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The horses are handpicked for you from the ranch according to your preferences, fear, and comfort riding on horses. The island is uninhabited and bears beautiful beaches on its west coast. What makes this little island so popular are the friendly brown stingrays that approach when a vessel comes to the island. They love to interact with people, and you will get a chance to snorkel or even swim with them.
Snorkeling and Scuba Diving
And it’s all there for passengers alone to enjoy, literally in the shadow of the cruise ship in some cases. If a slow horseback ride along a white sandy beach is on your to-do list, Grand Turk might just be the perfect place to try it. Available as a ship’s shore excursion, it’s necessary to sign up at the beginning of your cruise to avoid a sold-out disappointment. On the west side of the island between the cruise port and Cockburn Town is Governor’s Beach.
8 Best Turks and Caicos Excursions on a Cruiseq - Cruise Critic
8 Best Turks and Caicos Excursions on a Cruiseq.
Posted: Tue, 16 Apr 2024 22:02:41 GMT [source]
Grand Turk Island (Cockburn Town, Turks and Caicos)
Chef Leroy cooks up a mean jerk chicken on the grill, plus local conch dishes and fried fish. You can even print out a coupon from their website to get a free shot of locally-produced rum. The local spices of Grand Turk have a kick, so don’t be surprised if you get some heat with your dinner!
Water Adventures
There is plenty to do within the Cruise Center including a pristine beach, a swimming pool, bars, restaurants, and duty-free shopping. The white sand and calm, crystal-clear waters at Cockburn Town Beach are perfect for snorkeling. This beach is located near the historical town, and several tours combine sightseeing in Cockburn Town and snorkeling at the beach, the perfect combination of history and relaxation. The cruise port is a 13-acre complex that is meticulously maintained and provides a range of amenities to enhance your visit.
Transportation to other sites of interest on Grand Turk is available directly outside the Cruise Center. Here you’ll find taxis waiting, and rental car pickups take place here as well. As you drive around the island keep your eyes peeled for the salt ponds. When we returned, we were told by other cruises that they saw hundreds. We must have missed this when we got lost so don’t be afraid to really roam around and see the sites.
Additionally, the terminal is easily accessible for visitors with disabilities, with ramps and other accommodations available to ensure equal access for all. Some locals can assist if a guest has mobility issues and can not walk down the long pier. The terminal's shopping complex includes numerous duty-free shops (luxury jewelry, watches, designer clothing), also locally made merchandise (gifts, souvenirs), food and drink facilities.. Cruise ships to Grand Turk Island dock at a 3-berth pier (Grand Turk Cruise Center) located south of Cockburn Town.
Watersports Paddle Boards and Kayaking
Start by visiting the cruise port; grab a bite from Margaritaville, then head on over to sunray beach for a day of sun and splashing. The best thing about all this is that unlike some cruise ports, all the beaches in Grand Turk are public and free to explore. If you happen to visit this beautiful island during the winter months of January to April, you can go on a humpback whale excursion. Where you will witness and if lucky get to snorkel with these majestic creatures as they migrate from the cold Atlantic Ocean waters to the warmer Caribbean waters for mating and childbearing. Get an aerial view of the island by going on a zip lining adventure. When you take the island excursion and arrive at the lighthouse which is on the other end of the island opposite the cruise center, you will see the zip line course.
Amazing experiences coming soon.
So, if you are hungry, just grab a cool pina colada, cold beer or a strawberry margarita and enjoy delicious barbeque chicken on the beach. The town maintains houses that have beautiful 1800’s British architecture with the Victorian era designs. Every once in a while, you will meet with a wild donkey or horse which were used as transport animals in the salt industry era.
What Cruise Passengers Need to Know About Grand Turk Cruise Port
There is a duty-free mall right at the cruise-ship center, where you’ll find the usual array of upscale shops, including Ron Jon’s Surf Shop, the largest Margaritaville in the world, and Piranha Joe’s. One of the reasons I recommend renting a Golf Cart to discover the island is because Grand Turk is very small. Driving from the Grand Turk cruise port to the Lighthouse at the other end of the island only takes about 30 minutes and there are plenty of place to visit along the way.
The east side beach is accessed by roads coming from the lighthouse. Once on the island, you will head over to the horse shelter north of the cruise center, where a horse will be handpicked for you, and you will start the minutes excursion. The north creek doesn’t offer much, but you might see some stingrays, barracudas, and turtles in the water. Most kayaking and paddleboarding tours end at the mouth of the inlet right below the lighthouse.
Most guests agree that this beach is the best beach on Grand Turk because of its beautiful landscape and shallow waters, perfect for swimming. The Turks and Caicos National Museum, located near the Grand Turk Cruise Center, offers visitors a chance to learn about the islands’ history. The museum has a collection of artifacts that tell the story of the islands’ history, including exhibits on the Lucayan Indians, the salt industry, and the wreck of the Molasses Reef.
Aside from a massive pool, there’s a pretty beach with free and paid loungers. Snorkeling equipment and cabanas with waiter service can be rented for a fee. On your ride back, you will go on the salt industry tour, visiting Salinas like the Red Salina and even make a stop at the Salt House exhibit.
There are also exhibits on the salt industry, Loyalist Plantation Period, Taino Arawaks (the island's pre-Columbian inhabitants). It’s an experience that combines history, adventure, and natural wonder, all just a 20-minute cab ride from the Grand Turk port. Also known as Cockburn Town Lighthouse, the Grand Turk Lighthouse is a must for history enthusiasts and adventure seekers. The drive to the lighthouse itself is an exciting journey through the island’s streets, and the views from the cliffs around the lighthouse provide a unique perspective of Grand Turk’s beauty. Being a small island, Grand Turk doesn’t have public transportation.
Great for those less adventurous or prefer to stay close to the cruise port. If a quieter luncheon is more your taste, hop into a taxi to the Osprey Beach Hotel and the Bird Cage Restaurant. There you’ll find poolside dining with a bird’s-eye view of the ocean. Then you’ll reach another stable where you’ll don a life preserver and your horse will be refitted with a water-suitable saddle.
Experience a piece of history at the Astronaut John Glenn Replica Park on the beautiful island. Walk in the footsteps of the legendary astronaut as you stand where he first set foot on dry land after his groundbreaking space mission in 1962. At 170 years old, the picturesque 60 feet tall tower is flanked by fantastic scenery that will knock your socks off and is the most famous landmark on the island! Grand Turk Island is the easternmost of the 30+ Turks and Caicos Islands and cays. The island is a British Overseas Territory (part of the UK/dependency) with total area 18 km2 (7 mi2) and population around 4,000. Approx 120 km (75 mi) to the west-northwest of Grand Turk is Providenciales (Provo Island).
Amongst top attractions, we have a few adrenaline-pumping favorites such as the 4x4 safari tour, the Dune Buggy drive, a Horseback Ride N' Swim, and the Catamaran sailing. For those who like cultural things, the excursions touring Historic Homes, the Old Town, and the Museum are the most interesting. Cockburn Town, the capital of Turks & Caicos, is also just a 10-minute drive away and home to the Turks & Caicos National Museum and the H.M.
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