Recently, I took a vacation to Turks and Caicos, a beautiful tropical island in the Caribbean. Prior to choosing my vacation destination, I knew I wanted a beach holiday; one filled with sun, water, and sand. I had heard so many wonderful things about Turks and Caicos and so I decided to go to this vacation hot spot.
Flight
I traveled to Maryland to fly to Turks and Caicos with my cousin who lives down there. We flew out of the Baltimore Washington International Airport on Southwest Airlines. I am so used to traveling from New York airports-John Fitzgerald Kennedy, LaGuardia, and Newark Liberty airports which are all so easy for me to get to and easy to navigate. So flying out of BWI, was quite the challenge. BWI has one terminal with multiple concourses. The Southwest booth was awkwardly placed in the airport and the signs were not that visible in my opinion. It was my first time using Southwest Airlines and honestly, I was and am not a fan. I like having a secured, window seat in advance and that is not how Southwest operates. We had a connecting flight in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida and flying there took approximately 2 hours. Once we arrived in Ft. Lauderdale, we had 3 hours until our next flight and so we grabbed some breakfast. Our next flight to Turks and Caicos took approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes. We flew into the main island, Providenciales, and this is where we stayed for the remainder of our vacation. I paid $700 for my airline ticket.
Airbnb
The Airbnb where I stayed was beautiful and luxurious. However, I cannot recommend it because it was far from main attractions and we had a major leak while staying at the Airbnb. There was an issue where the HVAC system leaked from the second floor and water actually poured on the dining room table on the first floor. The owner of the unit had someone on site quickly repair the leak but I cannot in good faith recommend the Airbnb because of that issue.
Transportation
Transportation was very expensive in Turks and Caicos. And because I elected to stay in an Airbnb, everything required a taxi cab or a private driver. The second day, I met a private driver, Christina. I used her for the remainder duration of my trip. Christina was so reliable and I was able to contact her via WhatsApp with impromptu and scheduled requests. I highly recommend Christina and she can be reached via WhatsApp at +1 (649) 333-3375.
Food
The food was so good to me while on holiday. Between the fresh fruit smoothies and fresh seafood, I was in heaven. Below you will find a few of my favorite restaurants.
Aziza
Aziza is a restaurant with a roof top lounge. The vibes were so great when I went. I had branzino and the chef came out and my fish was set on fire table side. After the fire went out, I was able to dine on the delicious fish that was seasoned with saffron, an onion marinade, and Cointreau. The chef’s performance was also perfect for optics- definitely an Instagrammable moment. You should definitely make a reservation before going. I made my reservation one month in advance. I highly recommend this restaurant.
Seafood Hub
This restaurant was so good that my cousin and I went back for a second time during our vacation. The first night, I had the shrimp po’ boy sandwich with seasoned and fried shrimp on a buttered roll. The second time, I had the conch po’ boy. Both sandwiches were delicious but if I had to choose one, the shrimp po’ boy would be my preference. I highly recommend this eatery.
Shay’s Cafe
This quaint cafe was so delightful. I went to this place twice and one time I had French toast and the other time, I had a chicken and avocado wrap. The cafe also serves fruit smoothies and coffee. I highly recommend this eatery. +1 (649) 941-4959
Noah’s Ark
Noah’s Ark is restaurant that I had to take a speed boat to in the middle of the ocean. The vibes were good but honestly it was too crowded for me. However, I did enjoy my fish sandwich. It was a one and done type of place to me. I will not return when I go back to Turks and Caicos.
Excursions
I’ve used Viator when booking excursions for my international travels in the past. Viator is a solid and reliable service. So when it came to booking excursions for Turks and Caicos, using Viator was a no brainer to me.
Clear Kayak Photoshoot
When researching Turks and Caicos, I saw the the clear kayak photo shoot was very popular so I booked that. The photo shoot was located on Leeward beach and the guy who managed and conducted the photoshoot was very professional. He made me feel comfortable. The photo shoot came with 100 pictures and three videos. The photoshoot was at 10am and I had the footage by 7pm the same day. I paid $150 for the photoshoot.
Sunset Cruise
On the cruise ship, I met people from all over the world while champagne and beer were served. As we sailed we all laughed and conversed with each other. I paid $121.53.
All in all, I had the most amazing time in Turks and Caicos. When I go back, I will stay at a hotel for the convenience aspect. Next time, I will also stay on this beautiful island for at least one week for more relaxation and beach time.
