A Caribbean vacation is often a checkmark on a person’s bucket-list. Unfortunately, the majority of visitors will realize, as they board their flights or cruise and depart for home, is that the Turks and Caicos Islands isn’t a one-and-done destination. Spending a week there simply isn’t enough to fully explore, experience, and appreciate the TCIs in a week.

While it’s a small country, the TCIs has a huge list of things to do—and it’s advisable that you spread these across multiple trips. Otherwise, you’ll either have an extremely tight itinerary, or end up living in the Turks and Caicos for half a year (which is a great idea, but is a topic for another day).

Before you book your first trip to the TCIs, read this article to learn how you can spread your activities to multiple trips to maximize your Caribbean experience.

First TCI Trip: Dip Your Toes

Providenciales (or Provo) is the place to start. It’s everything you have ever dreamed of in a Caribbean escape, and you can experience the Turks and Caicos in a broader sense.

Providenciales’ 5-Star Resorts

Provo is the most developed island in Turks and Caicos (most visitors fly into Provo airport) and has some of the most highly rated resorts on travel review sites. You’ll discover that the common theme of these resorts are ocean bay views and luxurious five-star treatment.

Many resorts offer beautiful accommodations such as full-service kitchens and personal chefs, private balconies and pools, multi-room suites, and exciting vacation packages that include amazing activities.

You can expect to be treated like a VIP whenever you are at these resorts. In fact, you just might run into one, as celebrities, corporate executives, and government officials can often be found vacationing and staying at a Provo resort.

Beautifully Maintained Sandy Beaches

Ranked consistently as having some of the best beaches in the world by Condé Nast magazine and World Travel Awards, Provo is also the location of gorgeous scenery, breathtaking sandy beaches, and stunning ocean views.

You’ll also find a lot of activities that can give you a wonderful introduction to the natural beauty of the Turks and Caicos Islands, such as kayaking eco-tours, and snorkeling around the coral reefs.

Strong Tourism Infrastructure

Provo is a great place to try a Caribbean adventure because it has a well developed tourism industry. You’ll find most of the country’s top businesses, vendors, and restaurants on Provo. You can even try activities you’re not familiar with such as kiteboarding, and trust that your instructor or guide is certified, capable, and trustworthy.

Next TCI Trip: Dive Into the Deep End

Where Provo is a natural TCI entry point, other Turks and Caicos islands can offer more unique opportunities to explore and understand the culture of the country.

Dive and Snorkel Secluded Sites

When we say “dive into the deep end,” we mean that both figuratively and literally. Providenciales obviously has many diving opportunities, but Provo is only one island. There are dozens of dive sites around the various islands where you can explore other reefs, shipwrecks, and even underwater walls.

In fact, you can spend an entire trip diving the Turks and Caicos even if you were to stay in Provo. Take advantage of private charters that will take you to dive sites that rarely see visitors. You and your small group will be the only humans for miles experiencing the beauty of life under the waves all to yourselves.

Head Inland

Providenciales is the most developed island of the Turks and Caicos. It has traded its history and natural beauty for a modern infrastructure. On your next TCI trip, visit other islands to see the Turks and Caicos as it once was at various points in history.

You already know you can join eco-tours or cruises, but those modes of transportation can only show you so much of any destination. Instead, explore the TCIs in an unexpected Caribbean fashion: by bike. Bike around the salt flats and up the eastern ridges to see roaming donkeys and amazingly secluded beaches. You’ll see remnants of the former salt industry and abandoned agricultural sites.

Explore Remote Islands

Private charters can also help you create the ultimate adventure by taking you to rarely visited Turks and Caicos Islands locations.

The South-East Caicos Banks is about as remote as it gets in the Turks and Caicos and contains some hidden treasures. You’ll see seemingly endless turquoise waters suddenly give way to beautiful cays and beaches that provide you with an unmatched opportunity to feel like an explorer.

Rarely visited places like Little Ambergris Cay, the Fish Cays, Bush Cay and White Cay provide natural marine shelters and create wonderful snorkeling, beach combing and bird-watching opportunities. If you’re an animal enthusiast, these more remote areas have historically offered some of the greatest whale encounters.

Book Your Turks and Caicos Excursions

Big Blue Collective has outposts all across the TCIs, and its fleet of boats can take you to a wide variety of sites. With over 15 years of experience along with our extensive network of guides, bikes, kayaks and boats, Big Blue Collective is proud to showcase its most rewarding and interactive ecotourism excursions.

Contact Big Blue Collective to find out about local activities, rentals and eco-tours.