Grand Turk – Turks & Caicos

The main event in Grand Turk is the Grand Turk Cruise Center built by Carnival Cruise Lines for its passengers. Situated on the southernmost part of the island, it is a 13-acre complex that has everything you want, as long as everything you want is the typical amenities found in a cruise line constructed park – beach, pool, Margaritaville, FlowRider, duty free shops.

The pier walk from the docked ship to the cruise center is about 400 feet.

The Turks & Caicos Tourist Board has a manned information kiosk located near the tour and taxi departure area. Below is a map of the facility:

If you want to venture outside of the cruise center, and get an idea of what Turks and Caicos is really about, it’s about 3 miles to the historic downtown, but the tourism board advises to not walk, but take transportation instead.

The shopping opportunities in Cockburn Town are limited. The stores there are geared mainly to those who live on Grand Turk. There is Gibbs Variety Store, Quality Food Mart and Been’s Variety Store.  Cee’s Grocery is the one most of the islanders use for everyday needs.

The largest shopping area is located in the cruise center. It is a 45,000 square foot shopping center. Within this center is also a duty-free shop.

The merchants in the cruise center include:

• Dufry
• Colombian Emeralds
• Effy Jewelers
• Goodmark Jewelers
• Ron Jon Surf Shop
• Diamonds International
• Piranaha Joes
• Dizzy Donkey
• Silver Emporium
• Del Sol
• Tanzanite International
• Joelle & Jake (Life is Good)
• Indigo Pearls
• Goldsmith
• Margaritaville’s The Trading Post (pictured below)

According to their own guide,  Grand Turk Restaurants and Dining offers a limited yet interesting selection of restaurants. When a cruise ship is not in port, these restaurants are not open.

Because the main visitors to the island are cruise ship passengers there for a few hours, lunch is the main focus for restaurants. If you will be in port at dinner time, it is best to call ahead and make reservations.

Most of the restaurants in Cockburn are located on Duke Street.

Jack’s Shack Grand Turk: In the Cruise Center

This island cuisine uses Jamaican and local spices. Some secret family recipes make their signature Jerk chicken a favorite. Also on the menu is local fish, burgers, cracked conch, hot dogs, conch fritters, french fries and peas and rice. When available they have grouper and lobster. It’s a popular spot, so get there early after you dock!

Margaritaville:  In the Cruise Center

This is the one and the same Jimmy Buffett’s trademark restaurant. It is also the main restaurant at the cruise center. There is a restaurant, bar and tourist shop all in one spot. The menu is American favorites with a Caribbean and Mexican slant. You will find burgers, sandwiches, seafood, jerk fish and chicken, nachos and the chef’s special “Cheeseburger in Paradise.”

Turks Head Inne: Duke Street, Cockburn Town

This hotel has an on-site restaurant that offers breakfast, lunch and dinner. Coconut French toast, or an omelet are good options. Fresh caught fish dominates the menu for lunch and dinner. They also have salads, sandwiches, chicken wrap, conch bites and a fusion burger.

Sandbar Restaurant – Manta House: Duke Street, Cockburn Town

Right on the water just a few steps from Manta House, this beach bar is open for lunch and dinner Sunday through Friday. On the menu (when in season) is fresh caught grouper, lobster, conch, wahoo and mahi mahi. The Sand Bar also offers burgers, shrimp quesadillas, chicken and ribs and peas and rice.

Osprey Beach Hotel: Duke Street,  Cockburn Town

The Osprey Beach Hotel has a restaurant that offers poolside dining for breakfast, lunch and dinner, all with a fantastic view of the ocean. The menu changes daily but offers fresh fish as well as steaks, lamb, chicken, pasta and local dishes and salads. The Birdcage Bar has beer and cocktails.

The Salt Raker Inn: Duke Street, Cockburn Town Cockburn

Tucked into a courtyard behind the Salt Raker Inn is the Secret Garden restaurant. Here you will find simply prepared local dishes like grilled grouper, snapper, conch and (when in season) lobster. They also have burgers and fish and chips and ice-cold beer.

There is no charge to use the facilities (the pool, beach and loungers) at the Grand Turk Cruise Center. Snorkel Equipment, beach floats and shade “clam shells” can be rented at the Beach Rental Hut on the beach. Private air-conditioned pool cabanas are also available for rent through your cruise line.

If you want to do some of the excursions at the Grand Turk Cruise Center, those need to be purchased through your cruise line. They can’t be purchased any other way.

If you want to go further afield of the cruise port and see what life in Grand Turk is really like, here are some things to see and do:

Visit Cockburn Town

A taxi ride away, this is the capital and seat of government for Turks and Caicos. It is a small coastal settlement on the western side of Grand Turk. It is also the oldest permanent settlement in the country, dating back to  when sea salt producers from Bermuda settled there. The architecture is influenced by the British Colonial Bermudian style. While the town is not extensive, it follows the coastline for about a mile, it is still an interesting place to see. Most of the island’s restaurants are on Duke Street in Cockburn.

Grand Turk Lighthouse

The most famous landmark in the Turks and Caicos is the Grand Turk Lighthouse. The only lighthouse in the country, it was prefabricated in England and brought to the island and assembled in 1852. The lighthouse was erected because so many ships in the early 19th century were wrecking off the northern coast of Grand Turk. While you are not allowed into the lighthouse, the grounds are open. There is also a small snack and gift shop in the house that had been the light-keeper’s residence. There is a scenic coastal path that leads along the top of the marine limestone cliffs of the coastline.

Turks and Caicos National Museum

The museum is open on cruise ship days, and open times are based on the ships arrival and departure times. Small, but fascinating, this is the country’s only museum and is located on Front Street in Cockburn Town.

The main exhibit is the Molasses Reef Wreck. This is the oldest European shipwreck excavated in the western hemisphere. Likely made in either Spain or Portugal, this caravel (a light sailing ship used for long voyages) wrecked on the barrier reef at the edges of the Caicos Banks south of Providenciales.

You will also learn about the indigenous people of Turks and Caicos, the Tainos, also known as the Lucayans. You will also see old Spanish coins, postage stamps, historical flags, primitive diving and wreck salvaging equipment and more.

Head To The Beach

With the exception of the cruise center beach and Boaby Rock Point, you will need to take  a taxi or rent a car to get to the beaches on Grand Turk.

When at any of the beaches on Grand Turk do not:

• Touch fish or coral
• No fishing
• No lifeguards
• No littering
• No open fires

Cruise Center Beach (also known as SunRay Beach)

This beach fronts Grand Turk’s cruise port. There can be large crowds when a ship is in port as it is just steps away. The water in this area is almost always calm and clear.

Boaby Rock Point

Located at the southernmost point of Grand Turk, this secluded beach is within walking distance (⅓ of a mile) of the cruise port. The white sand is interspersed with low rocky outcroppings. There is also good snorkeling here where there are two mid-sized reef systems in shallow water that extend out about 300 feet. Just know that this is not going to be a “pretty” beach because the ocean topography and waves bring up flotsam and seaweed. It also means that you will have much less competition exploring the sands and under the waters.

Governor’s Beach

Between the cruise center and Cockburn Town, this is considered the best beach on Grand Turk. The area is sheltered from the typical east southeast trade winds.

Usually calm, this is not an ideal snorkeling spot, but good for swimming with beautiful views and fewer people than the cruise center beach.

Cockburn Town Beach

This beach is interspersed between jetties and seawalls, so it is a series of small beaches. There can be a bit of surf here when the ocean swell is high. But typically it is calm and easily accessed, just find a spot that suits you. This is not the best sport for snorkeling, though.

There are several other beaches on Grand Turk:

English Point

Pillory Beach

White Sands Beach

East Side Beach

These beaches are either difficult to get to, have rocky beaches or do not offer the best swimming conditions. Some are covered in dense seaweed that makes even a stroll on the beach less than desirable.