Turks & Caicos
| General Information
General Info, Travel Info, & FAQs are provided to assist with your vacation.
ATMs Not all ATMs in the Caribbean operate like those in your home country. Some may only accept a four digit PIN number, so if yours is longer you may want to change it before your trip. Ensure you keep your travel money in your primary chequing account as some ATMs default to this account and will not allow you to choose another. Withdrawal fees are generally much higher outside your home country.
FirstCaribbean International Bank has ATMs at its branches on Grand Turk (tel 946-2831) and Providenciales (tel 946-5303, Leeward Hwy). It also has an agency on South Caicos (tel 946-3268, Lee St). Scotiabank has ATMs at its branches on Grand Turk (tel 946-2507, Cockburn Town) and Providenciales (tel 946-4750, Cherokee Rd). They dispense US dollars and accept cards on the Cirrus, Electron, Maestro and Plus networks.
BANKING AND BUSINESS HOURS Banks FirstCaribbean: Mon-Thurs 8:30am-2:30pm, Fri 8:30am-4:30pm (South Caicos is only open Wed 9am-1pm)
Scotiabank: Mon-Thurs 9am-3pm, Fri 9am-4:30pm
Post Office Mon-Thurs 8am-4:30pm Fri 8am-4pm
CHURCHES/RELIGIONS Predominantly Protestant, including Anglican, Baptist, Church of God and Methodist.
CURRENCY AND CREDIT CARDS The local currency is the US dollar, which is divided into 100 cents. Paper money runs in denominations of $1, $2, $5, $10, $20, $50 and $100 bills, and coins in 1¢, 5¢, 10¢ and 25¢ pieces. Most shops, hotels, restaurants and taxis accept traveller's cheques and major credit cards.
To ensure hassle-free purchases during your trip, you may want to contact your credit card company and let them know you will be travelling abroad.
EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBERS American Express: lost or stolen card, 336/393-1111 (call collect); lost or stolen cheques or cheque cards, 800/828-0366 Discover Card: 801/902-3100 MasterCard: 800/307-7309 Visa: 410/902-8022 (call collect) Western Union: - Grand Turk: Carl Been Building (Airport Rd), 946-2407; Dots Enterprises, 946-2324 - North Caicos (Bottle Creek): Dorothy's Building, 946-7051; Safety Car Rental, 941-5484 - Providenciales: Blue Hills Financial Center (946-8567); Blue Hills Junction (Cox Building), 941-4407; Fidelity Broking Company (Leeward Hwy), 941-3702; Lucayan Ventures (Cherokee Rd and Nell's Building), 941-5484 - South Caicos: Kim Baker (Conch Ground), 941-5484
DEPARTURE TAX All travellers over two years of age must pay a departure tax of US$35.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS A valid passport is required; however, American and Canadian citizens can also use an original birth certificate (or a notarized copy) and official photo identification, such as a driver's license. All visitors must also have an onward or return ticket.
Nationals of other countries may require a visa. Consult your nearest British consulate/embassy or call the Turks & Caicos Immigration Office at 649/946-2939.
Note: As of January 23, 2007, all persons travelling by air to the Caribbean, Mexico and Bermuda will require a valid passport, Air NEXUS card or US Coast Guard Merchant Mariner Document to enter and/or re-enter the United States in accordance with the US Government's Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative. For more information visit the US Government's Bureau of Consular Affairs website at www.travel.state.gov.
Some countries require single/lone parents or other adults travelling alone with children to provide documents showing evidence of parental/custodial and/or access rights, and/or documents authorizing consent from the parents, legal guardian, and/or the court for the children to travel. Parents of adopted children, particularly those of a different nationality, should carry the proper documents.
NEAREST FOREIGN REPRESENTATION British Governor's Office: 946-2309 (Grand Turk) High Commission of Canada: 876/926-1500 (Jamaica, also for after-hours emergencies), 800/555-0046 (toll free to Ottawa) US Embassy: 242/322-1181 (The Bahamas), 242/328-2206 (The Bahamas, after hours)
EXCHANGE RATES
As of January 16, 2007
US$
British pound sterling
1.96451
Canadian dollar
0.85556
European Union euro
1.29437
Japanese yen
0.008301
Swiss franc
0.80189
HEALTH STANDARDS There is a small hospital on Grand Turk (tel 946-2040) with an emergency room (tel 946-2333) and the Myrtle Rigby Hospital on Providenciales (941-3000), as well as a number of private clinics on Providenciales. Government health clinics are located on Grand Turk (tel 946-2328), Salt Cay (tel 946-6970), South Caicos (tel 946-3216), Middle Caicos (tel 946-6145) and in Bottle Creek (tel 946-7194) and Kew (tel 946-7397) on North Caicos. Associated Medical (tel 946-4242) on Leeward Hwy, Providenciales, has a hyperbaric chamber and also has an emergency service (tel 231-0000 or 231-0642).
Serious cases may be transferred to Nassau in The Bahamas or Miami, Florida in the US. Your home medical program may not provide payment for medical services outside your home country. Obtaining adequate medical/travel insurance, including air ambulance coverage, and consulting a physician or travel medicine specialist six to eight weeks prior to your trip to determine health risks and necessary vaccinations is recommended.
Government dental clinics are located on Grand Turk (tel 946-1136), South Caicos (tel 946-3711), North Caicos (tel 946-7319) and Providenciales (tel 941-3297).
Pharmacies on Providenciales include Grace Bay Pharmacy (tel 946-8242) located at the Grace Bay Medical Centre in Neptune Plaza, Island Pharmacy (tel 946-4150) located in The Medical Building on Leeward Hwy, Provo Discount (tel 946-4844 or 231-2997) also on Leeward Hwy and Sunset Pharmacy Plus (tel 941-3751, Royal Palms Plaza or 941-3564, Leeward Hwy). K's Drugs (tel 946-2799) is located on Grand Turk.
ILLEGAL ITEMS There are harsh penalties for possession, use or trafficking in illegal drugs, and strict regulations for exporting or temporarily importing firearms, including spear guns and Hawaiian slings. Pornography is also illegal.
For more information call the Customs Department at 649/946-2801.
LANGUAGE English
POSTAGE Post offices are located on Airport Rd in downtown Providenciales (tel 941-3314), in the Franklin Missick Building on Church Folly, Grand Turk (tel 946-2801), as well as on Salt Cay (tel 946-6985) and Cockburn Harbour, South Caicos (tel 946-3211). They are generally open Mon-Thurs 8am-4:30pm and Fri 8am-4pm.
Airmail to North America can take one to two weeks and to the UK, two to three weeks. Courier service is also available.
PUBLIC HOLIDAYS - Jan 1 New Year's Day - March (Mon nearest the 12th) Commonwealth Day - Mar/April (varies) Good Friday - Mar/April (varies) Easter Monday - May (last Mon) National Heroes Day - June (mid month) Celebration of Her Majesty the Queen's Birthday - Aug (first Mon) Emancipation Day - Sept (last Fri) National Youth Day - Oct (Mon nearest the 10th) Columbus Day - Oct 24 International Human Rights Day - Dec 25 Christmas Day - Dec 26 Boxing Day
TAXES Hotels and restaurants add a 10% government tax to bills. Car rental agencies add a $15 government flat tax to bills.
TELECOMMUNICATIONS The phone system in the Turks & Caicos is modern and cellular and Internet services are available.
The country code is 649. Local phone numbers have seven digits. For national operator assistance dial 0, for international operator assistance dial 115 or 010 and for directory assistance dial 118 or 411. For calls to the US and Canada dial 1 + area code + local number. For calls to other countries dial 011 + country code + area code + local number.
Cable & Wireless/C&W (tel 946-2200) prepaid calling cards are available from authorized agents around the islands and can be used from any Touch-Tone phone in the country. Dial 1-800-744-7722 and follow the voice prompts. Public pay phones only accept phone cards, which are different from prepaid calling cards.
To make a call using American Express, Discover, MasterCard or Visa dial 1-800-744-7777. You can also dial 1-800 CALL USA to use US calling cards, major credit cards or to make collect calls.
For more information see the section in FAQs: Can I use my calling card from here?
C&W and Digicel (tel 331-3444) provide cellular roaming services. Check with your service provider to see if they have a roaming agreement with one of these companies.
Visitors can access the Internet from any phone line in the country by configuring their computer as follows: Dial-up CONNECT (266-6328); Enter Username = easy; Enter Password = access. For more information call C&W customer service at 800/804-2994.
TEMPERATURES Average temperatures range between 85°F and 90°F June-Oct and between 80°F and 84°F Nov-May. The islands have about 350 days of sunshine during an average year.
TIME ZONE The islands are on Eastern Standard Time, which is five hours behind Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). Daylight savings time is observed Apr-Oct.
Disclaimer: Information is provided as a service to visitors and is updated regularly. All
information should be verified prior to travel.
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GENERAL INFO
