Digicel's Tourist eSIM, three plans before tax
Digicel Turks and Caicos' eSIM page, headed Get a Tourist eSIM Today, lists three plans for the islands. At the time of checking, Tourist SIM 7GB cost USD 30.00 for 7 days with 7 GB of any-use data and 15 local minutes, Tourist SIM 15GB cost USD 45.00 for 15 days with 30 local minutes, and Tourist SIM 30GB cost USD 55.00 for 30 days with 45 local minutes. The prices are marked as tax excluded, so the final bill will be higher, and each plan is described as including Turks and Caicos coverage.
The plans are managed in the MyDigicel app, and the page does not say whether the 15 or 45 minutes can call international numbers. Taxes are added at checkout, so check the final price. Compare the cost per day: the 30-day plan costs far less per day than the 7-day one.
Prime Ultra bundles for a local line
Digicel's prepaid page lists Prime Ultra bundles with unlimited Digicel minutes and rollover data, priced before tax. At the time of checking, a 1-day bundle cost USD 7.50 for 1.5 GB of any-use data plus 2 GB of social media data and 20 minutes to other networks, a 3-day bundle cost USD 15.00 for 1.5 GB of any-use data and 3 GB of social data, and a 7-day bundle cost USD 27.00 for 5 GB with 60 minutes. A 14-day bundle cost USD 32.00 for 6.5 GB, a 30-day bundle USD 48.00 for 8 GB and a 30-day Prime Ultra+ bundle USD 72.00 for 10 GB with 500 minutes, with extra bundle data for social media, music, video and storage apps.
The page's top-up steps say to select Jamaica, which looks like template text from another island, so confirm in the app that you are topping up a Turks and Caicos number. It does not say what identification a visitor needs to buy a prepaid SIM, and its switching instructions refer to a competitor SIM activated before July 2023 and government ID. Tourist plans on the eSIM page are the simpler route for a short stay.
Arriving at Providenciales, and the immigration queue
The official Visit Turks and Caicos site says all scheduled international flights land at Providenciales International Airport, apart from one Miami to South Caicos flight, and that a valid passport and a return or onward ticket are required. It says you must fill in immigration and customs landing cards and should expect a long wait at immigration, often more than an hour, particularly after several flights have landed. Cruise passengers at Grand Turk have immigration handled by the cruise lines.
The UK Foreign Office says UK visitors normally get permission to stay up to 90 days without a visa and may be asked for an onward ticket, and that cash or other payment worth more than 10,000 US dollars must be declared. Because of the queue, download your eSIM and check that the QR code is saved before you land, and keep your confirmations on your phone.
The firearms and ammunition rule
The UK Foreign Office says importing firearms, ammunition, including stray bullets, and other weapons is strictly prohibited without the written approval of the Commissioner of Police, with a minimum custodial sentence of 12 years, and that declaring a weapon or ammunition to an airline does not grant permission. It tells travellers to search their luggage before they travel.
It also says possession of even a small amount of illegal drugs can mean arrest, a fine of up to 5,000 US dollars and up to two years in prison. Carry medication in its original packaging with the prescription. These rules are about luggage rather than phones, but they decide whether your trip begins at the airport.
Ferries, flights and keeping tickets offline
The official site says there are three ferry routes, Providenciales to North Caicos, Providenciales to South Caicos and Grand Turk to Salt Cay, all by small passenger vessels with no scheduled car ferries, and that there are no ferries between Providenciales and the Turks Islands. It names interCaribbean and Caicos Express as the two domestic airlines, says there are no flights to Middle Caicos, which is reached by a causeway from North Caicos, and notes that Captain Russell's Ferry makes one round trip a day to South Caicos.
The Foreign Office adds that livestock including goats, cows, donkeys and horses wander onto roads, especially on Grand Turk, that street lighting is limited and that speed limits are 20 mph in towns and 40 mph elsewhere. We found no official coverage map for the smaller islands, so save offline maps before you travel.
Emergency number and crime advice
The UK Foreign Office gives 911 for ambulance, fire and police in the Turks and Caicos Islands, and says there is no British Embassy because the territory is British, so the local government supports you. It notes that Providenciales and Grand Turk have seen higher levels of serious crime, including gang-related crime involving guns and robbery, with lower risks in tourist areas, and advises using licensed taxis and avoiding unregistered ones known as jitneys. Our Turks and Caicos plan page covers data before you arrive.
Networks our Turks & Caicos Islands plans use
These are the operators named on our plans for Turks & Caicos Islands, taken from the plan data, so the list follows the catalogue.
- Digicel4G
- Digicel (Turks and Caicos)4G
- Flow4G
- FLOW4G
- FLOW (LLA)4G