The Providenciales International Airport (PLS) receives the entire volume of all international flights to the Turks & Caicos Islands. This means that a small airport with fewer staff members than needed to handle the workload is called to find a way to manage the large influx of aircraft landing on its grounds during the peak season.
Given that the highest volume arrives during the weekend, which means longer queues at Immigration, it might be best to come to Turks & Caicos during the weekdays, when the airport is much less crowded.
Even if you have signed up for a concierge service provider that enables travellers to fast-forward the overall Immigration and Customs process, there is definitely some serious waiting during peak transit times, which could be avoided by choosing another, less congested, day to travel to the islands.
Money-saving tips:
The Nassau grouper and the Caribbean spiny lobster are two of the most popular, beloved, and locally-caught seafood. To help protect the local populations, these two are fished only at specific seasons (from mid-August to mid-Match for lobster and between December and February for Nassau grouper). In other words, do not expect to find lobster or grouper dishes served at restaurants outside of the open season. As for conch, the open season is from mid-October to mid-July.
Money-saving tip: If you are planning to visit the Turks & Caicos Islands with a large group of friends or your family, consider the available all-inclusive accommodation options to help minimise food and drink-related costs.
At the moment of this writing, the Beaches and Sandals resorts are the first to have been designated an Advanced Autism Centre (granted by the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards) in the world. In plainer words, children with special needs or autism can easily be accommodated by expertly trained staff members with anything from sensory toys to private check-ins. At the same time, the facilities provide beach wheelchairs, wheelchair-friendly bathrooms and room doors, and even water sports that are accessible to individuals on the spectrum.
Probably the biggest celebration on Turks & Caicos Islands is Junkaroo, which comes from the name “John Canoe”. This huge event is a big deal that takes place during the holiday season and draws the undivided attention of everybody on the islands at that time. Expect lively festivities, including vibrant street parades that remind of the days when the enslaved individuals on the islands were given only one day to celebrate and rest. This is a long-lasting event, whose festivities spike on January (Boxing Day).
Another equally popular event is the Queen’s birthday, which makes sense, taking into account that the Turks & Caicos Islands remain a British territory. This event happens on June 11th. Commonwealth Day comes right after the Queen’s birthday celebrations in popularity, on March 12th.
Tip: Joining the street parades and the celebrations is a great and cost-effective way to have fun in Turks & Caicos, considering that it’s an expensive destination for various reasons. These events are free for the public, while also enabling you to experience the local culture and its vibrancy.
The Providenciales International Airport is the only destination for all international flights (and connecting flights) to Turks & Caicos and is located on Providenciales Island. Once you arrive there, Grace Bay, probably the most popular local attraction and tourist destination, is only a quick taxi ride (around 15-17 minutes).
Now, for travellers that would love to visit other nearby Turks & Caicos islands, except for Middle Caicos and North Caicos which are connected by a road causeway and have no ferries connecting them, the North Caicos ferry travels between Bellefield Landing, Sandy Point Marina, or Heaving Down Rock Marina in 30 minutes or so (each way).
