one incredible meal after another.

Island Scoop

We stumbled upon Island Scoop on accident and we couldn’t have been happier! Not only do they serve up delicious ice cream, but they also have a fantastic breakfast menu with sweet & savory waffles, egg dishes, and mango mimosas.

Da Conch Shack

A perfect place to grab lunch right on the beach! Stick your toes in the sand and enjoy pitchers of rum punch and incredible fried conch. If you’ve never tried conch before, this is the place to do it. I also really enjoyed their fish tacos.

The Deck

Located in the Seven Stars resort, The Deck has a great menu and wonderful scenery. We shared a tuna roll, jerk chicken wings, conch fritters, and mussels. Right after lunch we took five steps and were right on beautiful Grace Bay Beach!

Coco Bistro

Coco Bistro is where we went for our first dinner in Turks and it definitely set the bar high. We enjoyed our meal right under the palm trees and dined on incredible filet mignon and lobster tail.

Infiniti Restaurant & Raw Bar

Located in Grace Bay Club Resort, Infiniti is a beautiful, upscale restaurant right on the beach. They play live music and offer delicious fish and meat dishes with fresh ingredients and a beautiful presentation. I really enjoyed the octopus and their fresh catch of the day!

Mango Reef

Located in Turtle Cove Marina, Mango Reef is another wonderful restaurant right on the water. Specializing in fresh local flavors, we enjoyed everything this place had to offer. I loved their pork tenderloin medallion dish and the seafood paella was outstanding.

What To Do:

Turks & Caicos is a perfect destination if you’re looking for relaxation, beautiful beach days, and time spent on the water. These were some of our favorite activities that we filled our days with during our time there and my top recommendations:

Visit Grace Bay Beach

Grace Bay Beach is considered one of the most beautiful, pristine beaches in the world. After visiting, it’s so easy to see why. The white sand feels like flour and squeaks under your feet. The water is crystal clear and feels like stepping into a bath. I also loved that it wasn’t overly crowded, which is always a plus. An easy way to get to Grace Bay beach is from Seven Stars resort. I’d highly recommend having lunch at The Deck beforehand, which is steps away from Grace Bay beach.

Go on a Boat Ride/Snorkling Tour

Spending a day on the water while you’re in Turks & Caicos is a must! We decided to book a boat tour through a company called Island Vibes Tours and I’d highly recommend them. They put together a perfect day, which included some of the best snorkeling I’ve ever done, time for swimming/relaxing, amazing views of the island, lunch, and drinks were included, and we stopped off at Half Moon Bay, which I’ll get into next. This was a half-day tour filled with fun and was such an incredible way to experience the beauty of Turks & Caicos.

Explore Half Moon Bay

Half Moon Bay is a little slice of heaven and one of the most popular destinations in Turks & Caicos. The beach is beautiful with incredible turquoise waters, there’s a miniature palm forest, low cliffs, a sheltered lagoon, and very friendly iguanas that seem to love the tourist. No joke, they literally run right up to you. The easiest way to visit Half Moon Bay is by taking a boat tour and the one I mentioned above includes it in their half-day tour. I’d definitely say this was a highlight of our trip!

Visit Sapodilla Beach

Sapodilla Beach is an awesome spot that both locals and tourists enjoy going to. Besides the fact that the beach is gorgeous and somewhat private, you’ll find food stands, a floating bar, umbrella/ lounge chair rentals, and jet skis. This is a perfect place to go spend a day and relax in paradise.

I hope you found this post informative, helpful, and made you even more interested in visiting Turks & Caicos. I’ve been to quite a few destinations in the Caribbean and this one is easily my favorite. Please feel free to leave any questions or comments below and as always, happy travels!