More good news on reopening from the Caribbean. Turks and Caicos, a group of 40 low-lying coral islands popular with tourists in the Caribbean, is reopening for international visitors beginning July 22.
Related: A country-by-country guide to reopening in the Caribbean
This British Overseas Territory includes the island of Providenciales, also known as Provo. Details on the reopening remain sparse, but international flights are resuming. The islands have seen 12 confirmed cases of COVID-19, according to Johns Hopkins University.
All international flights to the country were suspended until June 1, and cruise ships were banned through June 30th, but a slow reopening is underway.
Related: 6 things to know before you go to Turks and Caicos
Through June 22, real estate offices and retailers are reopening, and on that same date, inter-island travel begins and church services can resume. Beginning July 6, hotels and restaurants will begin reopening. On July 22, the borders will reopen and flights will be permitted to land at Providenciales International Airport (PLS). We don’t know yet what testing, screening or quarantine procedures will be in place, but we should have details in the next few weeks.
Related coverage: Why I love Turks and Caicos
Going to the beach, grocery stores, hardware stores, pharmacies and other open-air businesses is currently permitted. Restaurants are also reopening, with restrictions.
Grace Bay Beach in Provo is home to luxury resorts, shops and restaurants. There is a 14-mile barrier reef on Provo’s north shore that’s great for scuba diving, plus another famous scuba spot on Grand Turk Island. In fact, we first learned about the reopening from the water adventure company Big Blue Collective. They wrote in a press release, “Time for all of us to get our island game on and for you to think about getting back down here. Our boats, kayaks, paddle boards and kites will be ready.”
Related: A country-by-country guide to reopening borders around the world
Flight Options
If you’re looking to fly to PLS, here’s a rundown of how to get there:
- American Airlines: Daily flights resume on July 22 from Miami and Charlotte; Service begins in November from Dallas-Ft Worth (DFW)
- JetBlue: Flights will resume from New York JFK on July 22; Limited service from Fort Lauderdale (FLL) begins July 24; Service from Boston starts twice weekly on October 10
- United: Daily service from Newark EWR begins July 22; There will also be service on Saturdays from Chicago (ORD) and Houston (IAH) the same day.
- Delta: Daily flights resume on July 23 from Atlanta (ATL); Service from JFK begins December 20
- Sun Country: On July 24, limited service begins from Ft. Lauderdale (FLL)
- Air Canada: Saturday service begins from Toronto’s airport (YYZ) July 25;There will also be Sunday service from Montreal (YUL) beginning July 26
- WestJet: Saturday service begins from Toronto’s airport (YYZ) July 25
To give you a sense of pricing, I found American Airlines flights from Miami on July 31 and returning August 7 for $284 roundtrip or 30,000 miles. So, not a great use of miles.
JetBlue has flights in July from JFK for $459. Or, you could use 28,000 TrueBlue points plus $92.45. Delta flights from Atlanta in July and August were very expensive — $749 roundtrip, but if your dates are flexible, there’s a better points option — 34,000 SkyMiles.
Where to Stay
Resorts and hotels have different opening dates and the government suggests reaching out to your specific property for specifics. Hyatt has two hotels available in August, but they are pricey, starting at $500 or 40,000 World of Hyatt points per night.
I found at least 141 hotels available for booking July 31-August 7. Prices ranged from $223 to $770 a night, so there’s quite a range. Unfortunately, most of those are not points hotels.
Neither Marriott nor Hilton have hotels in the Turks and Caicos.
Related: A review of the Shore Club in Turks and Caicos
If you want to recreate Brian Kelly’s trip to the Shore Club, a four-night stay in a basic room from July 31 to August 4 would be $499 per night plus pretty hefty taxes and fees. Grand total? $2,504 for 4 nights. Brian paid about $1,799 a night back in 2018, but he secured a huge Suite with room for 6 and a study. Booking Brian’s room would run you a grand total of $6,223. The Shore Club reopens on July 22.
Brian also stayed at the incredible Amanyara in 2017. It’s an Aman resort that goes for more than $2,000 a night. Current rates for the entry-level rooms are $1,950 per night before taxes and fees (think an additional 25%).
Related: Hotel review of an Ocean Cove Pavilion at Amanyara, Turks and Caicos
