WATER: On many of the islands, rain water is the main source of water supply. Many parts of Provo have piped purified water. Local water companies also sell bottled water.

COMMUNICATION: Country code: 649 946, 649-941. Good communications network run by Cable & Wireless (WI) Ltd, State of the art modern telecommunications, IDD is available, Paid Phones, Facsimile, Internet & Worldwide Web. Fed Ex & DHL also available.

MAILING: The General Post Office is on Grand Turk, with sub-offices on other Islands. Airmail to Europe takes five days. Post office hours: 0800-1600 Monday to Thursday, 0800-1530 Friday.

PRESS: The Turks and Caicos Free Press is published weekly, The Turks and Caicos News weekly, The Times of the Islands Magazine quarterly, The Turks and Caicos Magazine the official destination guide of the TCI- bi-annually.  

TELEVISION & RADIO: Multi-channel satellite television is received form the USA, UK and Canada. There is a cable television provider offering up to one hundred and twenty channels 24 hours a day. There is a number of radio stations including BBC News, gospel, and local programming. 

BANKING: There are two major banks in the TCI. Scotia Bank and First Caribbean Bank, which are Monday through Friday. Both banks offer 24 hr ATM.

TAXES: There is no sales tax in the TCI. However, visitors should be aware that a $30.00 departure tax must be paid in cash by every traveler over 2 years of age and over upon departure from the TCI, often this tax is included in the airfare but people are advised to check this. Hotels & selected restaurants charge Accommodation Tax.

TIPPING: Tips of 10-15% are normally received by waiters, taxi drivers, hotel chambermaids and porters.

CURRENCY: Although Turks and Caicos is a British Territory, the currency used is the US dollar. Foreign currency can be exchanged at local banks, and traveler’s checks as well as most major credit cards are widely accepted throughout the islands. Credit Cards: Access/MasterCard/American Express and Visa are widely accepted. Traveler’s Cheques: Accepted in most hotels, shops and banks.

DUTY FREE: The following items may be imported into the Turks and Caicos Islands without incurring customs duty: items such as jewelry, watches, perfumes, crystal, cigars and liquor are duty free at a number of locations. US residents visiting the island may return home with up to $600 worth of purchases per person tax-free. This includes a maximum of 1 liter of liquor (must be 21 or over), a carton of cigarettes and 50 cigars.

HEALTH: There is a full-service hospital on the island Grand Turk and Providenicales. Health clinics are available on all the main inhabited islands.  

EDUCATION: There are both private and public day care centers, preschools, elementary and secondary schools and advanced studies.

SECURITY: The crime rate in the Islands is one of the lowest in the Caribbean and there is an excellent British-trained police force, diminishing personal security concerns. The native population is friendly and helpful and the great emphasis put on religion contributes to the low crime rate. While encouraging business investment, the government has opted for gradual, quality development that benefits the local population and unemployment is quite low.

PETS: To bring your pet you require a veterinary certificate stating that the animal is in good health and has had a rabies vaccination. A public health inspector will examine the animal upon arrival.

ILLEGAL DRUGS: Dangerous drugs including marijuana are strictly prohibited in the TCI.

TRAVEL: Providenciales International Airport is the main gateway to the Turks and Caicos Islands. US Airways offers direct flights daily from Charlotte. American Airlines offer daily flights direct from Miami, as well as flights from New York and Boston. Delta provides daily flights from Atlanta. British Airways has a weekly flight from London Heathrow via Nassau and Air Canada also fly to TCI direct from Toronto. A number of charter flights and private aircrafts utilize Providenciales as their prime port of entry. Grand Turk and South Caicos Airports also accommodate large aircrafts. There are landing strips on all inhabited Islands, besides Parrot Cay. Skyking and Interisland airways run scheduled services to the inhabited islands. Flights at competitive rates are also available to Puerto Plata, Cap Haitian, Cuba and Nassau. Global Airways service the island of Pine Cay and provide charter services 

CAR RENTAL: If you drive, you may decide to rent a car. (Avis, Hertz, National, Tropical Auto, Budget,) You must have a valid drivers’ license. Also, remember we drive on the LEFT side of the road in the TCI.  Taxi: Available at most airports but supply may be limited and sharing is sometimes necessary.

IMMIGRATION: Passports and Visas are not required for American and Canadian citizens, provided they have a birth certificate and one piece of photo ID. Proof of an onward or return ticket is required. Those who travel to Turks and Caicos and require stops in other countries should check the entry requirements for those respective countries. Citizens of other countries are encouraged to contact their local travel agent or the Turks and Caicos to find a local establishment that speaks their language for information regarding travel documents required for these islands.

RELIGION: The religious establishments represented in the TCI include: Anglican, Roman Catholic, Methodist, Baptist, Seventh Day Adventist, New Testament, Church of God of Prophecy, Missionary Alliance, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Pentecostal, and Assemblies of God.

NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS: Rotary Club of Providenciales, Kiwanis International Crime stoppers, Provo Chamber of Commerce, Woman Aglow International, Turks and Caicos Rescue Association, and Associations for the Handicapped and Elderly.

TOPOGRAPHY: The Turks and Caicos are low-lying islands, which sit on a limestone plateau.

MARINAS: The main marinas within the islands are Caicos Marina and shipyard, Leeward Marina, Southside Marina and Turtle Cove Marina. Upon entering a Turks and Caicos’ marina, contact the harbormaster and a customs official will clear your vessel for entry into the islands. If you’re traveling from one island to another within Turks and Caicos, you should obtain a transfer.

TAXI: All taxi fares vary according to the distance traveled. It’s advised that you verify the cost of a particular trip with the driver ahead of time. Taxis are also available as guides for a day of sightseeing. Costs are per person.

ACCOMMODATION: From the exclusive resort and spa at Parrot Cay and full service hotels of Provo to the rustic and charming historical inn Grand Turk, the islands offer something that will match every taste and most budgets.

DINING: Native dishes are served along with first class international cuisine in restaurants throughout the islands. Some of the island specialties include fresh lobster, conch fritters, conch chowder, steamed grouper, key lime pie just to name a few.  

MARRIAGE: Getting married in the Turks and Caicos Islands is becoming very popular; there are numerous possibilities for romantic and secluded honeymoon getaways. In order to get married in the Turks and Caicos Islands you must be on island for at least twenty-four hours prior to the ceremony. There is a 2-3 day waiting period and a US$50 fee for the marriage license that can be obtained from the Chief Secretary's office in Providenciales or Grand Turk. You can arrange to be married in a civil ceremony by a marriage officer appointed by the Government or, if you prefer to be married in a church, you may contact any of the churches on the island. Almost every denomination is represented. Ceremonies can be performed in a variety of romantic settings including aboard a sail boat, underwater or within a resort.

ACTIVITIES: Provo, the most developed of the islands, offers alongside water sports and excursions golf, an American Casino and tennis. Or you may take a visit to the Caicos Conch Farm or the Bamboo Gallery, the art center of the islands as well as an inexpensive array of World Class Spas. Grand Turk harbors the Turks and Caicos National Museum and alongside Salt Cay holds the historic and cultural sites of the islands with ruins and old colonial buildings. Grand Turk and Salt Cay offer some of the best wall diving and whale-watching in the World. The lush and green island of North Caicos, boasts the largest flock of Pink Flamingos, extensive nature reserves and sanctuaries. Cave safari, craft demonstrations and model sail boat races are popular on Middle Caicos, which has the largest cave network in Bahamian region as well as some of the most beautiful beaches edged by dramatic cliffs and a rambling trail.

WATER SPORTS: Miles of calm turquoise water protected by a ring of coral and reefs offering a wide array of water sports. The beaches of Grace Bay have been rated number one is the world by Conde Nast Traveler. Surrounded by one of the most extensive coral reefs (65 miles across and 200 miles wide), Turks and Caicos has an abundance of tropical flora and fauna, fish and other marine life that make it a world – class diving destination. Other water activities range from deep-sea fishing, bone fishing, bottom fishing, night fishing, sailing and windsurfing to scuba diving, snorkeling and sunset cruises.