Springfield Posted July 13, 2010 Share Posted July 13, 2010 My lovely lady and I will be going to Turks and Caicos on our honeymoon in October. We've already booked a week there so I'm not looking for opinions of Turks and Caicos over the other Caribbean islands. We already did quite a bit of research on this and it seems like a complete island fantasy. Particularly, we will be staying on the island of Providenciales on Grace Bay. What I am looking for is thoughts from people who have been to Turks and Caicos or have thought about going to Turks and Caicos. Here's a map for those of you thinking "Where the **** is Turks and Caicos?": From the research I've done, it claims to have some of the worlds most idyllic beaches. It also isn't so crowded with the undesirables that litter places like Mexico and Jamaica (which we have both been to). We do like to drink, but we don't like the major club scenes. We'd rather just hang out in a bar and not have to "close talk". Most importantly, we want an awesome beach... close to, if not, the world's greatest. So, what does ES know about Turks and Caicos? Have any of you ever been? Have you ever wanted to go? What is your impression? Honeymoon paradise? Party hotspot? I'm totally psyched for our honeymoon. It probably won't matter if somebody speaks badly out the place because I'm already sold. This is what I'm expecting: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maximus71 Posted July 13, 2010 Share Posted July 13, 2010 I am also planing a trip this year as well, I will be bookmarking this thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CPORTISFAN999 Posted July 13, 2010 Share Posted July 13, 2010 my parents and i went there spring break of my freshman year of highschool. we loved it so much that we decided to go again this past spring break. our neighbors (nick, 18, going to college) and his parents came with us. they loved it as well. we might go next year too. if you need any restauraunt reccomondations, let me know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Springfield Posted July 13, 2010 Author Share Posted July 13, 2010 my parents and i went there spring break of my freshman year of highschool. we loved it so much that we decided to go again this past spring break. our neighbors (nick, 18, going to college) and his parents came with us. they loved it as well. we might go next year too. if you need any restauraunt reccomondations, let me know. Definitely need restaurant recommendations. We want to have a good time (not bored by the surroundings) but don't want to be surrounded by crazy kids (don't want to be a part of a rave). As far as sit down restaurants, I don't like seafood aside from salmon. She'll eat anything. Obvious TOOC content noted. We are renting a villa right next to a resort (The Windsong) so we may be eating what we can and having much of our meals in liquid form. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teller Posted July 13, 2010 Share Posted July 13, 2010 I don't know anything about the place, but I wish y'all the best, SS. You're a good dude, and I hope your honeymoon is everything you hope it will be......outside the room and in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lombardi's_kid_brother Posted July 13, 2010 Share Posted July 13, 2010 I've been there. Stayed on Providenciales. It's not built up like Cancun or Jamaica - which is why I liked it. There are plenty of good restaurants, but they are local-type places. Eat plenty of conch fritters. The snorkeling is great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcsluggo Posted July 13, 2010 Share Posted July 13, 2010 let me know if you want to know about the macroeconomic stability or the political risk outlook .... otherwise, i've got nada for you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoCalSkins Posted July 13, 2010 Share Posted July 13, 2010 If you're going, wouldn't that negate the claim that it isn't littered with undesirables? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elessar78 Posted July 13, 2010 Share Posted July 13, 2010 All I know about them is the Biggie and P. Diddy used to fly their private jets down there. Or was that Jay-Z? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lombardi's_kid_brother Posted July 13, 2010 Share Posted July 13, 2010 All I know about them is the Biggie and P. Diddy used to fly their private jets down there. Or was that Jay-Z? There's a lot of little private islands there with huge houses and sea planes. I really liked it. I went in October and it was very quiet. Not a lot of people on the beaches. I don't think there is much of a night life - except maybe at Club Med. Good food. Good snorkeling. Lots of lizards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pez Posted July 13, 2010 Share Posted July 13, 2010 PM Dead Money... I think he has been there a couple times... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldChelsea Posted July 13, 2010 Share Posted July 13, 2010 One thing you won't have to worry about is getting foreign money - the US dollar is the official currency. State Department information: http://www.travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1048.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoGood28 Posted July 13, 2010 Share Posted July 13, 2010 I stayed at the all-inclusive resort Sandals in 2000 for new years eve. I was pretty distressed that I was 15 and the drinking age was 18 but that didn't stop me. It was pretty cool ringing in the millenium on a caribbean beach with a bottle of rum. As for Turks and Caicos, I never left the resort so I can't describe much more than the beaches, which were beautiful. Enjoy your trip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lombardi's_kid_brother Posted July 13, 2010 Share Posted July 13, 2010 I stayed at the all-inclusive resort Sandals in 2000 for new years eve. I was pretty distressed that I was 15 and the drinking age was 18 but that didn't stop me. It was pretty cool ringing in the millenium on a caribbean beach with a bottle of rum. As for Turks and Caicos, I never left the resort so I can't describe much more than the beaches, which were beautiful. Enjoy your trip. Good Lord. Are you McD5's nephew? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dead Money Posted July 13, 2010 Share Posted July 13, 2010 PM Dead Money... I think he has been there a couple times... Thanks Pez. I was there for 4 months winter of 08-09. Chill Island. Not a lot of tourism. Locals are great but the more recent political/economical situation has brought more crime and uncertainty both of which I did not see when I was there. Did have a shooting at a club during a full-moon party, it was a Jamaican drug dealer shot at by someone he owed money to.... allegedly.... Here are some RANDUMB thoughts and opinions on the area as a whole...... DISCLAIMER: I hear things have changed quite a bit and a LOT of people I knew there have left because of it. Cheap Car Rentals: Scooter Bobs (Turtle Cove) Best Rum Punch/Bartenders and CONCH: Da Conch Shack (Blue Hills) (be careful that rum punch don't play around) Casino in Turtle Cove: Tuesdays or Wednesdays were $35 buy in texas hold em.. dabbled with ex-pats, druglords, real estate moguls, be prepared to re-buy in after everyone at the tables go all in to weed out the cheap. Good time if you like poker. Ask somebody what night is best for Horse Eyed Jacks (Blue Hills) great outdoor tiki bar type place with a great crowd. Divers, eco tours, snorkel trips: Big Blue Unlimited (Leeward) Ask for Jackie or Lynn and tell them you know Kevin from Convergence (my old boat) If you can swing it do a trip over to North Caicos and the cays over that way with them, you won't regret it. Nice dinner atmospere: The Terrace at Aqua Hemingways on the beach at grace bay Must do dinner at Coco Bistro, make sure no rain is in forecast and eat outside. Magnolias restaurant has a great view and they charge accordingly. Sharkbite Grill has bingo night which is actually really fun...drinking and bingo LOL If you're into fishing of any kind the locals don't go much further than the reefline which has nothing to offer but barracuda. Bonefishing on the south side is as good as it gets, ask for Arthur in turtle cove. If serious about fishing PM me for more info. Find sunset bluffs on a map and drive there. Bring a bottle of wine and make sure there's a spare tire in the trunk (all dirt roads.) Taylor Bay is a cool beach to visit away from all the tourism. Don't believe a word anyone says about JoJo the dolphin... The wakeboarding is actually pretty good up past leeward cut in the cays. Nautique Sports did a good job while I was there but everyone I new is back in the states. Kite boarding is pretty popular too thanks to the ever present trades. If you're walking and someone blows the horn, don't wave. (Unless you want a cheap ride somewhere!) These are known as jitneys and its a very cheap way to get around the island. Many of the fortunate locals who have cars will pick up anybody and drive them somewhere for a couple of bucks. Taxis are not cheap and most times will not show if someone is paying more or if something comes up. Don't drive after 10-11pm or walk on active roads. So many drunk drivers, there are wrecks all the time. If you have a bicycle, lock it up. It will end up on the other end of the island even if you leave it for a second. As with most islands. If you have a rental car, don't leave it unlocked or the key in it (see above) These are not big deals, but if your there for 5 days and you spend half a day looking for your bike or car it will ruin your experience. Again if you drive, be careful. The roundabouts are great because the island needs no stoplights to replace after hurricanes, but they are like being in a hurricane themselves. Learn when to stop, so many tourists come flying through them and then have to slam on their brakes. Don't expect much on TV, then again why would you need it? Don't have much experience with the resorts themselves, I lived on a boat while I was there, but I did have a car which makes it soooo much nicer getting around. Northwest point and Amanyara on the other side of the island is a good spot to check out maybe before sunset bluffs? "Iguana Island" or Donna Cay is awesome, there are a ton of iguanas running around all over the place. "Danny Buoys" is a local wateringhole that is pretty jammed at least one night a week and usually fun. "Calico Jacks" is very local but fun nonetheless. "Jimmys Dive Bar" is a great place to go when your lady is insistent on shopping all day!!! Internet service, and cell phone coverage is a scam of epic proportion. Make sure you have your ducks in a row before you step foot on the island. Water is desalinated on the island from the ocean. It takes a lot of electricity to accomplish that. The electricity comes from huge diesel generators. If you have no water or no power you will have to understand that is how island life can be. The major resorts I believe have back ups. The water is fine to drink and probably better than city water in most towns on the east coast. The plumbing however, could be a culprit in run down places. The blue smoke from the blue hills is garbage burning. Yes it is, some will tell you its not, they are lying. If this bothers you, don't go west of the blue hills region, although the trades do a good job of keeping it away from the island. Remember that any garbage you make will eventually be burned there, no matter what you are told to the contrary. OK I've rambled enough... enjoy yourselves, please take my opinions with a grain of salt, I "lived" there, so my views were very different than the Saturday to Saturday crowd coming through the airport every week. 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TheDane Posted July 13, 2010 Share Posted July 13, 2010 I experienced a lot of the things Dead Money stated. As for a tourist's perspective: Stayed far northwest on Providenciales at a place called Northwest Point Resort. My wife and I wanted to get away from Grace Bay and stay somewhere more secluded. We definitely got what we wanted. By our resort, and across the island by preposterously-expensive Amanyara, the beaches were beautiful and empty, and the snorkeling excellent. We had one very nice SCUBA dive, most notable for the stark drop-offs by the island ledges. Alas, the name of our provider escapes me. Our experience elsewhere on the island was so-so. The finest restaurants all are located on resorts, and I got the impression that outside of these resorts there is not much for a tourist to do. The fanciest and most expensive restaurants were fancy alright, and though the service was good, the food was average. Because of the questionable political environment, we were warned to be careful. So we were. I cannot comment on crime and the like because we did not experience it, aside from being told by our hotel proprietor to watch our car and our valuables. We rented a car very far in advance, and holy ****, am I glad we did. Even still, our experience was very poor. To say that the car rental people at the airport were unhelpful is a massive understatement. Be prepared to spend some frustrating time picking up and dropping off your rental. Budget plenty of time for both. Overall we had an enjoyable time. The highlight was definitely the snorkeling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Springfield Posted July 13, 2010 Author Share Posted July 13, 2010 I already knew about the US currency thing, pretty cool. Dead Money... you are the man! That post is a wealth of information. Our beach house is right on Grace Bay. We plan on renting a car for the week so we can go and check out other stuff on Provo as well. Probably charter a boat to some of the other Cay's. Thanks a lot man, way cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dead Money Posted July 14, 2010 Share Posted July 14, 2010 No prob, glad to help. Have fun and have some conch salad at the conch shack for me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Springfield Posted October 15, 2010 Author Share Posted October 15, 2010 This is what I'm expecting: This is what I get: Completely amazing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mondizzle Posted October 15, 2010 Share Posted October 15, 2010 Oh ... my... goodness.... this place is amazing! Thanks for the insight Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickalino Posted October 15, 2010 Share Posted October 15, 2010 This is what I'm expecting: This is what I get: Dammit, SS.....when I saw your first post, I had the perfect prank response, until you ruined that opportunity with that last post Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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