Planning a trip to Grand Turk

Getting There

Your most likely point of entry into the Turks and Caicos Islands will be the Providenciales International Airport (www.provoairport.com). To get to Grand Turk or Salt Cay, you will be taking a domestic flight on one of the interisland airlines or a charter plane from the Provo airport into Grand Turk International Airport (also known as J.A.G.S. McCartney International Airport). Several daily flights between Provo and Grand Turk are offered by Air Turks & Caicos (tel. 649/946-4999 or 649/946-1667 on Grand Turk; www.airturksandcaicos.com). The flight from Provo to Grand Turk takes 25 minutes and costs $135 to $160 round-trip.

Fast Facts

Area Code -- The area/country code for the TCI is 649.

ATMs & ABMs -- FirstCaribbean has 24-hour ABM service at its main branch on Grand Turk. Scotiabank has a 24-hour ATM at Waterloo Plaza on Grand Turk. TCI Bank Limited (TCIB) has an ATM on Grand Turk.

Banks -- Branches and ATMs of FirstCaribbean International Bank (tel. 649/946-4245; www.firstcaribbeanbank.com) and Scotiabank (tel. 649/946-4750; www.scotiabank.com) are at convenient and central locations on Grand Turk. The country's first indigenous bank, TCI Bank Limited (TCIB), has opened a branch on Grand Turk.

Emergencies -- Call tel. 649/946-2299 if you need the police.

Hospitals & Medical Facilities -- In April 2010, Turks & Caicos Island Hospital, the nation's first modern hospital, opened its two centers, one of which is the Cockburn Town Medical Center on Grand Turk. Grand Turk Hospital is on Hospital Road in Grand Turk (tel. 649/946-2040).

Internet Access -- You can access the Internet at the small Internet cafe at Mr. Cee's Supermarket (Pond Rd.; tel. 649/946-2995), or try your hotel. Costs are typically around $10 an hour.

Language -- The official language is English.

Post Office -- The Grand Turk Post Office (tel. 649/946-1334) is located in Cockburn Town. It's open Monday to Friday from 8am to 4pm.

Taxes -- There is a departure tax of $35, payable when you leave the islands (it's often included in the cost of your airfare). The government collects an 11% occupancy tax, applicable to all hotels, guesthouses, and restaurants in the 40-island chain. Resorts often add a 10% to 15% service charge on top of the government tax.

Getting Around

On Grand Turk you can rent cars (as well as scooters, bicycles, and snorkeling gear) at Tony's Car Rental (Grand Turk International Airport; tel. 649/964-1979; www.tonyscarrental.com). Cars and jeeps rent for from $70 to $95 a day, scooter rentals cost $40 a day, and bike rentals are $20 a day. Tony's also offers scooter tours of the island.

Taxis are available, but there is no central agency to call. Your hotel can summon one for you, but taxis are always available at the Grand Turk airport. The fare is $10 to $12 from the airport to most inns and resorts. Drivers are more than happy to give visitors a tour of the island; expect to pay around $50 to $60 for a 45-minute island tour.

The Grand Turk Experience (tel. 649/246-5310) is a bus that shuttles between the cruise terminal and the downtown area and also offers Grand Turk tours.