In September 2014, I received an email from my cousin inviting me to the Turks and Caicos Islands for Spring break that following March. Immediately I started to research the island. I only knew about 4 people who had been, all with the same yet different stories about their time there. For those who don't know, TCI, are British islands in the Caribbean.
The following months, I took to Pinterest and the internet to learn about the islands and what the best places were. I learned we were staying in Sandals Beaches All Inclusive Resort. I saw many posts about what to do and what to bring, but not many on what not to do or mistakes made.
First thing I learned; Sunscreen is your best friend.
I live in Texas, I've had my share in the sun. I am also very pale. I knew it would be sunny and 80-84
°F the whole week. I packed my best sunscreen but it failed. I didn't get to to burned but, yeah I was burned. Top of my back, arms, top of my feet, shoulders, and cheeks... Thankfully it has turned into an interesting tan. Just make sure you bring the right kind and apply every time you get out of the water or are in and out of the sun.
Bring.Bugspray.
I can't stress this like even if you think you don't need it, whats the harm? Put a small bottle of it in your sunscreen bag. Bug bites+Sunburn= not fun. I gained about 5 on one leg in a night. Most people will be outside almost their entire visit, just bring it and thank me later.
Not my photo>
Sleeping
Sleep is important, but so is being able to do and see everything. I stay up late and wake up late on my school breaks. On this trip I stayed up from 9-11pm, and then woke up between 7:30-8:30 everyday. Don't waster your day by sleeping in until noon, you're on vacation enjoy that, sleep at home.
Ignore the bad quality of this, this is the room I stayed in where I apparently do not have any photos, just video, so I screenshotted this from the video of where I stayed.
Food and Drinks
Lemonade
Strawberry Daiquiri
Shirley Temple
Strawberry Daiquiri
Sorry, I just love how cute their drinks are??? First thing to know, TCI is British territory. You're legal to drink there at 18. I was given alcohol in one of my drinks without me asking (no I didn't drink it all, I drank like 5? sips) but I was also asked multiple times if I wanted some, which I declined.
So, at Beaches, it is all inclusive, aka the food and drinks are all free. The one problem I had with this is, we had a villa with a fridge stocked with drinks but no food. If you are like me, and are a picky eater, I suggest you bring snacks. Eating out is fun but sometimes you just need something at home when you're hungry then. Sure you could go out to a restaurant open late, but something quick and easy? I only brought gold fish and chex mix because we were suppose to have some food in the fridge but we didn't which is fine, it just left me hungry sometimes.
Packing
You're at the beach. I was there Saturday to Friday, the whole time I wore my swimsuit with a coverup on top. I brought 8 pairs of shorts(Nike, cotton, etc) and 2 jean shorts, 2 pairs on jeans, and a skirt, then a bunch of tops, 3 sweaters, 2 dresses, and a few other items. (we get 50lb in our suitcase and thankfully summer clothes are lighter than winter clothes.) I wore 5/10 shorts, my WDW tank top, another shirt, a shirt I bought there, pretty much the whole time.
The only exceptions were when we did family pictures and when I went out to a 'nice' dinner. Only bring what you need, especially since you will probably be in the water most of the day.
My suitcase was 41lb going and coming back 47lbs. (I had to put some stuff in my cousins bag). So be careful with what you bring, and plan ahead.
Ok that is all, I hope you enjoy. Sorry for it being long? I'll have a new post soon about the actual Turks and Caicos experience! Thank you for reading(:
-K
