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Things To Do In The Caribbean Turks Caicos Information

Private Turks and Caicos Tours With Caicos Dream Tours

Plan Your Perfect Day In Providenciales

Caicos Dream Tours offers some of the best Turks and Caicos tours. Private charters give resort guests of The Sands at Grace Bay the option to choose from their impressive fleet of power boats and catamarans to reserve for a half or full day. With boats that can accommodate up to 12 guests, there are plenty of sights to see and things you can do during your private charter excursion including snorkeling the Barrier Reef, bottom fishing, exploring secluded islands and private beaches, sightseeing around the cays, tubing, conch diving and more. Caicos Dream Tours will help you customize your perfect half or full day trip based on your specific interests and group size. Whether you’re planning a romantic getaway for two, a family reunion, a wedding party or a fun trip with friends, the fully equipped boats and professional Caicos Dream Tours staff and boat captains will help make your special occasion even more spectacular.

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Half-Day Private Charters:

Half-day charters are offered for a 4-hour reservation time period with both morning (9:00am) and afternoon (1:30pm) departure options. The charter includes complimentary gourmet sandwiches, freshly grilled fish and lobster (when in season), conch salad and light snacks and refreshments including beer, rum punch, soft drinks and water. The private half-day charter costs $1,100 for up to 12 guests, with an additional charge of $89 per person for groups of more than 12 people.

Full-Day Private Charters:

Full-day charters may be reserved for an 8-hour time period, with 9:00am departure times. The full day charters include a beach BBQ complete with chicken and freshly grilled fish and lobster (when in season), conch salad and light snacks and refreshments including beer, rum punch, soft drinks and water. The full-day charter costs $2,200 for up to 12 guests, with an additional charge of $179 per person for groups of more than 12 people.

FAQ’s:

Guests of all ages and abilities are welcome on this tour. Children under two years of age are complimentary. Persons with limited mobilities are welcome but please provide Caicos Dream Tours with prior notice so they may arrange special transport to the marina and provide extra assistance and/or accommodations as needed. For cancellations or to reschedule a tour: call a minimum of 24 hours prior to your tour to avoid cancellation charges. Credit card information is required to reserve your spot on this excursion but guests will not be charged until after the excursion takes place.

For more information, visit: http://www.caicosdreamtours.com/excursions/private-charters-full-day/ 

 

 

 

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Announcements Awards Turks Caicos Information

Top 3 Reasons Why Families Should Stay at Our Turks and Caicos Resort

With summer just a few weeks away, The Sands at Grace Bay is tempting Turks and Caicos resort for family travelers who are looking for significant resort savings in a leading vacation destination with its reduced low-season rates and 4th Night Free deal, array of family-friendly amenities and its unbeatable location on Providenciales’ world-famous Grace Bay Beach. Not only was Turks & Caicos’ Providenciales (“Provo”) named the World’s #1 Island by TripAdvisor’s 2015 Travelers’ Choice Awards, but The Sands at Grace Bay was recently named a “2015 Family Favorite Hotel” and one of the “Top 10 Caribbean Resorts for Families” by TripAdvisor’s family travel site, Family Vacation Critic.

The resort unveiled the following three reasons why families benefit from visiting The Sands at Grace Bay during the summer months:

  1. Families Receive Significant Resort Savings During Provo’s Low-Season – Summer is known as the Caribbean’s low-season and is the time of year when families can receive resort discounts and deals, reduced airfare costs, and plan a much more affordable trip to the first-class destination of Providenciales, Turks & Caicos. From May 1st through December 19th, families will receive their 4th Night Free plus reduced low-season rates starting as low as $195 per night at The Sands at Grace Bay. To reduce vacation costs even further, the resort’s spacious 1, 2 and 3-bedroom suites are ideal for families who wish to share accommodations. Plus, the suites feature all the comforts of home including nicely equipped kitchens and dining areas that provide families with the convenience of preparing home-cooked meals during their stay.
  1. Free Family Friendly Events & Activities On The World’s #1 Island – Families can enjoy an array of affordable and optional day excursions during their trips to Providenciales, including snorkeling and conch cruises, horseback riding along the beach, sunset glow worm tours, semi-submarine underwater adventures, kayak nature tours and much more. There are also several free kid-friendly attractions and events that take place around the island. Provo’s weekly Thursday night Fish Fry features freshly caught fish and seafood, local bands and entertainment, dancers and much more – for a fun night that celebrates all things “Turks & Caicos.” The Turks & Caicos National Environmental Centre is a free and informative way for families to learn about the wildlife, habitats and ecosystems found throughout the Turks and Caicos Islands. And finally, the world-renowned beaches surrounding Providenciales are always a family favorite activity.
  1. Free Resort Amenities Offer Endless Opportunities For Having Fun Under The Sun – One of the greatest benefits mentioned by families who stay at The Sands at Grace Bay is the array of added value amenities that guests may enjoy during their stay including free use of watersports equipment, bicycles, a weekly cocktail party, three swimming pools, a basketball/tennis court that is lit for night play and more. To fully appreciate the resort’s Grace Bay Beach location, families with older children take advantage of the resort’s kayaks, snorkeling gear, stand-up paddleboards and Hobie Cats. Resort bicycles offer a fun way for families to explore the island of Providenciales together. Families often bring the resort’s snorkeling gear to the nearby Coral Gardens snorkeling site, one of the most popular snorkeling areas for families in Providenciales. The shallow waters that can be accessed right from the beach, the diversity of fish, the clearly marked boundaries, and the safely roped off area make this a great spot to bring children and beginner snorkelers.

The Sands at Grace Bay’s 4th Night FREE promotion is valid for new bookings made on all room categories for travel now through December 19th, 2015. Travelers can book the resort’s 4th Night Free offer online at www.thesandstc.flywheelstaging.com, using the promo code “4NF2015” – or call toll-free from the U.S. (877) 777-2637; from Canada (800) 567-5327; or contact a travel agent for reservations.

Categories
Announcements Awards Turks Caicos Information

The Sands at Grace Bay Awards: We’re a “2015 Family Favorite Hotel”

A new addition to Sands at Grace Bay Awards – TripAdvisor’s family travel site, Family Vacation Critic, has once again named The Sands at Grace Bay a “Family Vacation Critic Favorite” 2015 hotel based on expert and consumer feedback. The resort was also recently named one of the, “Top 10 Caribbean Resorts For Families” by this leading family vacation website!

The Sands at Grace Bay - A 2015 "Family Favorite Hotel" by Family Vacation Critic
The Sands at Grace Bay – A 2015 “Family Favorite Hotel” by Family Vacation Critic

To be named a Family Vacation Critic Favorite hotel, hotels and resorts must have been personally vetted and visited by a member of Family Vacation Critic’s editorial team and must have been recommended by 75% or more families who have reviewed the property, with a four- or five-star review rating.

“The Family Vacation Critic Favorite winners represent hotels that truly excel as family-friendly properties. Because awards are only given to hotels that receive a high rating from both our team of experts and family travelers who have stayed at the property, the Family Vacation Critic Favorite Hotels designation offers parents a credible stamp of approval to use when searching for the perfect hotel for their family.”

– Lissa Poirot, Editor-in-Chief, Family Vacation Critic

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There are many reasons why families continue to visit our award-winning Providenciales, Turks & Caicos resort, including:

  • Our affordable low-season summer and fall rates and 4th Night Free Deal (valid between May 1st through December 19th)
  • Our unbeatable location on Grace Bay Beach, the Caribbean’s #1 Beach according to TripAdvisor’s 2015 Travelers’ Choice Awards
  • Fun and family-friendly island attractions in Providenciales, named the World’s #1 Island by TripAdvisor’s 2015 Travelers’ Choice Awards
  • Free use of resort watersports equipment including kayaks, snorkeling gear, stand-up paddleboards and Hobie Cats
  • Complimentary resort bicycles available for guest use from daylight to dusk
  • 3 Free-form swimming pools that flow throughout a central garden courtyard and are connected by canals.
  • On-property dining out at the island’s legendary Hemingway’s Beachfront Restaurant that offers kid-friendly breakfast, lunch and dinners
  • The option to dine “in” using fully equipped kitchens and comfortable dining areas in our one, two, and three-bedroom suites that provide families the convenience of preparing home-cooked meals during their resort stay
  • Fun family friend excursions, ranging from snorkeling, horseback riding, semi-submarine underwater tours, glow worm sunset cruises, snuba and more

For more information on our family-friendly resort amenities, optional excursions, and island kid-friendly dining and attraction recommendations, visit our resort’s family page: http://thesandstc.flywheelstaging.com/families/introduction/

 

 

Categories
Things To Do In The Caribbean

Snorkeling in the Turks and Caicos

turks and caicos snorkeling

Explore coral reefs with your kids just steps from the beach

In April, Providenciales in the Turks and Caicos became TripAdvisor’s 2015 pick as the world’s top island. Travel site TripAdvisor selects Travelers’ Choice award winners based on the quality and quantity of user reviews over 12 months.

According to TripAdvisor, the beautiful turquoise waters of the Turks and Caicos is just one of the things that makes Provo the world’s top island for planning a vacation.

The shallow, crystal clear waters are perfect for snorkeling and diving. There are plenty of underwater spots to explore and brilliantly-colored fish to see.

Snorkeling on Provo

Snorkeling in the Turks and Caicos offers a window into a breathtaking underwater world. There are great opportunities to observe marine wildlife here, often quite close to our resort on Grace Bay Beach on Providenciales.

Your entire family can try “beginner” courses at Bight Reef close to the Sands Resort. You can also experience Caicos Dream Tours, a guided excursion which heads to seamounts offshore for snorkeling and diving.

This brief guide to snorkeling on Providenciales includes information about where beginners and families can try out snorkeling.

We have also prepared information about snorkeling opportunities for more advanced swimmers, along with information about local laws related to collecting corals and shells.

Snorkeling for Beginners and Families on Provo

The Turks and Caicos is a ring of islands located to the east of the Bahamas. The archipelago consists of two island chains that sit atop two limestone banks separated by the 6,000-foot-deep Turks Passage.

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Six islands rise above the submerged Caicos Bank, including our own island of Providenciales. To the east are the islands of Grand Turk and Salt Cay in the Turks Islands.

The Sands at Grace Bay is located on the calmer, leeward side of Providenciales. Grace Bay Beach is protected from strong trade winds that power the large breakers which are very popular with surfers and kiteboarders on other parts of the island.

As a result, Grace Bay Beach is a great place to try out snorkeling.

Coral Gardens

Also known as Bight Reef, the Coral Gardens snorkeling area is a short twenty-minute walk with children down the beach from The Sands at Grace Bay resort. Bight Reef is one of the most popular snorkeling areas in Providenciales.

Bight Reef Snorkeling

Families with children can walk out to the shallow and calm waters right from the beach. The diversity of fish, the clearly marked boundaries, and a roped-off area clearly and safely marking the reef make this a great spot for families and beginners to snorkel.

As an added bonus, guests staying at The Sands at Grace Bay may use the resort’s complimentary snorkeling gear when exploring this popular snorkeling site.

Bight Reef Snorkel Trail

Bight Reef extends 350 feet out from the beach and tends to have a large number of friendly fish, slow-moving sea turtles, rays and even the occasional spiny lobster. Water depth ranges from 3 to 16 feet, which makes Bight Reef an ideal location to take your kids snorkeling.

Bight Reef also features a snorkel trail. Markers anchored to the sea floor guide swimmers to the beautiful corals. Marker buoys indicate both ends of the snorkel trail.

How to Get to Bight Reef

Bight Reef is located twenty minutes by foot from The Sands at Grace Bay and five minutes by car or taxi.

The reef is located in front of several resorts with restaurants on-site. Families may wish to pack a picnic lunch.

Snorkeling for Stronger Swimmers

Smith’s Reef

Smith’s Reef is actually a number of reefs located close to Turtle Cove, a resort area to the west of the international airport.

Smith’s Reef is a bit isolated and can be a little harder to find than other popular areas, so be sure to ask our concierge for directions.

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Happily, the relative isolation of Smith’s Reef means it is less busy than Bight Reef.

Tips for Snorkeling at Smith’s Reef

Be aware there is no lifeguard here and also be sure to watch out for boat traffic from the Turtle Cove Marina nearby to the west of Smith’s Reef.

Other conditions to be aware of at Smith’s Reef include tides and currents. Snorkelers should also watch out for Lionfish. Lionfish are an invasive species that have become common in some parts of the Turks and Caicos. While Lionfish are not aggressive, their spines are poisonous.

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The best time visit Smith’s Reef is on the incoming tide. Clean ocean water displaces stirred up water near shore. The clearer water contains none of the little bits of sand and particulates that come off the shore line and out of the canals and inlets when the tide is going out.

You’ll need to rent a car to get to Smith’s Reef. A sandy pathway near the small parking area leads to the water. Rocky areas can be slippery and more dangerous.

Since this is a rather isolated area without much traffic, be sure to lock your car and leave valuables out of sight, or back at the resort.

Guided Snorkeling Tours

While Smith’s Reef and Bight Reef are easily accessible from The Sands at Grace Bay, guided tours to more remote locations can open up a whole new world.

caicos dream tours providenciales

Snorkeling and beachcombing adventures at remote, quiet locations such as Fort George, Half Moon Bay, and the coral reefs around Pine Cay and Blue Haven Marina at the eastern tip of Provo make for an amazing excursion.

Tour operators such as Caicos Dream Tours offer guided trips to these locations.

Grace Bay

Located on the north side of Provo and protected by a long barrier reef, the marine life in Grace Bay is spectacular.

Dive sites here consist of small walls with deep coral canyons that start at 30 feet and drop down to 100 feet.

Ask our concierge for information about snorkel and dive tours out to these locations.

Half Moon Bay

Half Moon Bay is a snorkel and dive destination located just to the east of Providenciales, and is only accessible by boat. The trip takes about 15 minutes. Several tours depart from Blue Haven Marina.

The relative inaccessibility of the island means deserted, pristine beaches you can enjoy all to yourself. A series of reefs close to the beach provide snorkeling opportunities for families and children.

Pine Cay

Pine Cay is a private island located between Providenciales and North Caicos. While the island itself is reserved for residents and guests, the shallow waters around the island are perfect for snorkeling and guided diving tours.

Like Half Moon Bay, Pine Cay is only accessible by charter boat from the leeward end of Providenciales.

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Fort George Cay

Fort George Cay is uninhabited, lying to the west of Pine Cay and is only accessible by boat. The cay itself is great for exploring, and features old British gun emplacements.

Caicos Dream Tours offer trips to Fort George Cay.

Northwest Point Marine National Park

Northwest Point Marine National Park lies at opposite end of Providenciales from Half Moon Bay, right at the northwest tip of Provo.

Northwest Point Marine National Park includes reefs and several salt lakes that attract breeding and migrant birds. The parking lot at the eastern end of the park provides access to diving and other water sports.

The coastline is home to hard and soft corals, schools of barracuda, horse-eye jacks, lobster, crabs, angelfish and numerous other species of fish.

The beach is located a fair distance from the parking lot – it’s about a one-mile walk to reach the beach and reef access. Once you arrive at the beach, take note that sea urchins and broken coral make the northwest shore of the point less than ideal for snorkeling.

The reefs just off the northeast shoreline are better for snorkeling. Just off the beach, a coral wall starts at about 35 feet and plunges more than 3000 feet.

Once again, as this part of Providenciales is fairly isolated, care must be taken with valuables, both in your car and on the beach.

West Caicos

West Caicos is an uninhabited island southwest of Provo known for its pristine walls and opportunities to encounter Humpback whales.

This is a trip best suited for adventurers and experienced divers. Contact our excursion desk and Caicos Dream Tours for more information.

SNUBA

SNUBA is a shallow water diving system that bridges the gap between snorkeling and scuba diving.

Kids from ages 8 up to seniors, are able to swim a maximum of 20 feet underwater to view tropical marine life in their natural habitat including turtles, stingrays, lobsters, and beautiful fish and the colorful coral reefs.

Contact our concierge for more information.

Restrictions on Collecting Conchs, Shells and Corals in Turks and Caicos

conch shell rules providenciales

Anyone snorkeling or diving in Turks and Caicos should be aware that it is a criminal offence to take shells or coral from any national park. National parks cover much of the coastline, especially on Providenciales where all of Grace Bay is part of the Princess Alexandra National Park.

We recommend that you do not purchase conch shells, conch jewellery or other conch souvenirs because you must obtain a permit (which can be a time-consuming process) or will likely have your shells confiscated at the airport.

We have received several complaints from tourists who have purchased shells from local shops only to have them seized at the Providenciales International Airport (PLS).

Caicos Dream Tours

Caicos Dream Tours offers a wide range of watersports and optional excursions that may be conveniently booked online by guests of The Sands at Grace Bay via the Caicos Dream Tours website or at our Tour Desk, located by our resort’s main swimming pool.

Snorkel & Conch Cruise

Caicos Dream Tours offers a popular Snorkel & Conch Cruise and Full and Half-day Charters.

This is a terrific excursion option for families and couples looking for a half-day snorkeling adventure that offers breathtaking sights both above and below water and four hours of pure fun.

The most popular excursion offered by Caicos Dream Tours provides a terrific way for resort guests to experience the third largest coral reef system in the world that surrounds the island of Providenciales.

With snorkel equipment included, the captain will first make a stop to snorkel along the shallow waters of the Caicos Bank.

The next stop on the tour is Half Moon Bay, an uninhabited island to the northeast of Providenciales where you can relax on the white-sand beach and snorkel in the crystal clear waters just offshore while the staff prepares you a light lunch.

Learn more about the Snorkel & Conch Cruise.

Want to Learn More about Snorkeling and Diving?

Contact our Tour Operator Desk located between Hemingway’s and our main swimming pool for more information about Snuba tours in Providenciales.

Have a Favorite Snorkel or Dive Spot?

If you have a favorite snorkel or dive spot, please let us know in the comments below. We would love to hear from you!