When the long, dark Michigan winter sets in, my first thought is that I need to escape to the refuge of crystal-clear turquoise water and white sands! And one of my favorite Caribbean Islands for this is the Turks and Caicos, specifically Grace Bay, which is on Providenciales (Provo).
Aside from its natural beauty, I love that the laid-back islands haven’t been hit with the tourism hammer like others. Government ordinances don’t allow for construction above five stories, so most buildings are low; there are no traffic lights or even Starbucks! So, you’re probably thinking, how, as a vegan, am I going to enjoy this paradise and not starve? Have no fear; I have a few tips to make your vegan Turks and Caicos beach getaway perfect!
First things first, it is important to note that the Turks and Caicos are made up of 40 islands, for this I am only focusing on the main island, Provo.
Fun Fact: The Turks and Caicos have the world’s third-largest barrier reef (approximately 340 miles), after Australia’s Great Barrier Reef and the Belize Barrier Reef. The visibility in the calm, crystal-clear waters is amazing, don’t miss snorkeling or taking a ride in a clear bottom kayak!
Turks & Caicos Vegan Travel Tips
These vegan tips will help set the stage for your Turks and Caicos getaway.
Tip #1 Find vegan-friendly lodging
We stayed at The Ocean Club Resorts, which was ideal because the rooms have small kitchens equipped with everything you could need to prepare food for a week or more. The resort also allows you to use their bikes for free, making it easy to bike into town which has a supermarket. You could honestly purchase all your food for the week and prepare it at the resort if you would like. It is also located on the beautiful Grace Bay—there are miles and miles of the clearest turquoise waters and white sands to enjoy.
There are other condo-style resorts, that have small kitchens, like Grace Bay Beach Ocean Villas. I think this is one of the key vegan tips to having an enjoyable Turks and Caicos getaway and not starve!
Tip #2 Stock up on all the essentials at Graceway Gourmet
This small supermarket is just a short bike ride (maybe 10 minutes, it’s not even a mile and a half away) from Ocean Club Resorts. The market has a little section of vegan and vegetarian essentials—burgers, prepared dishes, cheeses as well as frozen options. You can fully stock your fridge here for the week with produce, fruits, fresh bread, and more.
Fair warning, you will have some sticker shock, it is pricey. In the end, it will be cheaper than just ordering a plate of random vegetables at a local restaurant.
Tip #3 check out a few vegan-friendly restaurants
Finding restaurants with vegan options is like finding a needle in the haystack. If you know anyone looking to open a vegan restaurant, the market is wide open in Turks and Caicos! There are a few where you can find vegan items or make something vegan.
Indigo
QQJR+X35, Grace Bay TKCA 1ZZ, Turks & Caicos Islands
Located inside the Wymara Resort, this Caribbean-inspired restaurant focuses on sustainability and wellness offering a vegetarian/vegan menu with many gluten-free options. To view the menu, click on the wellness option.
Solana Restaurant
54 Bonaventure Crescent, Grace Bay Beach, Providenciales TKCA 1ZZ, Turks & Caicos Islands
They serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Breakfast isn’t vegan-friendly unless you just want a fruit plate and a mimosa. Lunch offers some salad options that you can make vegan along with a green gazpacho. At dinner, they offer a couple of sushi rolls along with a hibachi grilled tofu with holy basil and sticky rice or a ginger stir-fry with sticky rice.
Turks Kebab
Allegro Rd, Grace Bay TKCA 1ZZ, Turks & Caicos Islands
Not far from the main downtown area, this little shop offers a full Turkish and Mediterranean menu. Multiple vegan options like falafel, hummus, baba ghanoush, veggie skewers, and pita wraps (that can be made vegan).
Lemon 2 Go Caicos Café
101 Venture House, Grace Bay Rd, TKCA 1ZZ, Turks & Caicos Islands
This cute little café has coffee, smoothies, salads, and sandwiches. There are salads that are vegan and gluten-free, samosas, and their veggie sandwich might be able to be made vegan with some creativity.
Lupo Italian Restaurant
K-105 Ventura Drive, Grace Bay TKCA 1ZZ, Turks & Caicos Islands
Sadly, there isn’t anything outright vegan on their menu. You will have to ask for some adjustments to make things vegan. There is a beet salad that could be made vegan along with their pasta with just the tomato and basil sauce, or you could have them make a pizza without cheese. If you’re gluten-free, you’re in luck! Gluten-free pasta is available.
A Few More Vegan Travel Tips
- The airport in Provo (Providenciales International Airport) is small and during the high season can get very busy. If you’re traveling during the high season add a little more time to get through security or you could miss your flight. Otherwise, zipping through shouldn’t be a problem at all.
- Hurricane season officially runs from June – November, we traveled in late November and were able to get a great deal and only a little rain. I wouldn’t suggest going any earlier or your getaway could get washed away.
- Getting around the island can be done easily with a rental car but if you want to go to other islands (North Caicos, Middle Caicos or South Caicos) it will take a little more planning. You can book ahead with a tour company or you can take the passenger ferry and rent a car to explore North and Middle Caicos. An amazing causeway connects North and Middle Caicos, it looks like something out of a dream.
- The currency is the US dollar
Other Vegan-Friendly Tropical Spots
Curious about what other Caribbean Islands are vegan-friendly? Look no further!
The Most Vegan-Friendly Caribbean Islands
The 10 Best Restaurants for Vegan Food in Aruba
Vegan-Friendly Resorts in Mexico
Escape to Paradise: Vegan-Friendly Resorts in Costa Rica
