need Turks + Caicos advice

lizardqueen · Aug 30, 2007

I'm planning to visit turks and caicos around thanksgiving with some friends who aren't hard core enough divers to do a liveaboard, any thoughts on where the best dive sites are? or suggestions on where to stay besides provo - with 9 days we could split it up. From the posts on this board caicos adventures seems like a great dive op, but what about on the other islands? thanks for any advice !

tltracy · Aug 30, 2007

I just got back from TCI and I stayed in Provo and dove with Caicos Adventures. They were great because they didn't limit your time on the dives (except for the last day when there were only 2 of us on the boat :no) and we went mostly to West Caicos. Beautiful dives each and every one of them. Bring LOTS of extra money for topside activites... a 6 pack of beer is $19. I was floored at how expensive everything was. I can't say anthing about the other islands, just Provo.

Happy diving.

lizardqueen · Aug 30, 2007

I want to see huge fish and huge corals

smokey braden · Aug 31, 2007

lizardqueen,
welcome to this board.
i dove west caicos off the m/v carribean explorer 11 all last week.
i have a trip report coming.
we saw many reef sharks, turtles, lobster, spotted eagle ray and green moray.
the walls were loaded with all kinds of hard and soft corals.
there was a provo dive boat most mornings out there with us.
regards,

tvictory · Aug 31, 2007

Check out Grand Turk. It's a laid-back little place with very nice beaches and not too many tourists. IMO, the diving is comparable to West Caicos/French Cay but the sites are only a 5-minute run from the dock.

It's a lot less fancy and less expensive than Provo. (I got a six-pack for $12!). The Osprey Beach Hotel is nice and will do a dive package with any of the dive operators on the island.

mikerault · Aug 31, 2007

The Salt Raker is also nice. On the North tip you have Bohio which is a resort. All of the dive ops are great, I have dove with all of them, although if there are cruise boats in you might be more personalized service from Blue Water or Sea Eye.

http://www.scubamage.com/files/Diving_Grand_Turk.pdf

Mike

DiverDonn · Aug 31, 2007

Let me join the group: Grand Turk is still a phenomenal place to dive and visit. Even with the big ships coming in. The diving is right there, and easy. Very laid back and comfortable. I dove with Oasis, and while they are OK, I would not go back with them again. Also highly suggest a day diving at Salt Cay. Try Blue Water and I liked staying at the Osprey as well. I did not find it to be particularly expensive-in fact in some ways I thought it was very reasonable.
Good Luck, and don't forget to post and let us know what happens, DD

thumbsplitter · Aug 31, 2007

As much as I enjoyed diving Grand Turk, I wouldn't recommend it for your non-hard core friends. There simply isn't much to do on Grand Turk other than dive and check out the local museum. Provo is a LOT more developed than Grand Turk and offers more non-diving activities.

parrotheaddiver · Aug 31, 2007

We dove T&C in May on the Aggressor....we also arrived a few days early on Provo to check out the land base ops we used Turtle Cove Divers....excellant land base nice boats accomodated us by taking us to some sites that the Aggressor doesn't do...on the other side of the island most boat rides were at least 1 hour also went to West Caicos ......we stayed nearby at Turtle Cove Inn probably one of the least expensive hotels on the island but suited us just fine....I didn't care for the island too upscale and very expensive everything was new felt just like home...would not have enjoyed it if we would have stayed for a week...I didn't think the people were that friendly...all there is to do there besides dive is drink...after hearing Grand Turk described it sounds more like what I would enjoy

lizardqueen · Sep 3, 2007

thanks everyone for the info – and nice giant conch, Mike! I’m getting the idea people pretty much stay on either grand turk or in provo and boat out to the other islands for diving, which should be good for the group, not that I care personally if there’s nothing to do except dive and drink – aren’t we trying to avoid the beach volleyball here? I’m really psyched that it looks like I can go where the aggressor and Caribbean explorer go from land.

to update everyone on the cumulative dive site voting results :
Grand Turk = 4 votes
West Caicos = 2 votes
French Cay = 1 vote
Salt Cay = 1 vote

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