Two Weeks in Turks and Caicos

Posted on Updated on

This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share a commission.

Mike and I spent two weeks in beautiful Turks and Caicos in early December, 2024. Our two boys and their girls, including our sweet Amelia, joined us for part of the trip.

Sue and Mike on Grace Bay in Turks.

The Caribbean

Turks and Caicos is a British Overseas Territory in the Caribbean known for its stunning turquoise waters, white sand beaches, and vibrant coral reefs. It’s made up of 40 low-lying islands and cays, only a handful of which are inhabited, with Providenciales (or “Provo”) being the most developed and tourist-friendly.

Turks and Caicos has been a bucket-list item for many years now and we finally got to experience it. The beach is our happy place and it did indeed make us happy!

Our boys overlapped their stay with us, and unfortunately, we had a couple of the girls get sick which was a bummer. But we made the best of our short time together.

A map of Turks and Caicos from worldatlas.com

Pool and Beach Time

I-AIN-GA-LIE, our first Airbnb had an infinity-type pool where the water appeared to merge with the ocean. We spent a lot of time in it cooling off with a beer in hand and playing with Amelia. A gorgeous view with some of our favorite people.

Four beers lined up on the pools edge.
Mike and I in the pool overlooking the ocean.
Josh and Tiff in the infinity pool in Turks.
Sue, Mike, and Amelia playing in the sand.

Kayaking the Ocean

Several flights of steps down from the infinity pool was a dock with two kayaks. Mike and I went out each day, kayaking along the coast and exploring the pristine waters. The water was very calm on this side of Provo which made it easy to navigate. Plus we got a great workout!

When Zach and Kirsten arrived, we all went out on a rainy journey to a shipwreck where the youngsters climbed on top of it. Not us old folk!

Mike and I taking off in our kayak off the dock.
Mike and I in our kayak lifting our paddles up high.
The view from above our dock at our Airbnb with Mike, Kirsten, and Zach standing on the dock.
Mike and Zach in a kayak in the ocean.

Book Club

Before we took our trip, Tiffany mentioned doing a book club and to discuss when we were together. We all decided to read Project Hail Mary – a science fiction novel by Andy Weir. It involved lots of science but the story of friendship was my favorite part.

We had a great family discussion, and while there was a little controversy (mmmm, Mike?!), we all fell in love with the characters, especially Rocky – an alien from another planet. I was surprised at how quickly I became emotionally invested in this story!

Kirsten, Zach, and Mike by the fire at our Airbnb.

Stand Up Paddle Boarding

Taylor Bay was around the bend from our Airbnb on the south side of the island. When Mike and I went kayaking, we parked the kayak on the beach of Taylor Bay many days and took floaties out into the very calm, shallow water. One day we took turns on a paddle board and Josh did some push-ups! (Show off!)

Me on a stand up paddle board in Taylor Bay.
Josh doing pushups on a paddle board in Turks

Private Chef Dining Experience

Our best meal HANDS DOWN was our private chef experience. We hired Chef Jonathan from Caicos Cuisine and enjoyed the best food. We had sushi rolls, coconut crusted shrimp with Asian slaw salad, pan seared local catch with mango miso glaze, surf n’ turf, and key lime pie.

What a treat to have two talented chefs cook for us. We won’t forget it!

BTW, Chef Jonathan shared his Key Lime Pie with Graham Cracker Crust with me and I won the family pie-making contest at Christmas time with his recipe, thanks to the judging of Chef Mike!

The chefs working in our kitchen.
The view of the stove top in our kitchen.
  • Some sushi prepared by our private chef.
  • Surf and Turk from our private chef.
  • Some fresh caught fish and Brussels spro8ts.
A shrimp salad in a bowl.
A piece of key lime pie.

Family Photo Shoot

Before traveling to Turks, we ordered matching Hawaiian shirts for a family photo shoot. Unfortunately, Josh and Tiff took Amelia home a couple of days early when she got sick. (No worries, she’s ok!) So we did the shoot with Zach and Kirsten and had a great time while doing it. I was hoping that we’d easily have a Christmas card photo but not without three of our family members.

Mike and I sitting on the pool edge in matching shirts with Zach peeking behind us.
Kirsten, Zach, me, and Mike standing in the waters of Taylor Bay in matching Hawaiian shirts.
The four of us acting goofy in Taylor Bay.
Mike and I cuddled up standing in the water.

Private Boat Tour

On the day that we moved from one Airbnb to the other (south side of Provo to the north side), we enjoyed a private catamaran with Caicos Catalyst. Our two guides, Ahmad and Scooby, were super fun guys and showed us a great time. Despite choppy waters, we stopped to see iguanas (on Iguana Island), held jellyfish on another stop, walked around on the cushiest sand bar, swam in the ocean, and just enjoyed the boat ride.

Our catamaran parked at the sand dune.
Mike and Josh on the sand dune.
Zach and Kirsten on the dune.
Mike holding a jellyfish.
Zach holding a huge jellyfish on our boat tour.
Me and Mike posting on the sand dune.

Smith Beach and Bight Reef

We spent the second half of our trip at an Airbnb on the north side, right along Smith Beach near Bight Reef. We spent hours sitting on the beach enjoying the scenery and reading (one of our favorite things to do on vacation).

Since we were very near the reef, we donned our gear on several occasions and headed out to see the wonders of the ocean – schools of colorful fish, an abundance of sea turtles and manta ray, and even a few small’ish sharks on occasion. It was such a treat to see so many magical creatures of the sea!

Mike reading a book on a beach chair by the ocean.
Bight Reef in Turks and Caicos.
Me walking into the ocean with my snorkeling gear plus swim cap.
My feet in the sand at Turks and Caicos.

Airbnb Views

There is nothing more soothing than the sound of the ocean, and we were lucky to experience it from both of our Airbnbs – the slow rhythm of the southern side and the loud, crashing sounds of the north. We enjoyed coffees in the mornings and wine at night, of course – plus lots of either chitchat or books. We’ve been married for 35 plus years so silence is also just fine with both of us.

Mike reading on the deck by the ocean at our Airbnb.
Sue and Mike having coffee at Airbnb.

Dining Out

Be warned. Food and beverages are VERY expensive in Turks and Caicos because they have to import about 90% of their goods.

Since we stayed in Airbnbs with kitchens, we were able to eat some meals IN which saved us money. But even the groceries were pricey!

That being said, we enjoyed some of the following restaurants. Las Brisas and The Farm were our favorites.

  • Las Brisas
  • Omar’s Beach Hut
  • The Farm
  • Mr. Groupers
  • Turk’s Kebab
  • Chinson’s Grill Shack
  • Somewhere Cafe
  • Flamingos
  • Provoli Pizza
  • Da Conch Shack
  • Hemmingway’s
  • Mango Reef
  • Crest and Berry
  • Lemon2Go Coffee
Me on a huge chair at Da Conch Shack.
Mike and I sitting on the swing in Crest and Berry.
Mike, Zach and I at The Farm in Turks.
  • A bowl of fish curry at Mango Reef restaurant.
  • A spread food at The Farm.
  • Some delicious fish tacos that we ate at Las Brisas.

Beach Lovers

If you’ve been following me for a while, you’ll know how much we love the beach. Hawaii is our go-to but it was fun to branch out and explore another beautiful island.

For now, we’ll be going back to our favorite place – Beautiful Oahu (and the best Airbnb)!

P.S. Be aware that if you travel to beautiful Turks and Caicos, you’ll be driving on the left side of the road. A little tricky, but you’ll be fine.

A rainbow in Turks and Caicos.
Our shadow picture.
Mike driving in Turks.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *