North Caicos (The Garden Island) FAQ
North Caicos is a 41 square mile island, 12 miles north east of Providencials, where direct flights from Europe and North America terminate. Located on the most northerly and greenest of all the islands in the Turks & Caicos, we are only a 10-minute flight, or 30 minute ferry ride, from Providenciales.
Known as the islands’ “Bread Basket,” this is where the fresh tropical fruits and vegetables are grown.
The locals are as friendly and helpful as anyone could be.
North Caicos is not as developed as Providenciales, so you’ll see much of the island as the first discoverers saw it, hundreds of years ago: secluded white sand beaches and crystal clear waters.
Whitby Beach is the most northern beach in the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Middle Caicos (the next island to the east) and has just been connected to North Caicos by a causeway so now you can take a trip over to see more of the beauty that the islands have to offer including the Conch Bar Caves.
Parrot Cay is the next small island to the west. It has five star hotels/restaurants and is home to many stars. You’ll usually pass this on the ferry ride over. You can also take a small ferry boat over from Sandy Point. It’s so close you can swim over.
There are bars within walking distance of the house. Most restaurants have bars as well. Bars are great places to speak to locals about the island and leave with information you couldn’t get anywhere else. There are two liquor stores — the nearest is walking distance from the cottage.
The country enjoys year-round sunshine with a prevailing easterly breeze from the Atlantic trade winds. The average temperature in the summer is 83 degrees F (28 degrees C) and 70 degrees F (21 degrees C) in the winter months. The seasons are usually dry, receiving an average of only twenty to forty inches of rain per year. The average humidity is 35%. During the summer months, the sun rises at approximately 6:00 am and sets at 7:30 pm. In winter, sunrise is at 6:30 am and sunset is at 5:00 pm. The hottest months are from July to October. Water temperature is in the low 80’s all year long.
The Turks and Caicos has one of the lowest, if not the lowest, crime rates in the Caribbean.
The United States Dollar is our legal tender. American Express, Visa, MasterCard and other major credit cards are widely accepted. Traveler’s checks are accepted in most establishments and currency is easily changed at banks. Most places in North Caicos, however, prefer to accept cash.
Driving is on the left. Visitors will need a valid drivers license from their country of residence. There are no traffic lights as of yet, just a few stop signs. Most rental cars come with automatic transmission.
Please note that a rental car is not needed on North Caicos unless you want to spend a day traveling around the island, or going over to Middle Caicos.
One Hundred and Ten volts, 60 cycles. Suitable for North American electronic appliances.
The Turks and Caicos Islands are home to many religions. Services are offered at many churches of different denominations and temples. Check the Real TCI Yellow Pages for listings.
English is the official language in the Turks & Caicos.
The Turks & Caicos Islands are an archipelago of forty islands and cays 575 miles southeast of Miami, one hundred miles north of the Dominican Republic and thirty miles southeast of the Bahamas.
Ninety minutes flying time from Miami, the Turks and Caicos Islands cover a land area of 193 square miles. Each island is surrounded by a continuous coral reef.
There are two restaurants within walking distance of Whitby Beach Cottage. One, a more modern restaurant, is a 10-minute walk down the beach. The other, a traditional island restaurant, is a 15 minute walk away. Many other restaurants are within bicycling distance. Some island restaurants require knowing your dinner request in the morning. There is a superb five-star restaurant at the St. Charles, where you can have a meal you’ll never forget.
There are four major grocery stores on the island. The closest is in Whitby and it is amply stocked with the basic items that will help you through your stay.
If there is something special you need, other than the basics, you can always buy them in Providenciales and bring them over with you.
The local airlines allow you to bring up to 40 lbs per person on the shuttle flight to North Caicos.
The IGF Supermarket in Providenciales is an ultra modern store that supplies just about everything you can buy in North America.
No major taxes exist in the islands. The Government recently introduced a 10% tax on all renters in Turks and Caicos, whether the rental is a hotel or a villa. However, many hotels add an additional 15% gratuity tax, unknown until check-out time. Our villa does not charge this tax.
Some restaurants will automatically add a gratuity charge on your dining bill, usually 10 to 15%.
We are five hours behind Greenwich Mean Time, Eastern Standard Time November to March; Daylight Savings Time is from March to November.
