How to Travel to the Turks and Caicos Islands on a Budget
Seriously. It’s possible.
Visit During the Off-Season
High-season in the Turks and Caicos Islands is mid-December through mid-April. After all, when you’re desperate to escape the cold, as many North Americans and Europeans are in the dead of winter, what’s more desirable than a nearby island paradise with perfect weather (think 70s with very little rain)?
Room rates (and the cost of activities) plummet after Spring Break by at least 30-50%. Off-season pricing remains through November.
Shop Around for Airfare Steals
Wouldn’t it be nice if airfares dropped concurrently with your destination’s off season? Unfortunately, it doesn’t often work that way. Because some airlines operate routes to the Turks and Caicos Islands only seasonally and the remaining carriers generally reduce flight frequency, don’t expect to see a significant variation in fares.
So what is a budget-minded traveler to do?
Shop smart! Search multiple booking sites. If your dates are flexible, use that to your advantage by investigating a range of options. Consider signing up for websites and apps that monitor desired routes, predict fare changes over a specified period of time, and send alerts when a fare hits rock bottom. One of our favorites is airfarewatchdog.com. Make it your job (for a day or two) to find the best fucking deal out there. Just, for God’s sake, don’t buy the first ticket you stumble across.
Tip: Taryn’s not exactly a travel hacker (too poor credit and too little time), but she’s pretty damn adept at finding airfare deals. If you haven’t already, join our email list to receive Taryn’s tried-and-true, comprehensive guide to scoring spectacular deals on airfare.
Try Airbnb, HomeAway, and VRBO
Many of Grace Bay’s most desirable resort suites are individually owned. Search Airbnb, HomeAway, and VRBO for rent-by-owner accommodation that meet your specifications.
In our case, we’ve fallen in love with the Royal West Indies Resort; check out Why We Recommend the RWI. When booking, we always compare the resort website’s prices, deals offered by the big search engines (Expedia, Hotels.com, etc.), and online marketplaces that allow direct owner-to-consumer rentals. You’ll save hundreds of dollars by shopping around.
Bring Food from Home
The cost of food on Provo is exorbitant.
One of our favorite ways to mitigate the cost is to bring food from home in our carry-on luggage. We bring enough quantity and variation to suffice for breakfasts and lunches for nearly each day of our vacation. This allows us to save our money to splurge on fine dining in the evening.
In addition to saving some cash, managing our meals this way helps us to eat light and stay healthy even while on vacation. And it saves us TONS of time. While other tourists waste an hour (or more, ‘cause you’re definitely on island time in Provo) eating an overpriced, uninteresting resort breakfast, we’re already on the beach, loving life with a granola bar in hand.
Shop for Groceries
Of course, there are some perishables that you can’t pack in your luggage. Take the time to stop by a local grocery store on the way to your hotel or shortly after check-in and stock up on whatever basics are important to you. We like to pick up bottled water (water on the islands is potable but not tasty), some fresh fruit, milk to add to our coffee and the oatmeal packets we bring from home, and a big bottle of local Bambarra Rum and pineapple juice for a mixer.
There are two primary, convenient grocery stores on Provo: Graceway IGA and Graceway Gourmet.
Graceway IGA
Graceway IGA, which is on Leeward Highway about halfway between the airport and Grace Bay, is similar to your local chain grocery store with a wide variety and inexpensive options.
Graceway Gourmet
Graceway Gourmet is the island’s version of Whole Foods, and is the place to stop for specialty items and convenience, as it’s located right in the heart of Grace Bay.
Interested in learning more about how you can save money on food and drink in Provo? Click here, for all of our tips plus our tried-and-true list of packable foods.
Check out our TCI Dining Guide for more detailed information about the places to go…and avoid.
Rental Car
If you plan to explore the island, it is definitely worth renting a vehicle. TCI has an inefficient public transportation system and terribly expensive (and few) cabs. Make sure to keep your rental vehicle unlocked, the windows down, and don’t leave any valuables unattended inside; petty theft does occur on the island, and these simple precautionary measures should be plenty to keep you from experiencing a major vacation bummer.
Grace Bay Car Rentals (owned by Europcar) is about 50 steps away from the airport and they are super friendly. You can rent a vehicle by the hour, day, week, or month. You have the option to rent anything from a standard sedan to a 12-seat van, but if you’re just looking for some reliable wheels that won’t break the bank ask for a “character car”. This is what we rent every time we visit the island. They have some dents and scratches that you acknowledge with an employee present but as long as you don’t create any new significant ones your money can be spent in better places on the island. We have included character car prices below. The last visit we had to TCI we rented a character car for 4 full days and it cost just under $250.
Hourly – $20.00
Daily – $39.95
Weekly – $239.95
Monthly – $899.95
Hidden prices to be aware of:
Loss Damage Waiver – $39.80 (Highly recommended)
Concession Fee – $14.38 (Required)
License Recovery Fee – $10.00 (Required)
Stamp Tax – $19.18 (Required)
If you plan to explore North and Middle Caicos you’ll need to take a ferry over and then rent a car from Nick’s Rent-A-Car. Prices are pretty simple $75.00 per day. We arrived at 9AM and had to have the car back by 4:30PM. They don’t have a website but reservations can be made by emailing nicksrentacar@gmail.com.
Keep Activities Cheap
The key to minimizing your activities expenditures while on Provo is to avoid expensive group tours. Instead, take advantage of plentiful opportunities for unguided adventure and exploration.
Many oceanside Provo resorts offer guests complimentary use of sporting equipment- generally kayaks, SUPs, Hobie Cats (tiny catamarans), bikes, and snorkel equipment. Save tons of money and capitalize on convenience by prioritizing this amenity when searching for the perfect accommodation.
Skip the obligatory snorkel tour and instead venture out on your own at the Bight Reef (White House Reef). Located in front of the Coral Gardens (a resort on Grace Bay), this reef is just steps away from the shoreline and perfect for beginners, children, and casual snorkelers. Usually resorts will allow you to borrow snorkel equipment for 2-3 hours, which is plenty of time.
Link: Provo’s Just-Offshore Reefs
Forgo the “island safari” tours. If you have a rental car—and you really should—leave Grace Bay behind to discover all that Provo has to offer. Spoiler Alert: Grace Bay Beach isn’t the only stunning, pristine beach on the island. And they’re all public and free-to-access. Take off in search of Taylor or Sapodilla Bay, Leeward Beach, Long Bay Beach, or Malcolm’s Road Beach. Simply craft a DIY island tour by stopping at other points of interest along the way (they’ll be marked on the map provided by your rental car agency).
Link: You Should Rent a Car in Provo
Link: Day Trips
Be Sure to Buy Travel Insurance
Travel insurance minimizes the considerable financial risks associated with traveling. Most policies cover accidents, illness, missed or cancelled flights, delayed or interrupted trips, lost or stolen luggage, theft, emergency medical evacuation, and repatriation of your body in the event of death.
In 2013, a Turrialba volcano erupted and blanketed the San Jose’s airport in ash just hours before our flight from Florida to San Jose was due to leave. After our policy (USD 96 total for both of us) saved us $1,700 and salvaged our trip to Costa Rica, we’ll never travel without insurance again.