GRAND TURK TOURIST INFO - http://tcimall.tc/grandturk/index.htm
Grand Turk is a small island that is the capital of the Turks & Caicos Islands which are located just below the Bahamas chain of islands. Grand Turk is only 6 miles long and 1 mile wide and its main town, Cockburn Town, is very small. You can take a tour around the entire island in just a couple of hours, including stops.
Cruise ships dock at the Grand Turk Cruise Center near the southern tip of the island. There isn’t a lot of development on this island and not a lot to be seen, however it is a beautiful, tropical island with gorgeous white sand beaches and clear, turquoise water. Since there are not a lot of tour operators, many of them are contracted to the cruise lines when ships are in port. Not all outfits are contracted to the same lines so there is always an opportunity to make your own arrangements.
Grand Turk is a great spot for diving and snorkeling. Several hundred feet offshore is a large vertical wall that is very popular with divers as it drops 7,000 feet - straight down. Near the cruise center beach, the drop-off is marked with buoys but it may not be marked at other beaches along the coast. When all you see is dark water below you…you’ve gone past the drop off : - ) There was a hurricane that hit the island a couple of years ago so that has affected some of the beach areas and sea life as well however, things appear to be getting back to normal now.
SIGHTS
There are not a lot of things to see but here are a few items that may be of interest:
Grand Turk Cruise Center - http://www.grandturkcc.com/ - the center is located right at the end of the pier when disembarking your ship (see website for map of shops, etc). There are tons of shops and the popular Margaritaville, which offers a bar, pool (free) and a Flow Rider to learn to surf (for a cost). There is lots of loud music and activity near the pool and this is where a lot of cruisers tend to stop and hang out for the day. There is also a beach that is in view upon docking. It is free to use the beach and chairs.
Lighthouse – http://www.tcmuseum.org/landmarks/grand_turk_lighthouse - the lighthouse is located on the northeast end of the island.
Mercury Spacecraft Replica - One of the island’s claims to fame is that, in 1962, John Glenn’s Mercury spacecraft landed in the waters to the south of the island. There is a replica of the spacecraft just outside of the airport.
Museum - http://www.tcmuseum.org/ - the museum is located in an historic building on Front Street in Cockburn Town. Open Mon – Sat 9am – 1pm. A cab ride will take 5 minutes to get there. There is no entrance fee, but a donation is much appreciated. There is also a gift shop on site and a few local vendor stalls across the road.
Conch ‘cemetery’ – exit the cruise center and turn to the right. On your way to White Sands Beach, you will come across an area that is covered with ‘dead’ conch shells (nothing living in them) which provides a unique photo opportunity.
Conch World – this is a conch farming operation that gives tours to educate visitors about conch. You can generally arrange for a tour through the ship or make your way there on your own. It is about a 20 minute drive and the cost is $15 per person for the entrance fee and a tour. Some think this is quite costly for what you get….others have really enjoyed the tour.
Jack’s Shack- http://www.jacksshack.tc/Home.php - this is a very popular bar that is located down the beach to the left from the cruise center, on the deck of the Oasis Dive Shop. Walk down the pier on disembarking, take a left coming off the pier and walk down the beach until you see the Oasis Dive Shop flag. The beach area is spacious and offers a great snorkel opportunity. Spotty, a spotted eagle ray with a 7 foot wing span, can often be spotted in the water offshore. The Shack has about 20 lounge chairs that can be rented for $5 each and you can also rent snorkel equipment, if you haven’t brought your own. It also offers a volleyball net, wireless internet and lockers to store your valuables while on the beach. This spot gets lots of great reviews as it is quieter than the cruise center beach and pool and rumor has it that they have some very tasty jerk chicken on the menu.
Flamingos – at times, wild flamingos can be seen around the salt pond area.
Gibbs Cay – this is a small island off the coast of Grand Turk where you can enjoy some time swimming with sting rays and doing some snorkeling. You can book an excursion through the ship or make arrangements with one of the tour operations on the island.
BEACHES
All of the beaches on Grand Turk are gorgeous white sand and turquoise water. The better beaches are on the west coast where the water is much calmer. I don’t think you can go wrong no matter which beach you choose! Keep in mind that most beaches have rocky areas upon entering the water so step carefully when crossing the rocks. There is a good snorkel spot right beside the government pier where lots of fish congregate. Other beaches tend to have some fish to see but not much coral. You need to swim out a bit to have a better snorkel.
Governor’s Beach – is just a 10 minute walk or a very short cab ride ($3 per person) from the cruise center. When you exit the cruise center, turn left and walk along the road until you see the small sign for Governor’s Beach, turn left and walk toward the water until you see the larger sign for Governor’s Beach. There are bathroom facilities and a snack shack with loungers available. You may also be able to reach this beach by walking along the sand to the left of the pier where the ship is docked.
White Sands Beach – is located at the southern tip of the island and not a very long walk from the cruise center. You can reach it by exiting the cruise center and turning right onto the road or you can go through the duty free shop at the end of the pier and immediately turn right. Just past the cruise terminal buildings, there is a walkway that runs behind the cruise terminal beach. You will come to a small pier that is used for shore excursions, walk past the pier and past the fence which will allow you to walk along the shoreline around the southern tip of the island. This route is definitely ‘off the beaten path’ so you may choose to go along the paved road instead. You will come across the conch ‘cemetery’ on your way. The beach can have some very big waves as it is on the south coast, which is not as protected as the west coast beaches. There are no amenities and not likely to be very many people so if you are looking for your own private beach to enjoy, take your towels, snacks and some water and enjoy!!
Pillory Beach – this beach is located farther away from the cruise center and takes a taxi ride (approx $7 per person) to get there. Bohio Resort is located on this beach so there are bathroom facilities and a beach bar nearby. The snorkeling seems to get varied reviews. Some say it is great and they saw tons of fish, others say it wasn’t good at all. I would say the weather and the spot you choose to snorkel likely has some bearing on your experience.
SNORKEL/DIVE OPERATORS
Oasis Dive Shop - http://www.oasisdivers.com/ – this outfit is contracted with some cruise lines when ships are in port. They are located within walking distance of the cruise terminal and do offer a snorkel area, free of charge, near their operation (see Jack’s Shack for more info).
Blue Water Divers – http://www.grandturkscuba.com/ – This is one of the best reviewed outfits on the Grand Turk discussion boards. It is a 15 min cab ride from pier (approx $10 per person including tip) and they offer several dive and snorkel excursion options.
Bohio Dive Resort - http://www.bohioresort.com/ – located on Pillory Beach which is a 10 minute cab ride ($7 per person) from the pier. Bohio Dive offers a good selection of dive and snorkel excursions.
OTHER TOUR OPERATORS
Nathan’s Golf Cart Rentals – offers golf cart rentals to tour the island. It is located just outside the terminal gates and rentals cost $80 a day for up to 4 people on a cart. There is a limited supply (about 10 carts) so it is best to make your reservations in advance as there may not be availability if you wait until you arrive on the island. Email them at ‘nathanandlinda@tciway.tc'. One item to remember is that they ask you to return the cart with the same level of gas in the tank.
Chukka Caribbean - http://www.chukkacaribbean.com/turks&caicos.php - this tour outfit operates on several Caribbean islands, including Grand Turk. Their tour offerings include horseback riding (includes a ride in the water), dune buggy excursions and jeep safaris.
Island Tours – you can arrange for an island tour with just about any taxi outside of the cruise center area. An island tour will run you about $25 per person.
MORE INFO AND PHOTOS
If you want to take the time to scroll through a Grand Turk visitor’s very detailed review with lots of great pictures of the island, click on this link to a Cruise Critic discussion thread : http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1225407&page=8
You can be as quiet or active as you want to be on Grand Turk. Enjoy a good snorkel or just relax on a white sand beach or by the pool!!
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