Local Art and craft
Handmade woven crafts make up some of the more authentic gifts, the designs and construction techniques of which were derived from necessary basket-making and boat-building trades of time past. These items include baskets, dolls, and mats. A little common yet still available are model Caicos Sloop sailboats.
There’s a wide array of original paintings and watercolors offered in the art galleries on Providenciales. These works cover every aspect of Turks and Caicos life, including our beaches, landscapes, and people.
If you’re looking for the perfect reminder of your vacation in the Turks and Caicos, a fine art landscape photograph of our exquisite beaches and coastlines is another option.
A newer and intriguing gift idea is the Mystical Seas boutique coloring book by local artist Alizee Zimmerman, which features patterns and settings inspired by the Beautiful by Nature Turks and Caicos.
Providenciales
The Island of Providenciales offers a wide offering of gifts and tourist souvenirs. Most of the tourist-oriented gift shops are located at a shopping plaza in the Grace Bay area of Providenciales, within easy walking distance of the majority of hotels and resorts.
Many of the local shops sell mass-produced tourist souvenirs, such as shot glasses stamped with ‘Turks & Caicos’, but they are increasingly also selling locally produced artwork, gifts, and other souvenirs.
Prices for locally produced souvenirs are more expensive, but in our opinion, the quality and uniqueness of these products make them a better option than the typical generic ‘I ❤ the Caribbean!’ t-shirts you find at other Caribbean cruise ports.
What’s Local?
The locally made and authentic Turks and Caicos gift and souvenir options have been steadily increasing over the last few years.
Today, there’s fashion, flavors, jewelry, arts, and crafts to choose from.
Providenciales
The Grace Bay region on Providenciales is the center for art galleries and luxury shopping in the Turks and Caicos. Most shops and galleries tend to be found in one of the shopping plazas in Grace Bay, including the Saltmills, Regent Village, Ocean Club West Plaza, and Ports of Call. Several plazas are in close proximity to each other, so it’s convenient to browse many galleries on foot.
As may be expected, the incredible marine environment and spectacular beaches of the Turks and Caicos serve as an inspiration for much of the art created locally. Every artist has their own perspective, interpretation, and media, yet the ocean, and blue, turquoise, and topaz are generally the prevailing theme and colors. There are thousands of paintings to browse through, including colorful works done with acrylic, oil, and watercolor.
There’s a wide array of Turks and Caicos scenes represented, including well-known coasts such as Grace Bay Beach, Mudjin Harbour, Sapodilla Bay, and Blue Hills, as well as often-overlooked yet beautiful beaches such as Northwest Point, Bambarra Beach, and Three Marys Cays.
