kristopher karpowicz: Solo, budget holiday in Providenciales

Leeward Beach

The Turks and Caicos Islands are traditionally not a very cheap destination. The tiny islands are more famous for being a popular hotspot for celebrities and wealthy tourists. I visited during the yearly hurricane season in July, which turned out to be hot and almost cloud-free for most of my stay. The sea and the shallow waters around the beaches have a gorgeous turquoise color, which varies in intensity depending on location. Despite the popular opinion of a family or lover's destination, you can definitely do Providenciales solo and on a budget!

Here's my mini-guide to how to save em' coins while in "Provo".

Stay

I booked my accommodation through Airbnb, an apartment in the Leeward Palms neighborhood, not far from the spectacular Leeward Beach and the adjacent world-famous Grace Bay beach. Vacation rentals tend to be rather expensive on Provo and Airbnb can be a cheaper option.

Transportation

There's no public transportation on Provo, so there's no affordable transport option other than a bicycle. If you're staying round locally, a bike is a good idea, mine came with the rental. Just be mindful of the scorching peak sun hours. If you're staying at a house in a local neighborhood; be aware of unchained, aggressive dogs that chase after your bike when you pass. Also, be mindful of the sometimes strong trade winds which makes it easy to go in one direction but can slow you down severely on your way back.

I found my transport from and to the airport through TripAdvisor, Majestic Taxi was $45 round trip. It was supposed to be a group bus trip but turned out to be just me in a huge, luxurious SUV.

Food

Food and groceries are expensive on the island because there's a high import tax. Almost everything needs to be imported because of Caicos' meager soil. Graceway and Sunny Foods are the cheaper options for groceries on the island and one can find salads for ($10-$15) and ready-made meal deals for ($8-$14), a pack of 5 bagels is around $5, pre-sliced watermelon is $3.99 for a medium plastic box. Diet cola is $1 in-store and sold for $2 on the beach. 1,5L mineral water will be around $2.50 instore, larger and cheaper bottles are on sale but of non-mineral water. Snacks are very expensive, a box of crackers can be $5 upwards while chocolate is a cool $7.99-$15 treat.

Restaurants are going to be expensive as well, even Bugaloo's which is considerate a more affordable option is not cheap. Two starters (Conch salad and Conch fritters -super tasty-) enough for two people, is $40. Due to the intense heat (around 35C in the shade), I was not hungry a lot during my time there, although I drank a lot of liquids. A must-try is Mahi Mahi fish with bean-rice, prepared at Graceway. I brought some conserved sardines and mackerel fillets from home to pair with fresh bread bought on the island. Bring some salty snacks in your check-in luggage too! Also, bring an extra charging cord in case one stops working, an iPhone USB charger at Graceway is $34.99.

People / Social life

I would say that the local islanders are generally very nice, yet a tiny bit reserved at first. As a solo traveler, you meet a lot of locals and like-minded tourists. You'll then bump into the same people around town, in the grocery store and on the beach. The most sociable and talkative are American and British tourist. You'll find a few local islanders that are also more talkative and curious of you. There's a social culture of saying "hello" or nod when passing each other on the road, which I find very nice and somewhat reassuring.

Tours/ activities on a budget

The most interesting parts of the islands are the beaches and the sea. Private boat excursions and tours tend to be expensive and can cost upwards a thousand dollars for a few hours. But during the low season (June - November), there's not a lot of tourists around and a group tour can feel like they're chartered private.

I wanted to see Iguana island(Little Water Cay) and the incredible Half Moon Bay Beach The cheapest way to get there is to kayak over from the marina in Leeward, but currents are strong and tradewinds make it hard to get back. So scheduling a boat drop-off is a convenient idea. The Caribbean Cruisin' company have drop-offs for $65. A tour of the island is included in the price and you'll have a great day trip to the small cays. Caribbean Cruisin' is located next to the TCI ferry.

If you want to see Chalk Sound, there are not many options you can choose from due to the restrictions on boat traffic throughout the area. Las Brisas restaurant has a small pontoon tour boat that will take you around the shallow sound for about 2,5h. The price of $75, which includes snorkeling around an ancient plane wreck and a visit to a small Iguana island.

Shores vs. Inland

Providenciales has the barrier reef to thank for the beautiful sands and waters that constitute the beaches around the island. The reef also sustains a great deal of aquatic fauna and the waters near the beach can be completely see-through so you're able to watch coral fish swimming around your feet. I saw a starfish and some larger coral fish as well. The rest of the inland is basically split by the Leeward highway and there's a bunch of unsightly junk laying around here and there, also plenty of dirt roads with craters which makes bike rides bumpy at times.

Due to the intense heat, I would suggest staying at or near the beaches and move as little as possible around the island. If you need to go somewhere please schedule a taxi or bus. Boat drop-offs are great for island excursions away from Provo, check out the small Cays just across Leeward. The rest of the island is low-rise, full of wild vegetation and some parts are completely non-developed, so a degree of caution should be considered when venturing out as a solo traveler.

Flight tips

Snap a window seat for the awesome island views flying into Provo. The island's international airport is tiny and they have a few expensive shops and bars on deck. Make sure to eat before you get there and don't make any unnecessary last-minute purchases, it will cost at least double. It's a long flight back home from TCI, about 12h with a stop in either Miami or Antigua. Take the flight through Antigua to avoid tardy US immigration.

Leeward Beach - Pelican access

Beach guide on Providenciales

The best and most affordable option is just to visit and stay at the awesome beaches. They're some of the best in the world, swimming around in the vivid waters is incredibly relaxing and beautiful. All beaches on Provo are public but access can be a bit tricky to find. Also bring a parasol and towel, renting sunbeds and parasols will set you back $20 - $35 /day if even available.

Here's a list of beaches I visited:

Leeward Beach - Just simply outstanding, easy access from Grace Bay and the Leeward settlement neighborhood on Provo. It's a pristine beach with little traffic and pure white sand against spectacular turquoise waters. Pelican point beach access experience a bit of construction noise currently (July 2019), either go west towards Grace Bay for a quieter environment or go to the Leeward Going Through. The water's color is hard to beat at this location and it is also crystal clear. 10/10

The beach at Litte Water Cay - Deserted, pristine beach without comparison. Pure paradise. If you follow the narrow path through the vegetation at Little Water Cay, you'll end up on a picturesque little beach. There's a small Gazebo for shade and an old, beautifully withered tree just next to the water's edge. Robinson Crusoe would've approved! 10/10

Grace Bay Beach - The beach is almost as gorgeous as Leeward but much busier in terms of the number of people on it and boat traffic. It's slightly more conveniently positioned and closer to food markets such as Graceway. I used the Forbes and Central access points to get to the beach from Leeward Highway. The guys near the Central access / The Seven Stars resort are very helpful and nice. Currently, there's a huge Ritz being built there and some construction noise can be heard. 9/10

Half Moon Bay Beach - Because of its location between two Cays just outside of Providenciales, an island drop-off or boat tour excursion is needed to visit. The beach can see a bit of traffic but its usually short visits or stop-bys. The location is hard to beat, the beach is essentially a sandbar between two cays and if you walk over it there's the shallow and beautiful Half Moon Bay on the other side. 9/10

Sapodilla Bay Beach - Very pristine beach with luxuriously beautiful sand. The water is super shallow along the beach for a long way out which makes it slightly difficult to swim, but it's perfect for just floating around. Met a very nice local lady by the small shop stands, she told me some interesting things about the islands. If you climb the small rocky hill in the east there's a shipwreck on the other side! Due to its location, the beach is slightly remote from Grace bay and Leeward. 8/10

Long Bay Beach - Good for watersports but lots of seaweed throughout the beach and in the water. Nice scenic sight for the magnificent colors of the Caicos bank. Conch shells are pretty laying around as well. 5/10

Smiths Reef near Turtle Cove - If you're into snorkeling this is your best bet. Beware of a rather long walk from access to the actual site of the reef and choppy waters which makes it difficult to snorkel. 5/10

Five Cays Beach by Bugaloo's - Lots of seaweed and very shallow, a few pieces of junk on the beach and water. See it while at the restaurant but wouldn't recommend as a destination. 4/10

For more specific information visit the TCI official website

Other smaller islands, called "Cays" click here