Cockburn - Taxi/Beach

[leomaggie]

Anybody ever taken a taxi from the port to cockburn and just hang out in town and go to the beach in town? If so, what is it like in the town? Enough to keep you busy while in port?

[crewsweeper]

There are a few shops and historical sites downtown. Several small restaurants. One of the best is the Sandbar which had a fire but I've been told it reopened this month. On the north end of town is John's Oceanview which has good seafood, a great bar and loungers. Most of the rest of beach is open but no facilities. There is a place on the south central end of town where ship excursions go.

[indygirl76]

This is what I'm planning to do - taxi to Cockburn for a bit of shopping and then lunch at Sandbar. Apologies in advance for a silly question, but as a female traveling by myself, is this relatively safe? It will be during the daytime and I won't be wandering off or getting shellacked. but I've been to one port where I definitely wouldn't have been comfortable doing this by myself.

[crewsweeper]

I don't think you'll have any problems. Lots of other cruisers walking around. Streets aren't heavily travelled. I haven't seen panhandlers hustling along the sidewalks when I've been there. There's a local restaurant called Barbies that's a divvy sort of place with real cheap food and what looks like a few crusty characters sitting around or coming in and out. Never seen them bother tourists, though, and I've seen women and children obviously off a cruise ship go in and grab a bite. Didn't turn around at the door.

[Pellaz]

This is what I'm planning to do - taxi to Cockburn for a bit of shopping and then lunch at Sandbar. Apologies in advance for a silly question, but as a female traveling by myself, is this relatively safe? It will be during the daytime and I won't be wandering off or getting shellacked. but I've been to one port where I definitely wouldn't have been comfortable doing this by myself.

 

Yes, you should be fine. Aside from cruise lines' private islands, Grand Turk might be the safest cruise destination in the Caribbean. It has a population of only around 4,500 people and they are highly dependent on cruise industry tourism, so the last thing they'd want is a perception of being unsafe or crime-ridden.

[brookeq]

We rented scooters and an ATV here because it seems like the safest island. Not too many cars driving around, people are friendly, not pushy. I have always felt safe here.

[indygirl76]

Awesome, thanks for the reassurance, guys! 49 days and counting...