The tantalizing, turquoise waters of the Turks and Caicos are teeming with marine life and have become a major attraction for professional and amateur anglers.   Even if you’re not into fishing, spending at least one day on the deep blue waters surrounding our famous Grace Bay Beach is a must do.   This is why we’re bringing you this quick guide to fishing in the Turks and Caicos Islands - just in time for Father’s Day too!

With one of the largest contiguous coral reefs in the world, the waters of the Turks and Caicos Islands offer spectacular snorkeling, diving and fishing experiences.   Whether it’s deep-sea fishing, sports fishing or the more exotic bone fishing that gets you baiting a hook - there is something here for everyone.

Deep-sea fishing is probably the first thing that comes to mind when “fishing” and “Caribbean” are used in the same sentence.  Sometimes called the “sport of kings,” deep-sea fishing takes place several miles offshore and the clear waters of the Turks and Caicos are considered to be one of the finest places for this in the Caribbean.  The premier trophy fish of the Atlantic is the blue marlin and it is plentiful all year round but caught in record numbers during the summer season.   Deep-sea fishing is typically an all-day event and is usually reserved for experienced anglers - however there is a wide range of options from excursion companies here.

If deep-sea fishing is too much, sports fishing may be for you.  Sports fishing excursions go to the edge of the reef where the deep water starts and you can troll the coral heads using live bait to lure your prey.  Unlike deep-sea fishing where there can be a lot of down time, sports fishing is full of action, which makes it a fun and exciting activity for the whole family - even those new to fishing.

Another great way to enjoy a day at sea for the whole family is reef fishing - also called bottom fishing.   Reef fishing happens on the inner reef where our coral heads teem with all types and sizes of stunning tropical fish.   A typical outing can net any where from 10 to 50 fish such as snapper and grouper. 

If eating your catch isn’t important to you, you may want to try bonefishing.  Bonefishing is the ultimate in sports fishing as it relies on the skill and competence of the person holding the reel, while the boat and captain have little to do with the outcome.  The elusive, silvery bonefish can be feisty and are said to put up a good fight for a fish its size.  They tend to like the flats and fortunately there are hundreds of miles of shallow feeding grounds for them on the south side of Providenciales.  Because of all their bones, this is a catch and release activity.  And, be careful - it is known to be addictive!

If you enjoy fishing and being on the sea, you should definitely consider a fishing excursion on your next visit.   Please note that fishing licenses are required and are usually included in your excursion fee, but be sure to check when you book.  If you want to go out on your own, fishing licenses are also available at the Department of Environment.  Their office is located in a round building with a turquoise roof, on the Lower Bight Road, just down the street from the Gansevoort Hotel and across from the Bight Park, where the fish fry is hosted every Thursday night.  However, even with a fishing license, fishing in National Parks is strictly forbidden, so make sure you are in an approved area before you make your first cast!

The best way to enjoy fishing the Turks and Caicos Islands is with an experienced crew. The concierge desk at The Alexandra can help arrange trips with any and all of them! Here are some of the operators offering fishing excursions and what they have to say about the experience:

Grand Slam Charters  http://www.gsfishing.com/

“We guarantee a memorable experience for the whole family. Deep sea fishing in Turks and Caicos is an experience not to be missed. The scream of the reel, the bend of the rod and the flash of silver deep below will be a lifetime memory!”

Catch the Wave  http://www.catchthewavecharter.com/

“Catch the Wave Charters has more than 40 miles of shallow flats and offers the ultimate bone fishing experience with guaranteed catches on your first day. We offer sports fishing with a fly rod or light tackle. All the necessary bait and equipment is provided.”

Silver Deep  http://www.silverdeep.com/fishing/fishing.htm

“Arthur Dean is internationally renowned as one of the best fly-fishing guides in the Caribbean and has been featured on International TV Channels: ESPN2 in the show "FISH- ON"

There are more than 90 miles of flats around Providenciales - plenty of opportunity to fish a new flat everyday.”

Panoply http://www.panoply.tc/#!/main

“Whether you are a seasoned angler or casting a line for the first time, our Captain and First Mate will be there to offer as much or as little help as you need. Our Captain’s skillful handling of Panoply and our Crew’s knowledge and expertise of the game will provide you with invaluable guidance for landing that big fish!”

Photo Courtesy of Grand Slam Charters

For families, Turks & Caicos is a great vacation choice.   The destination is quick and easy to reach from major cities in North America, and it’s a safe place to visit.  Modern grocery stores, clean drinking water, state-of-the-art medical facilities and reliable communications services take some of the travel safety worries away for parents.

The Alexandra Resort is a great property for families. In addition to offering spacious and  comfortably appointed suites that include kitchen facilities, we have our Pelican Kids club, an awesome freeform swimming pool and the resort is situated in one of the best areas of Grace Bay - right on the beach and in close proximity to many restaurants and shops.

If your idea of a great family vacation includes escaping the routine and spending quality time together, you’ll be looking for family-friendly dining options.  Fortunately, you won’t have to look very hard here.  There are a number of great restaurants on Providenciales that are sure to make everyone in the family happy.  Here are some of our favorite places for value-oriented family dining experiences:

The Tiki Hut Island Eatery - Dockside at Turtle Cove Marina

This casual dining spot has a consistent track record for serving good quality food at reasonable  prices.  It offers a relaxed atmosphere that makes dining with families and/or larger groups a breeze - literally!  The Tiki Hut is located on the docks at Turtle Cove Marina. This open-air restaurant has been an island establishment since 1992.   They are famous for their Wednesday Chicken and Rib Night, which always delivers a lively atmosphere and delicious grilled specials in addition to their normal menu.   It’s open for lunch and dinner weekdays, and also for breakfast on the weekends.   Reservations are recommended for six or more.  Phone (649) 941-5341.

Baci Ristorante

Also located in Turtle Cove, Baci is an Italian restaurant that has been feeding locals and visitors for the past decade.   The place has a beautiful yet relaxed ambiance with an indoor dining room that spills out to an open-air terrace directly on the water.   The menu features fresh pastas, seafood, veal and brick-oven pizzas that can be enjoyed at the table or to go.    The long bar at the entrance usually serves as a meeting spot for locals who gather after work.  It is open Monday through Saturday nights and weekdays for lunch.   Reservations are recommended:  (649) 941-3044. 

Mango Reef

Our own Mango Reef Restaurant located at the Alexandra Resort on Grace Bay is always a great choice for families. With a wide variety of menu options and an extensive kids’ menu, the food here is always good and the setting is fun.  Kids love the beach terrace, which is a great spot to dine while the sun sets.   Plenty of outdoor seating on the beach terrace means you’ll always get a great table. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner daily, and live music is featured on Tuesday and Friday evenings.   Mango Reef also provides the lunch for children attending Pelican Kids’ Club at Mango Reef.  Guests staying at the Alexandra Resort can also enjoy the convenience of ordering room service from Mango Reef.  For reservations or carry-out service:  (649) 946-8200.

Hemingway’s

If you are looking for a bit more elegance but in a relaxed atmosphere with a menu that will please everyone in the family, you should go to Hemingway’s at The Sands Resort.   Some of the seating area is covered and the rest is on the beachside terrace.   It’s open from 8:00 am until 10:00 pm daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner.    The terrace has a JoJo Bell that people can ring when they catch a glimpse of the famous dolphin swimming by.   The great thing about this place is the menu has gourmet choices such as its juicy filet mignon or fresh grouper, as well as kid-friendly options such as chicken fingers and the brownie sundae for dessert.   For more information or reservations: (649) 941-8408.

Giggles

When the formalities of dinner are done or if you are just looking for a fun outing for you and the kids, you can head to Giggles in the Ports of Call shopping complex.  This little shop is a sweet delight - with soft-serve ice cream and an abundance of loose candy and other treats.    It is basically an ice cream shop and candy store rolled into one!  The phone is (649) 941-7370.

Be sure to call The Alexandra Resort for your next family vacation 1-800-284-0699!

Fresh seafood, exotic conch dishes and a little bit of spice are generally what people expect when they visit the Caribbean.   In Turks and Caicos we are fortunate to have many great restaurants that showcase the fresh, local ingredients -

especially at Mango Reef, the on-site restaurant located at the Alexandra Resort.   Mango Reef serves breakfast, lunch and dinner daily and offers a diverse menu, consistently good service and an outstanding beachfront setting. 

This is always a convenient and delicious choice.   However, if you stay in Turks & Caicos Islands for longer than a few days you may want to branch out and experience some different types of cuisine - beyond conch and island fare.  

We are fortunate to have a number of international dining options that offer intriguing flavors and interesting dining experiences.   When you’re ready to explore, consider these excellent, international options:

The Beach House (Cuisine: contemporary French; location: Lower Bight Road)

While you might expect a restaurant called the Beach House to serve burgers and fries, the cuisine here is far from ordinary.  This is one of the newest restaurants to open on Providenciales and its début has created a stir in the dining scene.  Already, it has climbed to one of the top spots on Trip Advisor for restaurants in Turks and Caicos.  The reason for all the fuss is the creative and sophisticated menu created by Chef Eric Vernice. With an emphasis on freshness and harmony among flavors, the dishes coming from Chef Eric’s kitchen are truly a culinary celebration.   

Yoshi’s Sushi Bar and Japanese Restaurant (Cuisine: Japanese/Sushi; Location: Salt Mills Plaza in Grace Bay)

This is more than a sushi restaurant - it is a gathering place.  With its black and red modern décor, the inside dining room of Yoshi’s Sushi buzzes at lunchtime and in the evenings.   The food here is fresh and flavorful, and the atmosphere is fun and relaxed.   In addition to having bento boxes where you can sample a bit of tempura, sushi, salad and soups, Yoshi’s menu also includes meals like salmon teriyaki or Japanese curry beef.

Garam Marsala (Cuisine: Indian;  Location: Regent Village)

Flavor is the name of the game here, in fact the menu describes the restaurant as “an aromatic affaire with Indian Cuisine.”   The restaurant is under new management but the recipes are old-school and feature authentic, traditional Indian dishes.  This is one of the few restaurants to offer air-conditioned indoor dining as well as an open air lounge and dining area, making it a good choice no matter the weather or season. While the Garam Marsala official website is under construction, the restaurant is open for lunch and dinner and is popular with visitors and residents alike.  Recently, it has had a professionally-designed interior revamp that adds to the ambience.

Thai Orchid (Cuisine: Thai; Location: Regent Village)

Smooth coconut soup with shrimp, sweet and savory crab rangoons, and spicy Thai green chili - these are just some of the more than 60 different delectable dishes served from this small Thai restaurant located in the Regent Village in Grace Bay.   The restaurant is open seven days a week and even late nights with a small amount of indoor and outdoor seating.  The consistently busy take-out business is proof of the restaurant’s popularity.   Owned and run by a local resident who was born and raised in Bangkok, the food here is genuine and unique - just like him.   If you enjoy Thai cuisine - a visit to the Thai Orchid is not to be missed.   

Lemon Café (Cuisine: Moroccan;  Location: The Village at Grace Bay)

For a fun night out and some delicious Mediterranean dishes, head to Lemon Café in the Village at Grace Bay.   The hummus and homemade pitas are mouth-watering and the lantern-lit patio and dining room draped in rich fabrics make you feel like you’re in Morocco instead of Providenciales.   In addition to fresh, flavorful Mediterranean dishes that please both meat lovers and vegetarians, the restaurant hosts monthly parties that go on until late, and usually feature DJs, belly dancers and occasionally even fire spinning!

Even though it is hot most of the time in Turks and Caicos, a good cup of coffee is always appreciated - whether it is to start the day or to meet up with a friend or just to savor and contemplate life, drinking a good cup of coffee can many any day even better. 

While we encourage our guests at the Alexandra Resort and Spa to enjoy meals on our beach terrace or by the pool and our own Mango Reef Restaurant serves a mean cup of java, we also know that getting out and about can be enjoyable and fun. So, we thought we’d share with you the places we go to enjoy a nice cup of coffee and watch the world go by.

Caicos Bakery

This is Provo’s only French Bakery and we have to admit - one of the reasons this is a good place to enjoy a cup of coffee is because it has THE BEST French pastries.   What’s a cup of coffee without a croissant?   Also, the location is good as it is in a small shopping plaza that includes a few nice shops, a great Italian restaurant and a European-style hair salon and spa.   You could actually spend the better part of the day here if you wanted!

Caicos Bakery is located in Caicos Café Plaza in Grace Bay. The shop opens at 7 AM and closes at 4:30 PM, daily except Sunday.  Get there early for the freshly baked bread.

Beach House Turks and Caicos – Western Grace Bay Beach

The restaurant at Beach House recently introduced the newest thing in European coffee houses, where time still stands still in our busy lives: the ‘Café Gourmand’. They serve a delicious cup of espresso, latté or macchiato paired with several sweet delicacies made by Chef Eric Vernice and his team.  Served between 12 noon and 4pm every day. Also ask for the Ice cream Sundays if you prefer something cold.

Flowers by Environmental Arts - across from the Salt Mills Plaza

This is a small café located on the main strip in Grace Bay.  Since it doubles as a flower shop the sensory experience is almost as good as the coffee.  While the shop is small, the offerings are varied and the setting is convenient.   The location is walking distance from the majority of hotels in Grace Bay and there are many shops around too, so after a quick coffee you can bring a nice bouquet back to your room or pick up some souvenirs for those you left behind.

Fresh Bakery

Along with a good cup of coffee at Fresh Bakery you can get a full lunch and/or a wide range of delicious desserts and pastries.   Inside the place is decorated with a clean, modern/European feel.   One thing we like about this place are the pint-sized pastries you can get to accompany your coffee with all of the flavor and half the guilt!   This shop was recently moved to the Atrium Resort in the community of Leeward.

Graceway Gourmet IGA

This is like the central hub of Grace Bay because it is the main grocery store for the area.   While the setting isn’t as relaxing as the others we mention, the Gourmet makes our list because it is convenient, quick and offers good value.  The coffee shop is next to the grocery store and it has tables in front of the store. However the tables are all in a shaded covered area and there’s a good buzz with all the comings and goings of island residents and tourists.  Plus, the coffee is really good too.   Best thing about this place is you can zip in and zip out in a jiffy and catch up on all the latest news and island gossip.

Island Scoops

IslandScoops is a favored ice-cream shop by tourists and residents alike but don’t let the name fool you- they have great coffee too.   Here you will find a wide variety of coffee concoctions as well as locally-made ice cream and other sweet treats.  The décor is fun and funky.   You can sit outside in overstuffed sofas or at tall tables just across the street from Grace Bay beach.   It’s a great spot for kids here as there are an abundance of outside toys, a sand pit, soft armchairs, and a wide selection of milkshakes as well as ice creams and other treats kids old and young enjoy.

Angela’s Top of the Cove Delicatessen & Catering Services

Angela’s is located on the Leeward Highway in a more industrial part of town, but not far from Turtle Cove.   Tourists that venture here are more likely to encounter residents and will be treated to some fantastic soups and lunch specials and well as a pretty decent cup of coffee.

The menu here is varied and tasty and even offers gluten free options.   While there isn’t much to speak of in terms of sights or views, the establishment is one of the islands’ “institutions” having been around for a very long time - and it is one of the few places that has its air conditioning on year round.  Angela’s Deli is located in between NAPA auto parts and April’s Place (hair salon) and is open daily from 6:30 am serving breakfast, lunch and dinners to go.

Green Bean – located near Turtle Cove Marina

Enjoy a nice salad or sandwich along with a good cup of Joe at the Green Bean. Friendly staff make the experience memorable and you are just a few steps away from Smith’s Reef. At the ‘Bean’ you can rent snorkel gear and head straight over there before or after your caffeine infusion.

It’s the perfect beginner’s alternative to surfing.

IN THE 1960S, surfing instructors in Hawaii discovered a great way to increase tips: While their tourist-students lay prone on boards trying to catch waves, the instructors would hang cameras on their necks, stand upright on surfboards, and use long canoe paddles to maneuver out to take photos of clients in the surf, creating the perfect souvenir. “Stand-up paddling,” as this mode of transit became known, remained a surf culture oddity until about 10 years ago, when a handful of professional surfers began using the technique to train. In the past few years, the sport has spread beyond surfers — and become wildly popular. “Everyone has a fantasy to be a surfer, [and] stand-up paddling makes it easier,” says Rob Casey, author of Stand Up Paddling: Flatwater to Surf and Rivers and an instructor in Washington state. “The learning curve is relatively easy and gear requirements are minimal.” And while stand-up boards are more expensive than kayaks — beginner boards, which are wider and heavier than traditional surfboards, start at around $700 — Casey says they’re easier to store and carry and provide better exercise, particularly for the core muscles.

To find out whether stand-up paddling is as easy as advertised, in mid-September I signed up for a private lesson. “I’ve given lessons to people from 4 years old to 70 years old, and I’ve never had someone not be able to stand up,” instructor Dan Cox told me, as he helped me into a life jacket. After a quick dockside intro to the equipment and basic techniques, Cox had me kneel on the board, paddle a few yards into the river, and creep up into a standing position. (Yes, it’s really that simple: Beginner boards are designed to be super stable.) For 90 minutes Cox showed me different stroke techniques. I’d worn a swimsuit and had dreaded the thought of plunging into the Charles on a cool fall day, but I stayed upright and dry through the lesson.

Part of the sport’s popularity comes from the fact that, unlike surfing, you can do it nearly anywhere: Rivers, lakes, and oceans all make suitable grounds for “SUP,” the acronym by which the sport has become known. But as fall gives way to winter and the Charles turns icy, it’s tempting to find a more hospitable climate for paddling. Here are five experts’ picks on the best places to stand-up paddle.

TURKS AND CAICOS

The big-wave surfing of Dave Kalama, a pro wind-surfer, was featured in the opening scenes of the James Bond film Die Another Day. Along with surfer Laird Hamilton, Kalama stand-up paddled the entire chain of the Hawaiian Islands, a distance he estimates at 250 miles.

WHERE TO PADDLE “I’ve been all over the world, and one place I really like for stand-up paddle boarding is Turks and Caicos. I run a paddle boarding school there on the island of Providenciales. The water is really clear, and the reefs are very alive. You’ll see stingrays and all kinds of fish. The island has trade winds, so you can do downwind paddling. It has mangroves, so you can get protection from the wind to do flat-water paddling. It’s a really versatile area.”

WHERE TO RENT GEAR OR GET A LESSON “The company I work with is called Big Blue [649-946-5034, bigblueunlimited.com]. They have kayaking, stand-up paddle boarding, snorkeling, and diving.”

By Daniel McGinn

Come learn about the life cycle of the Queen conch, from egg mass to harvested adult. You will see first hand the processes and technology the only commercial conch farm in the world has developed over the past 20 years. The tour will start in the gift shop with a quick biology lesson and a description of our hatchery technology, from there the tour takes the guests through the Metamorphosis buildings and the Post Larval facilities. Guests are then able to bend over and pick up one of the farms 2 million conch housed in the onshore ponds. The offshore pasture, filled with circular pens to rear the conch until they are harvested, serves as the backdrop to the entire tour. The tour ends up with Sally and Jerry, the resident wild conch, who are brought out to give guests a good photo opportunity to take home to friends and family.

All tour leaders are local Turks Islanders who can provide wonderful insights to local culture as well as recommendations for dining or leisure spots on the island.

FAQs

1. How do you pronounce conch?
   Conk
2. Is conch a snail?
   It is a marine snail, also known as a gastropod mollusk. The conch is classified in the phylum Mollusca , class Gastropoda, order Mesogastropoda.
3. Can you eat conch?
   Yes, the Queen conch has been, and continues to be on of the major protein sources in the Caribbean diet as well as being exported internationally.
4. Where are you located?
   At Heaving Down Rock, at the end of the Leeward Highway, on the island of Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands, BWI
5. How many conch farms are there?
   One, The Caicos Conch Farm is the only one on the world.

Farm History

Trade Wind Industries, Ltd was incorporated in 1984 with a vision of pioneering a pan-Caribbean conch mariculture industry that would benefit the region by providing jobs, stimulating economic growth, supplying a low-cost source of protein, and protecting wild conch stocks from exploitation. The queen conch, scientifically Strombus gigas, has been a staple of the Caribbean for at least a thousand years. Its meat provides a major source of protein for the region, while its shell has been used for tools, weapons, jewelry, ceremonial objects, and as a construction material. Over-fishing has depleted wild stocks of conch; today it is now listed on the CITES Appendix II, as a commercially endangered species. Despite Caribbean-wide country quotas on harvesting wild conch, the remaining conch population continues to decline rapidly as over-fishing continues. Conch harvests are a major source of food and income for many local people, and without a source of replacement income they continue to harvest conch. Twenty years ago sixteen Caribbean/Latin American countries exported conch to the world market place; today only three still have commercial quantities of wild conch to offer to the market place.

In 1984, Chuck Hesse, TWI's founder and CEO, realized the potential to simultaneously help the environment, employ local fishermen, and generate profitable returns by farming conch.

TWI's goals are to expand conch production at its farm in the Turks & Caicos and to license grow-out farms throughout the Caribbean. Achieving these goals will increase supply and reduce production and shipping costs. Once adequate supply is established, TWI will expand its marketing into Asia, where conch is in high demand, both for its nutritional benefits and acknowledged cultural and aphrodisiac properties.

While achieving its goals, TWI will continue research to lower the cost to produce farmed conch below that of harvesting it from the wild. History has shown that once farmed product is in the marketplace at prices lower than that of wild conch, the wild stocks will be able to recover.

Popular weekly magazine US News and World Report has just named TCI – our home, the Turks & Caicos Islands – as one of the top 10 honeymoon destinations in the world. Here is an excerpt:

Why go: Famed for its snowy white beaches and cerulean waves, Turks & Caicos also offers its honeymooners a place to get away from it all. The islands feel like a deserted tropical paradise, but they're also only a 90-minute flight from Miami. When lounging on the downy sand outside of your luxury resort grows wearisome, you and your spouse can ferry to Salt Cay for some more secluded beach time and maybe even some snorkeling or scuba diving. 

Read full article on http://travel.usnews.com/Rankings/Best_Beach_Honeymoon_Destinations/

Provo is known for the extensive range of fine dining establishments located on the island, but most tourists enjoy at least one casual night with a good pizza and a "cold one."  Here are some of our favourite spots for a good pizza.  In Turtle Cove, the waterfront restaurant Il Buco serves a terrific thin crust pizza.  In Grace Bay, try Pizza Pizza (no, not the Canadian franchise) or the newly opened Hey Jose, just a short walk from the Gourmet IGA.  And speaking of the IGA, they offer a great take-out pizza there too!  There is a wood fire pizza oven at the grocery store, and a large, freshly made pizza with 3-4 toppings costs about $20. 

There are some great spas in Turks and Caicos, and a few of them definitely top our favourites list!  Spa Sanay, located at Alexandra Resort, offers great treatments at affordable prices.  Spa facilities are quite basic and the spa itself is small, but if you are looking for a great massage or a precision pedicure, go to Spa Sanay.  Next door at the Regent Palms, there is a very lavish spa that has consistently been ranked as one of the top spas in the Caribbean.  When it's time to indulge, go to the spa at the Regent Palms.  If you need relief from overdoing it on the golf course or kiteboarding, one of the best massage therapists on the island is Mercy.  She works at Maxime's Hair Salon, which is located in Petite Place in Grace Bay.  Mercy is very popular, so be sure to call ahead to avoid disappointment.