All of the main inhabited islands in the Turks and Caicos support vehicle rentals. However, the rates, condition, and the selection of vehicles varies considerably depending on your location. Due to the lack of public transport and high costs of taxis, the general advice is that all visitors rent a car or jeep.
Walking distances between resorts, experiences, and restaurants are often too far to be enjoyable, and especially as many vacation rental villas are in a secluded setting. Central Grace Bay on Providenciales and the historical oceanfront area of Cockburn Town are the only regions where a rental vehicle may not be needed.
Travelling between the main islands of the Turks and Caicos is reasonably easy with local airlines offering regular connections.
Each of the islands has a taxi service and you’ll find taxis waiting at the airports. There are no international flights into Grand Turk and you’ll need to first arrive into Providenciales before making an onward domestic connection.
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CAR RENTAL ON PROVIDENCIALES
On Providenciales, the rental situation is good. Rates are low, car quality is generally high, and the selection of both rental companies and car types is wide. Everything from scooters to luxury cars and 4×4’s are available.
CAR RENTAL ON GRAND TURK
Grand Turk, home to the only cruise ship port in the Turks and Caicos offers rental cars, scooters, golf carts and buggies. For two persons per vehicle, the rates do not vary much across vehicle types, so select depending on what will be the most fun for you.
It’s great zipping around on scooters or in a 4×4, however keep in mind that the sun is particularly strong, and shade plus air conditioning is highly recommended. Due to cruise ship landing schedules, the common rental period is less than eight hours. Rates are typically higher than those on Providenciales.
CAR RENTAL ON NORTH, MIDDLE, AND SOUTH CAICOS
On the laid-back islands of North Caicos, Middle Caicos, and South Caicos, the car rental situation can vary dramatically. Daily rates tend to be about twice that of Providenciales and although largely functional, car quality isn’t as good as in Provo.
SALT CAY
The small island of Salt Cay only has two distinctive types of vehicles to choose from; bicycles and off-road golf carts. The carts are excellent for exploring this flat and picturesque cay.
TAXIS AND RIDE HAILING
All of the main islands in the country have taxis. Rates are often high, and it may be hard to find a taxi on the smaller islands or at certain locations, so it’s recommend that visitors rent a car.
TAXIS ON PROVIDENCIALES
Providenciales has an abundance of taxis, and you won’t have a problem finding one at the Providenciales International Airport (PLS), at the larger hotels or resorts, or in the central Grace Bay area.
Uber and Lyft are not available in the Turks and Caicos. Conch Cab is available in Providenciales and operates like Uber Pool, with rides booked via a web app.
Taxis pickup at almost any location on Providenciales, and are easy to book by phone or email. Due to the island’s small size, transit and wait times rarely exceed 20 minutes, and most taxi companies are able to respond in about 10 minutes.
TAXIS ON GRAND TURK
Unlike many of the smaller islands, Grand Turk has plenty of taxis and you’ll easily find one at the Grand Turk JAGS McCartney International Airport (GDT), in Cockburn Town, or at the Grand Turk Cruise Center.
Most taxis are larger vans and many are Ford E-Series vehicles. They can carry up to 7 passengers and around 5 passengers if you also have luggage.
A rental car is typically the best choice for visiting guests, providing those wishing to explore with an economical price and way more accessibility.
WATER TAXIS AND ISLAND DROP-OFFS
The Turks and Caicos are surrounded by a range of incredible uninhabited small islands and beaches, and a great thing to do is discovering this paradise at your own pace.
My Times Tours offers a water taxi service to the small cays between Providenciales and North Caicos, including Little Water Cay, Half Moon Bay, Water Cay, Pine Cay, and Fort George Cay. Island drop-offs include the use of a cooler, a bag of ice, umbrella, and local cell phone.
Typical pick up location on Providenciales is at Leeward Beach on Providenciales, and tailored departure locations may be arranged when you book.
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DOMESTIC FLIGHTS AND FERRIES
The Turks and Caicos is an archipelago nation of six main islands, and small domestic flights and passenger ferries are the primary means of transport between islands.
Providenciales and Grand Turk host most of the country’s population, and subsequently flights and ferries largely function around these two hubs.
North Caicos and Middle Caicos are the only two islands in the country connected by a road causeway.
Once on island, rental cars and vehicles, or taxis are the primary means of getting around. There’s no public transport, bus, or train service in the Turks and Caicos.
The domestic flights and ferries that connect the islands can provide visitors with an incredible experience, offering terrific views of the stunning cays and the beautifully colored turquoise ocean that makes the Turks and Caicos so famous. For example, the Providenciales–North Caicos ferry navigates the coastlines of the secluded Little Water Cay, Water Cay, Pine Cay, Fort George Cay, Dellis Cay and Parrot Cay.
There are no large car ferries in the Turks and Caicos.
DOMESTIC FLIGHTS
The Turks and Caicos has two domestic airlines, interCaribbean and Caicos Express Airways which both serve domestic and international routes.
There are regular scheduled flights between Providenciales International Airport (PLS), Grand Turk JAGS McCartney International Airport (GDT), South Caicos Airport (XSC), and Salt Cay Airport (SLX).
There are no scheduled flights to North Caicos or Middle Caicos although charter flights can be arranged to the North Caicos Airport (NCA). The Middle Caicos Airport (MDS) is closed to commercial flights.
DOMESTIC FERRIES
There are three ferry routes in the Turks and Caicos: Providenciales–North Caicos, Providenciales–South Caicos, and Grand Turk–Salt Cay.
All of these routes are serviced by small passenger ferries. There are no scheduled large car ferries in the country.
The ferry service between Providenciales and North Caicos is the busiest with multiple trips per day. Two companies operate this 30 minute route, and travel between Heaving Down Rock Marina (Walkin Marina) on Providenciales and either Sandy Point Marina or Bellefield Landing on North Caicos.
Two businesses run a Providenciales and South Caicos ferry route, with boats several times per week. This ferry docks at Heaving Down Rock on Providenciales and Cockburn Harbour on South Caicos.
A ferry service is also offered three times per week between Grand Turk and Salt Cay.
There are no ferries between Providenciales and any of the Turks Islands (Grand Turk and Salt Cay).