So total disclaimer. I have never heard of this island until my friend asked me if I wanted to go with her for her 28th birthday. At the beginning of the year, I was able to meet another black woman traveler and we discussed all the places we were interested in visiting. After my 29th birthday in January, she asked if I was interested in going to Turks and Caicos for her birthday. Not only did I not know what this island was, but I never traveled with a friend outside the country. We did not know each other very long so this added another factor to the equation. But honestly, I felt like we would travel well together. We both had the same level of wanderlust and we had similar temperaments; we were both very chill people. So, what the heck? This would be my first island and first time traveling internationally with a friend (a very new friend).
So I prepared for the trip. My friend told me that I should figure out what I wanted to do, but mind you we only had four days on the island due to her limited PTO. She was a new employee, so she did not have wiggle room to splurge on vacation days. I decided to leave most of the planning to my friend. The island seemed to be more for relaxation than for young adults trying to party….which was fine by me. It also did not have a lot of touristy locations. Turks and Caicos still seemed a bit mysterious after googling for hours at my work desk.
The Trip as a Whole
When we arrived to the island, we did run into some weird billing issues at the hotel, but we tried to not worry about anything once we got to the bar. The hotel staff greeted us with warm smiles, and it reassured me that everything would pan out fine. The island staff consisted of island residents who were mainly from Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and the Bahamas. Very few of the locals grew up on the island which we both found to be pretty interesting.
It was apparent that as Black American tourists, we were comfortably welcomed by the staff and the locals compared to the usual white tourists. They told us about some evening events and clubs that would be fun for us to get into. But it was pretty obvious that the island was DRY. The first event that we were invited to sounded like it would be super lit based on a conversation we had with a DJ at the airport. However, the event was literally a sales fair at a YMCA basketball gym. It seemed as if the entire island attended, since parking was super tight and cars were parked miles away.
The bars were relatively not popping but to be fair we went out on a week night. We checked out a few Dominican bars and got a tour of the non-touristy areas on the island. We were escorted by a bartender that served us at our resort, but due to his creepy behavior we wanted to go back to our resort and cut the night short.
In all honesty, the island didn’t need to have the best night life because it was gorgeous! While I had nothing to compare this island to (since this was my first paradise vacation) my girlfriend informed me that this island was prettier than Jamaica, which was where she was born and where she visited her family on an annual basis. It never rained and it was never humid. We had 83 degree days with clear skies. There were no pesky bugs, but there were many small lizards which I found to be adorable. The ocean was super clear, and relatively shallow for miles. The beaches had beautiful white sand, and the ocean breeze always felt like it was part of a calming dream when it swept past my skin.
Luckily there were tons of different activities to do on the resorts. We ended up parasailing, riding ATVS to the end of the island, and riding on a couch like chair attached to a speedboat. These were all simultaneously fun and horrifying.
My Experience Traveling with a Friend
My first trip traveling internationally with a friend gave me a whole different perspective. I shared my experiences with someone else, and I wanted her to have the limelight since she was the birthday girl. I loved sharing my travel moments with a friend, and I definitely loved trying new experiences that I would have never tried before.
However, I didn’t have the time to do all the activities I could have done as a solo traveler. I also paid the price of fracturing my toe during the ATV riding tour – an activity that I would have never picked if I researched the company ahead of time. The ATV tour was an off the touristy-grid activity. I signed a contract before starting of course, but it was in no way for people who were not avid riders. Also, the attitude of the instructor was very nonchalant, and he was not very patient with the fact that I was slowly learning to ride the ATV. As a safety specialist, I did not approve of our personal protective equipment which consisted of a flimsy helmet, glasses, and a handkerchief for the face. I wasn’t wearing sneakers or pants. How could I have known this prior to riding? I didn’t know we would be moving so fast across rocks, and I didn’t expect my body to fly off the bike. I fell in a ditch, rode into bushes, and for the grand finale flipped over into a whole forest of bushes. There was no first aid kit, and the one hospital located on the island had a bad reputation. I was instructed to wash my wounds off in the ocean. If I were on the blood thinners that I am on today I could have lost a lot of blood.
While I did enjoy the tour, I definitely would not have done that activity if I were alone. I guess it’s a catch 22. But the instructor did take some really good pictures of us, and he was a wonderful tour guide once we reached the end of the island. So I have to say that although I crushed a toe and scratched my body the experience was irreplaceable. If you are a fast learner, an experienced ATV rider, and not really concerned about your overall health and safety, then I do recommend this experience.
Surprisingly my favorite planned activity was parasailing. Parasailing was exhilarating! I had to practice mindful meditation when my body was blowing in the wind, but I was so proud of myself and my decision to actually fly. Once me and my friend landed, I hugged the worker who was responsible for our safety. We also met other girls our age which was pretty much a rarity on the island. I did have some activities that I wanted to do as well, such as a paddle boarding tour in the mangroves and I did want to try snorkeling, but it wouldn’t be fair to swap out activities since it was my friend’s birthday. Plus, I was genuinely interested in the activities she suggested.
Closing Thoughts
Turks and Caicos was an amazing island! I definitely want to go back and I am so glad I went. I think going during an equinox season (spring or fall) is probably your best bet. You may run into hurricane season during the fall, so definitely do your research. Please be aware that this island is very very EXPENSIVE. The average tourist seemed to be a white baby boomer from New York, on a romantic trip with their spouse, for a nice getaway away from the kids. I loved seeing their reactions whenever me and my friend went in the pool or laid on the beach. They had these perplexed and shocked looks on their face. Yes, we paid a pretty penny to stay here just like you! We exist.
One activity we did miss out on was this large fish fry party that I believe takes place every Thursday. The locals made a huge deal about this activity, so if you are planning on going to the island please attend this fish fry!
Would I travel with a friend again? My post may have sounded like I prefer being a loner when I travel, but I actually loved traveling with my friend! We were both adventurous and worldly and of course no two people are alike. We can never choose the same exact activities all the time, but she definitely allowed me to push past my comfort zone, which isn’t something that can always be done solo tripping. I now have plans to travel with her to Cartagena for my 30th birthday in January, and I cannot wait.