The origin of the word Junkanoo is obscure. Some say it comes from the French “L’inconnu” (meaning the unknown), in reference to the mask worn by paraders; or “junk enow”, the Scottish settlers’ reference to the parades, meaning “junk enough”; or “John Canoe”, the name of an African tribal chief who demanded the right to celebrate with his people even after being brought to the West Indies in slavery. Here in the Turks and Caicos Islands, Junkanoo has been a celebration of the salt harvest trade which occurred during the trading of the salt. When merchant ships would bring goods to trade for the harvested salt, it was celebrated by the Islanders through the beating of drums, pots and pans, the scraping of saws, scrub boards, shaking of maracas, cow bells and the blowing of conch horns and whistles.
We tour Blue Hills, the first settlement in Providenciales to see how the locals live
Omars Beach Hut is where wold famous actors, atheletes and singers go to hang out and catch a view from the South Side of the island. Lebron James, Jennifer Anniston, and Jason Aldean have all been seen here enjoying their famous Conch and Jerk Chicken.
CastAways Conch Bar: Castaways Conch Bar & Island Grill is a restaurant and bar located at the prestigious Grace Bay Road on Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands. We offer a fusion of island specialities and international favorites in a casual out-door setting. Castaways Conch Bar & Island Grill is the island’s newest and freshest place to savor all the tastes of the tropical. With its innovative fusion menu and new wave beat, Castaways is one of the hottest restaurants in the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Did the 2 hr tour and had an amazing time!! Loved seeing the island, and the tour guide was sick that day so the drive gave us the tour and it was great to learn about the beautiful island, thanks again Dudley!! (The only reason I removed a star is because the music kept going static-y during the tour, and it would have been better to shut the music off than listen to music with static)
This was a fun and informative tour. Lou was our guide and Mayhem was our driver. The trolly is comfortable and air conditioned. It also has wifi and they provided cool beverages, which was nice. Lou is very knowledgeable and had a great sense of humor. I learned a lot and enjoyed all the stops. This tour is a great way to spend a few hours seeing Provo.
This tour was nicely done and going to Omar's for lunch was a great way to end the tour. We especially liked the museum and all the information that was shared.
We had a wonderful time on the trolley tour! It was very interesting learning about island life and the local culture. I especially enjoyed visiting the Junkanoo Museum and learning more about its history and traditions. The scenic views along the tour were beautiful, and the lunch at Omar's was absolutely delicious. It was definitely a highlight of the day!
The staff was outstanding and very professional. The tour bus was air conditioned. Unfortunately, the tour basically consisted of riding through areas and being told "this is the area of expensive homes"; this is the oldest area of Turks and Caicos; this is where new businesses are coming; this body of water is shallow and you can walk across to the other side" (1/2 mile). The tour could use a boost by providing insightful or educational information regarding the origin, history, growth, and/or significant country landmarks/contributions depicting the indigenous culture of the country. The most interesting and fun part of the tour was the visit to the Junkanoo Museum - very small, quaint and HOT, BUT with great history. The tour lunch restaurant was good also.
Very good experience and a chance to learn the culture. Guide was very knowledgeable and driver was very cautious and attentive!
Given the cost of the tour the value was not there. It was like a drive through town which we could do with a rented car.
I loved the trolly ride experience. It was Well worth the time and money spent , my tour guide was amazing!!
You may have bus troubles but don't panic have will work out in the end The driver and assistant are terrific
Not worth the cost of the tour, you’re better off spending that money on a nice dinner. Very little info and the lunch was blah.
This was a great way to see more of the island. Our guide Bethanee was very knowledgeable about TCI's history and culture and was very proud to tell us about it. She had a great sense of humor and lots of energy and kept things lively. We visited several different beaches and saw different parts of the island and then enjoyed a fine lunch on the beach at Omar's Beach Hut. A highlight was the visit to the Junkanoo Museum and the musical performance by Mr. Penn. What gorgeous costumes and creative instruments. The bus was cool and comfortable and there were plenty of ice cold beverages available. Our driver Mr. Dudley Bean navigated like an expert. We had a super time.
A great little ride around the island and a wonderful stop for lunch. Dudley and Bethany were so nice and very informative. Great trip!!!
This was not a food tour. We stopped at a museum, visited a few sites, and had lunch. The tour focused on the island’s history rather than its cuisine. It was great for my 74-year-old mother to ride in an air-conditioned trolley with access to water. The guides were knowledgeable, but I’m giving three stars because the description was misleading. A more accurate title would be "Island History Tour with Lunch" rather than a food tour.
Amazing tour! Dario, our tour guide and Dudley, our driver were the best of the best. Such a good way to see the island and learn the history!
Wow! What a cool trip! Lots of great food and we learned lots about thr island and the culture.Highly recommend!
The Junkadoo Museum was a treat! We learned about the many traditions of the island. The different restaurants with samples of island cuisine were very tasty! The trip was very informative and enjoyable. The team, very knowledgeable with island history, made it fun! Will definitely book this tour again!
Although the trolley comes along very pretty and likable and also the driver and guide were very friendly and nice, we cannot recommend the tour. First, it is very expensive, partly because it unnecessarily includes (except for the restaurant) lunch in a typical Caribbean beach restaurant. The restaurant could also be easily shown and recommended to tour guests. Secondly, you speed around the island while the guide points and comments constantly to the left and right, but the driving speed is so fast that you have usually already passed the building etc. Reasonable photography can therefore only be done at the 4 stops. And third, you learn little about the country and its people, the history of the country, or the developments and challenges of the present. It shows you where to live, buy cheap food, fill up on gas, do banking, transfer money, rent a car or buy a house... We found a visit to the Junkanoo Museum of Artfully Decorated Cardboard Carnival Costumes and Homemade Instruments interesting; instead, the beautiful canals and quarters at the Leeward Settlement were omitted.
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