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PROVO — Pop quiz: Where is Turks and Caicos?
When my wife first talked about a family trip to the island nation several years ago, I definitely had to consult a map (I thought it was near Barbados). Some of our friends, upon hearing about our recent trip there, seemed to think it was in the South Pacific.
Turns out, Turks and Caicos isn't too far from Utah — just a direct flight to Miami and another 90 minutes southeast, past the Bahamas, and you're there. The airport is on Providenciales (known locally as Provo), which is the archipelago's third-largest island.
Provo turned out to be the perfect hub for our family vacation, thanks to its numerous grocery stores and medical clinics. And the day-to-day details are convenient because they use the U.S. dollar, the plugs and voltages are American-style and English is the official language. The one quirk for us is that it is a British Overseas Territory, thus, driving is on the left side of the road.
Here are six activities that made our trip to Provo especially memorable:
Multiple beaches
Grace Bay beach is one of the world's best, so it's no wonder it's the focal point of many vacations. The white sand is unbelievably soft and the turquoise water seems to glow in the sunlight.
But you'll be shortchanging yourself if you don't experience some of the island's other beaches. For example, if the wind kicks up at Grace Bay, you'll find sheltered bliss in Sapodilla Bay and Taylor Bay. Our toddler, who is usually afraid of ocean waves, could actually walk out 20 yards or so and still be only knee-deep in the water there. With the calm water, these bays actually feel more like swimming pools.
Local cuisine
Turks and Caicos is seafood heaven. You'll find fresh fish and lobster, but the main attraction is often conch. My favorite conch dish was ceviche, but it can also be fried, grilled, steamed or eaten raw.
The best ocean-to-table experience is Bugaloo's Conch Crawl, where you can watch them harvest conch from the water right in front of the restaurant. The food quality was incredible, and my kids loved the fact the beachfront tables are only a couple feet away from the gentle waves.
Other great Providenciales dining options, in my opinion, include Top O' the Cove Deli, Chinson's Grill Shack, Tiny's Restaurant and Caicos Bakery.
A dog for the day
My kids are always begging me to get them a dog, but I'm not sure if it's a good fit for our family at this time. Fortunately, a visit to Potcake Place at least temporarily solved this problem. This nonprofit dog rescue lets you take their puppies to the beach for socialization walks, to get them more accustomed to new people and environments.
Potcake dogs are a unique islander breed known for their loyalty and friendly nature. There's no charge to take one out for a walk, though, the ultimate goal is obviously for people to fall in love with these puppies and adopt them.
Island Fish Fry Party
Do yourself a favor and make sure your trip falls on a Thursday night, which is when this weekly event takes place. Admission is free and things kick off there around 5:30 p.m. at the Stubbs Diamond Plaza in the Bight Settlement. The live music is a blast, and there are lots of handmade crafts and souvenirs to check out. And, as the name suggests, you'll find delicious fried fish there, as well as lots of other local dishes to choose from.
Iguana Island
Just a hop, skip and a jump from Providenciales is Little Water Cay, which you can easily reach by boat or kayak. It's more commonly known as Iguana Island, thanks to the thousands of Turks and Caicos rock iguanas that call it home. This local species is endangered, but it thrives within the safe confines of the Princess Alexandra Nature Reserve.
Stop by the visitors center on the island, take some time to observe the resident iguanas and then relax at Half Moon Bay (one of the most beautiful beaches around).
The La Famille Express
While you're out on the water, definitely go see the island's most famous shipwreck. The La Famille Express was built in the 1950s and saw decades of action around the world before grounding here during Hurricane Frances in 2004.
You can reach the wreck via boat, jet ski, kayak, or paddle board. We went with a great outfitter called Sahara Adventures. Reckless people, such as myself, climb aboard the ship to explore it. But you should think twice before any attempts. The La Famille Express is literally falling apart at the seams, and it'd be pretty easy to get injured.
Lodging tips
There's a wide range of lodging options available to visitors in Provo. We opted for an Airbnb with a kitchen for the bulk of our stay so we could buy groceries and keep our food budget in check. And the separate bedroom allowed us to put our toddler to bed early and enjoy the evenings.
But then we mixed things up and went to the Beaches Resort for the final days of our trip. This worked well because our kids were ready for some new experiences and the resort had a waterpark, kids club, kayaks, paddle boards, sailboats and an arcade. And after doing so much of the cooking at our Airbnb, it felt wonderful to just relax at an all-inclusive resort and eat to our hearts' content.
Overall, it's hard to go wrong. You'll find everything from budget-friendly rentals to premium resorts in Provo. Just try to choose a place near the water, so that you can get your daily fill of that legendary turquoise water.
