Providenciales (Provo), Turks and Caicos - 3 night stay

[Scuba Monster]

We are booking a trip on the Turks and Caicos Explorer II in July and would like to end our trip with a 3 night stay on Provo. Does anyone have recommendations for places to stay? We are traveling with another couple, so a two bedroom condo, villa or separate hotel accommodation are all options, depending on availability. We would like something middle of the road to upscale, but not too expensive or fancy.

 

[Tim Ingersoll]

Good luck with middle of the road to upscale but not expensive. Provo is an expensive island. Do you want to be on the Garce Bay Beach? Do you want AI? Will you have a car? What is your per night budget?

 

[Scuba Monster]

I think that we are going to book Sibonne for $165/night Ocean View room. It doesn't look fancy, but nice enough with breakfast included. The hotel is located on Grace Bay. Since it is a 3 night stay after a liveaboard, I figured that we would skip the AI and try some local stuff. Should we rent a car? Do we need one for the full three days on land? We could go a little higher for accommodations, but Sibonne appears to fit our needs (as far as I can tell from the Internet and other travel agent recommendations).

 

[Tim Ingersoll]

Sibonne is a great little place. Its sort of in between some larger resorts/condos but right on Grace Bay Beach. I have walked past it many times and have heard good things. Provo is sort of spread out. A car is a wonderful if not absolutely necessary convenience. You will be able to walk down the beach to some decent restaurants and other resorts. If you use Caicos Adventures they will pick you up and drop you off at the hotel. If you are not planning on eating in then you could probably do nicely without a rental. If you want to head to the grocery store and spend a day drinving around seeing what the island has to offer then a car would be great.

 

[Scuba Monster]

Tim,

Thanks for the info. Since I have been investigating Provo, there are a couple of things that I've read.

1.) Safety is an issue ... is it really? Or is the island like most places, you take the normal precautions that you would at home?
2.) There is nothing to do ... I would think it depends on what you like to do. I assume that there isn't much in the way of duty free shopping, booze cruises, etc., which aren't our thing anyway. But how about finding things like good restaurants, a great place to catch a sunset, discovering what the island looks like by car for a day or 1/2 day and taking topside photos, etc.? Any recommedations?

 

[Damselfish]

I've never heard safety is an issue there, curious where you read that? I'd think use common sense like anyplace.

As far as stuff to do, there's the great beach and all the usual water activities available on most tourist islands. Assorted boat tours and watery scenery. I don't recall landside being all that scenic. Basically not much of special note, but that can be said of many Caribbean Islands. There's a conch farm, but we didn't get there. There's plenty of good (if pricey) restaurant choices and some shopping, though these both seem to be rather scattered around, not concentrated like on some islands, making a car helpful.

 

[Scuba Monster]

I've never heard safety is an issue there, curious where you read that?

ScubaBoard

 

[Tim Ingersoll]

I have never had a safety issue in many, many visits to the island. Use common sense and you will be fine.

As to things to do. . .not much. There is a conch farm that should keep you busy for about a half hour. You can do a snorkel tour out of Leeward Marina or Turtle Cove. You can go see some of the shipwrecked sailor graffiti which is a short ride from South Dock (there is also some on the rocks above the Boat Cove dive sit off West Caicos). There is one casino last I knew which was very small. You can go look at all of the resorts. Beyond that there's not to much in the tourist way except beaches and watersports.

 

[Scuba Monster]

How about a good local restaurant or beach, sunset bar spot? What about a local jewelry store to visit? As for watersports, any sunset sails ... or is that going too far?

 

[Tim Ingersoll]

There are a few sunset sails. You can book them through your hotel. Favorite restaurants: Coco Bistro (romantic), Caicos Cafe (food) and Hemingways (sunset and lighter fare). There are several jewelry stores on the island. Ask you concierge. Grace Bay Beach is hard to miss and is several miles long. One of the best beaches in the world and Sibonne puts you front and center.