You’ve been anticipating carefree walks on the soft white sand of Providenciales for months now, so before you back your bags and head for the airport, take note of some tips for staying healthy on your Turks and Caicos vacation.
Check Travel Advisories
The Turks and Caicos Islands have had no recent outbreaks of tropical diseases, but better safe than sorry right?
A few weeks before departure, check the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for any health advisories. Here is the CDC link for Turks and Caicos.
Hotels have policies in place to deal with travelers who might have to cancel or rebook their vacation due to travel advisories. Take a moment to learn your hotel’s policies.
Have Adequate Travel Insurance
No one likes to think about insurance, but that’s no reason to ignore it. Travel insurance covers illness and losses but may have exclusions or limitations for injuries sustained during certain activities such as scuba diving, kite boarding etc. If you will be engaging in these types of activities you should be fully aware of your insurance coverage.
In some cases, if you book your flight with certain credit cards, you will receive automatic travel insurance coverage and car rental insurance. Know what you get and what you don’t get, and consult a pro if you are uncertain or think you may have to beef up your coverage. Now doesn’t that feel better?
These two tips for staying healthy on your Turks and Caicos vacation covered your post-departure planning. So what do we recommend you do to stay healthy when you arrive on Providenciales?
Hydrate
Did you know your bones contain 31% water?
Water is the largest component accounting for about 60% of the body and is found in tissue, organs and yes, even bones.
A happy vacation hinges on your health, and daily hydration is an important part of maintaining your physical wellness. Exposure to sunshine, wind and salt water will cause your body to lose water. Not only does drinking water help you replenish fluids lost through sweat, urination and through daily body functions, but will help hydrate your skin too.
Where possible avoid fountain drinks, tap water or ice cubes, and drink bottled water or carbonated drinks in cans or bottles. This will go a long way to preventing sickness from water borne contaminants.
Look but don’t touch
Tips for staying healthy on your Turks and Cacios include refraining from touching all the beautiful things you see.
Coral covers how much of the ocean floor? Is it (a) 2% (b) less than 1% (c) 5% or (d) 10%?
(b) less than 1% – While coral support about 25 percent of all marine creatures, they actually cover less than 1% of the ocean floor.
While snorkeling and diving around the amazing reef around Providenciales offers a memorable underwater experience, it’s vital to avoid touching, standing on or harming coral. The outer cover of coral is thin and fragile and if punctured can expose it to infection. Also, for your own protection, coral is very sharp and cuts from it can be painful and sometimes result infection from animal protein and coral particles entering the scratch.
Enjoy the abundant plant and animal life on Provo and our neighbouring islands, but do not touch anything that you do not recognize to be safe.
Keep a small first aid kit wit you when you travel. If you do sustain a scratch from coral, wash the scratch with plenty of fresh water before cleaning with an alcohol pad and applying an antibiotic ointment such as Polysporin.
Burns and Bite Prevention
Apply a broad spectrum water resistant sunscreen with at least a 30 SPF. If in areas where insects are prevalent (Provo will have plenty of mosquitos after a few days of rain), use a bug spray with at least 30-50% DEET as well as wearing long-sleeved shirts and a hat with a good brim. Here is more information about sun safety from an earlier blog article Easy Preparations for Turks and Caicos Boating Excursions.
Respect Boundaries
Grace Bay beach presents shallow warm water ideal from swimming, but you will see roped off zones marked by bouys. Stay within these areas for your own safety.
And know your own bounderies: even if you are a strong swimmer, always swim with a buddy. If you are a bit of a daredevil, take extra care to avoid rocky outcropping and dangerous water conditions. Read all signage and bear in mind that much of the landscape will be unfamiliar to you; take the time to know your surroundings before attempting anything risky.
Tips for Staying Healthy on your Turks and Caicos Vacation
Remember that this is an article presenting tips for staying healthy on your Turks and Caicos vacation. While many of our tips are about harm prevention, let’s now focus on the multitude of health reasons associated with being active. Not only is it good for your body, but consider all the benefits to your mind as well.
Activities such as kayaking, fishing, sailing, snorkeling, or diving offer ways to enjoy the great outdoors and to be physically active. Paddle a kayak around the mangroves or do some snorkeling around the reef and nearby cays. Strengthen your arms and shoulders, activate your lungs, let your eyes feast on the abundant beauty that surrounds you, and allow your skin to soak in healing doses of Vitamin D.
Local operators like Caicos Dream Tours offer half and full day boating charter excursions leaving from Grace Bay beach aboard comfortable efficient power catamarans.
And, when you’re not in the water, you can enjoy opportunities for healthy walking and beachcombing. Walking barefoot in the sand stimulates the nerve endings in your feet and will strengthen your foot muscles too.
You have picked an idyllic setting for a dream escape, and applying these tips for staying healthy on your Turks and Caicos vacation can help ensure a safe, healthy, and happy getaway.