How do I get there?
We flew into Providenciales International Airport (PLS) on Delta from Columbus. Our connection was in Atlanta, and the flights were relatively quick. Once we arrived, it took us nearly an hour to get through customs, so be prepared as a couple of flights landed around the same time.
Should I rent a car?
I highly recommend renting a car for the duration of your stay. No Lyft or Uber services are available, though I'm sure you could use a taxi. It was the most convenient option since we stayed at an individual house, not a resort. We used Grace Bay Car Rentals and reserved two cars in advance since there were 6 of us. Since we were staying at a local residence, our Airbnb provided us with an additional discount to go through Grace Bay Car Rentals instead of others. You can only secure your car rental once you have your flight details, so make sure you have that information. Since the Islands are part of the British Islands, you have to adjust to driving on the road's opposite side and the car's opposite side.It is an adjustment, but since the island has no traffic lights, it was easier than we thought.
Where should I stay?
We stayed at the Blue Turtle Villa, and the views were immaculate. The house was only a 10-minutes from the airport, near Turtle Cove Marina. The hosts were friendly and provided great local recommendations. We enjoyed the privacy of a house and having our own private pool. Each bedroom has amazing view in addition to an attached on-suite bathroom which made life easier. It is well-equipped with everything you may need, including an outside grill, where we enjoyed lunch at the outside dining table. They thought of every fine detail like towels, snorkel gear, beach chairs and umbrellas. It truly made our experience fantastic. If you're looking for a place to stay for either 3 couples or a family, I'd book this place in a heartbeat!
One of the most popular areas to stay is Grace Bay. There are a lot of high-end resorts in that area, such as the Ritz Carlton and Seven Stars. The area is filled with local restaurants and bars, so if you wanted to stay predominately in one location, this would be the place to stay. Overall, Providenciales is relatively small and easily drivable. Most places weren't more than a 15-minute drive.
What should I do?
Depending on your type of island vibe, there are a lot of available activities. If you go to any beach, people will sell activities like jet skiing, parasailing, and snorkeling. The water is so clear it is also a popular destination for scuba diving.
Our significant group activity for the trip was a private half-day catamaran ride through Island Vibes Tours. We opted for the afternoon time slot since we are not all morning people, and it gave the weather some time to warmup. We had the opportunity to snorkel, island explore, and enjoy the catamaran rooftop diving board and water slide. Once the snorkeling portion was over, they provided mini sandwich wraps, fruit, and chips for snacking. In addition, the beverages available were Coke, sprite, rum punch, and their local Turks Head beer. We had a great time, perfect weather, and even better company. I recommend this as a group outing and would undoubtedly do it again. You truly experience all the island has to offer, making it the highlight of our trip.
The beach near our Airbnb, Babalua Beach, was recommended to us by our host for snorkeling. She told us to locate the tiki huts on the beach and go into the ocean from that spot as there usually are sea turtles. We did as she mentioned and snorkeled with turtles on two separate mornings. It was the neatest experience, and I highly recommend going there to see if you can find them! A couple of buoys are floating in the designated area, and you can see boats coming and stopping near them to see if any are around. On one of the days, we saw up to nine different turtles ranging from babies to adults.
What beaches should I go to?
Babalua is the beach to go to if you want to go snorkeling, as I mentioned above. If you want a more relaxed vibe,Grace Bay Beach, Bight Beach, and Taylor Bay Beach are great options for enjoying the sunshine. Taylor Bay Beach was one of our favorites as it was less populated and more residential. We brought our Bluetooth speakers and lounge chairs and relaxed in the sunshine for hours. The views were so pretty we didn't want to leave! Grace Bay Beach is the most populated one we visited due to the resorts surrounding the area. This would be the place to go if you're seeking an abundance of activities and restaurants. The perk about the beaches on the island is they are all public, so you don't have to worry about whether you are on someone's private property.
Where do I eat?
Since someone in our party has Celiac disease, the restaurants we visited all had gluten-free options. Most restaurants charge a service fee, so be careful when tipping. We learned that we tipped nearly 30% at one of the places we went. We ate dinner at the following places:
- Terrace on Grace Bay- This place was different from what we expected, but if you're at Grace Bay Beach all day and want a casual bite of food or a drink, I'd return. We made a reservation for the evening, and there was music blaring, a little too loud, and it was hard to converse. The food was okay, but the location makes it so popular.
- Mango Reef- We loved the location and views of this spot! We sat near the marina to watch boats come in and out. We ate at an off time due to our flight landing and checking in at the Airbnb, so we were all starving. We had an early dinner, and the service was impeccable. There is a bar, too, so if you want to stop by for drinks, I'd highly recommend it!
- Baci Italian- This was a great experience. We didn't have a reservation for a party of six, but they were happy to find a spot for us to dine. We ended up outside by the marina, and the ocean breeze felt great. They had generous portion sizes, and the service was good. I'd recommend it, but make a reservation beforehand as the place is small.
- Somewhere café- This was one of the liveliest places where we ate dinner. It wasn't easy to locate since it's hidden behind the Coral Gardens Resort. A local musician was performing, and the place was vibrant. They offer a happy hour from 3-6 daily and different drink specials throughout the week. The cuisine is an inspired Tex-Mex cuisine, and the tacos I had were terrific. I'd go back, but make sure you don't over tip since part of the service fee was embedded in our bills, and we didn't know it.
- Big Al's Island Burger- This is the place to go if you're feeling something super casual. They had several different varieties of burgers, so everyone could order one that suited them. It was busy, so the food took a while, but we all enjoyed our meals.
My husband and I snuck away for lunch one day and ordered at a local sandwich shop called Angela's Top o' the Cove Deli. It was close to the house, and we ran out of food on the last day. It would be a great place to stop before heading to the airport. There aren't a lot of dining places nearby the airport, so I'd grab food in advance.
What is the weather like? When is the best time to visit?
We visited in early February and got lucky with the weather during our trip. The temperatures were in the mid to upper 70s, and we had mostly sunny weather. We experienced high winds the first day, but they settled down for the rest of our five-night stay.
Though we technically went during "peak season," it didn't feel hectic. Restaurants could accommodate us just fine, and the beaches had plenty of space. Our Airbnb host said the true peak season starts at the end of February and typically runs through the end of May. Though it is a popular destination to visit in the summer, keep in mind you may experience extreme heat and I’d be cautious about hurricane season which is typically from June to November.
What do I pack?
Vacation packing can always be stressful to ensure you don’t leave anything important behind. The island vibe is very casual, so I don’t think bringing fancy items is necessary unless you plan on eating at fine-dining restaurants. I’d mainly stick to sundresses, swimsuits, cover-ups, sandals, sunscreen, hats, sunglasses, and casual lounging clothes. When the sun goes down, it can get chilly, so pack some long pants and a light jacket. Grace Bay Beach has loungers and umbrellas you can pay for, but the other beaches are less commercialized, so you must bring appropriate beach supplies like chairs, towels, snorkel gear, etc. That list can vary depending on what you plan to do while visiting, but I never felt underdressed for any of the places we went.
