Grand Turk - what to do?

[beshears]

We are to be in Grand Turk before long. We are not into snorkling.

 

Is there a beach that is FREE that we can go to? If so, can we walk or take a Taxi?

 

Anything you would recommend that we see/do while in Grand Turk?

[Bird in Jersey]

We went to Grand Turk a few years ago and you are docked on a beach that almost everyone stays on. My suggestion if you like to see a place, that you may not go to again, take a tour. We went to the taxi stand and took a tour of the island. I am glad that I did, because I want to see more than the cruise ship and the touristy buildings that are associated with the cruise ship. We even went to the small museum and the center of town. The people are very friendly. Search forums here, because there is much information on Grand Turk and the Conch shell graveyard. FYI, when getting off the cruise ship if you go right on the beach and walk down the beach, we picked up huge conch shells and you are allowed to bring back on the ship. I had an oversized ziplock for the shells. We have 3 beautiful shells from our Grand Turk cruise. My daughter and I laughed that we could have sold them for a premium for people who do not venture out.

[marysb]

Read down the posts in the grand Turk board. There is lots of info about the free beach at the pier.

[GuyGTGirl]

We are to be in Grand Turk before long. We are not into snorkling.

 

Is there a beach that is FREE that we can go to? If so, can we walk or take a Taxi?

 

Anything you would recommend that we see/do while in Grand Turk?

 

There are a ton of things to do along the beach past Margaritaville. Local tour operators offer horseback riding, banana boat and tube rides, beachfront massages, parasailing. Some you can pre-book like Papa J's, Oceanscapes Spa, Oceanvibes for parasailing, Sunset Rides and TOurs for horseback riding...so I would suggest you do a little bit of research for what may interest you.

 

Hope that helps..

[beshears]

Thank you for getting back with me in regard to Grand Turk.

 

If you take a Taxi there, can you give me an idea of what the cost might be pp for an hour or two?

[2 cruzen]

Thank you for getting back with me in regard to Grand Turk.

 

If you take a Taxi there, can you give me an idea of what the cost might be pp for an hour or two?

 

The island has 3-4 zones. If you go to grandturkcc.com that info is listed there, or was at one time. I think we spent $5 pp one way to go in to "town". The lighthouse is a little more. This is a shared taxi van.

Edited February 5, 2015 by 2 cruzen

[mitsugirly]

Conch shell graveyard. FYI, when getting off the cruise ship if you go right on the beach and walk down the beach, we picked up huge conch shells and you are allowed to bring back on the ship. I had an oversized ziplock for the shells. We have 3 beautiful shells from our Grand Turk cruise. My daughter and I laughed that we could have sold them for a premium for people who do not venture out.

 

Just wondering...why do they allow you to bring back conch shells from here? I have been to multiple ports in the Caribbean and they usually confiscate them when you re-enter the ship in other ports. I was told once that the "only" way you were allowed to take them is if you had purchased from a vendor (and this wasn't a vendor selling them that told me but a local) and they had to have writing on them stating where it came from and the date. So just wondering... :confused:

[Bird in Jersey]

Just wondering...why do they allow you to bring back conch shells from here? I have been to multiple ports in the Caribbean and they usually confiscate them when you re-enter the ship in other ports. I was told once that the "only" way you were allowed to take them is if you had purchased from a vendor (and this wasn't a vendor selling them that told me but a local) and they had to have writing on them stating where it came from and the date. So just wondering... :confused:

I would search the grand turk boards. I found the information there. Information may have changed since the cruise I took about 4 years ago. But we had no problem getting them on the ship and we did not hide them.

[beshears]

2 cruzen, you mentioned the light house. Do you take a Taxi to see this, or walk, or go on a tour or what? I love light houses, and on one island many years ago, I "walked" clear to the top. About 600 steps, but oh the view.:)

[mitsugirly]

I would search the grand turk boards. I found the information there. Information may have changed since the cruise I took about 4 years ago. But we had no problem getting them on the ship and we did not hide them.

 

 

This is the Grand Turk boards :confused: That's why I was asking. :p

[islandhop2009]

Just wondering...why do they allow you to bring back conch shells from here? I have been to multiple ports in the Caribbean and they usually confiscate them when you re-enter the ship in other ports. I was told once that the "only" way you were allowed to take them is if you had purchased from a vendor (and this wasn't a vendor selling them that told me but a local) and they had to have writing on them stating where it came from and the date. So just wondering... :confused:

 

mitsugirly - Thank you for asking this question. You are correct there are protections for the Queen Conch in many Caribbean islands under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) as well as under the local laws of the various countries, both of which might explain the process you have seen in other ports. I don't know what the cruise line rules are, but on Grand Turk, it is actually illegal to remove anything from the National Marine Park, which extends the full West side of the island.

[mitsugirly]

mitsugirly - Thank you for asking this question. You are correct there are protections for the Queen Conch in many Caribbean islands under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) as well as under the local laws of the various countries, both of which might explain the process you have seen in other ports. I don't know what the cruise line rules are, but on Grand Turk, it is actually illegal to remove anything from the National Marine Park, which extends the full West side of the island.

 

 

Thanks for your post and explanation. However, I don't know my west side from my east side especially in the middle of an ocean on a small island. :o Would this west side include the conch graveyard or not? :confused: