Comparison · Barbados vs Turks and Caicos · Barbados / Turks and Caicos Islands
Barbados vs Turks and Caicos
Two great trips, different strengths. Here is how they compare on the things that decide it.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: The original uploader was ROxBo at English Wikipedia ., Public domain
Quick answer
Choose Barbados for Rum, Oistins Fish Fry, lower day-to-day costs and nightlife; choose Turks and Caicos for Grace Bay and Turquoise water. Barbados is generally less expensive, and the two are about 1,651 km apart.
Key facts
- Distance apart
- 1,651 km
- Less expensive
- Barbados
- Best time for Barbados
- December–April
- Best time for Turks and Caicos
- April–June
Side by side
| Barbados | Turks and Caicos | |
|---|---|---|
| Country | Barbados | Turks and Caicos Islands |
| Known for | Rum, Oistins Fish Fry and Crop Over festival | Grace Bay, Turquoise water and Barrier reef |
| Best time to visit | December–April | April–June |
| Ideal stay | 7 days | 7 days |
| Mid-range budget per day | $220–$380 | $300–$550 |
| Cost level | Expensive | Very expensive |
| Warmest month | May, 31°C (88°F) | July, 32°C (90°F) |
| Coldest month | January, 29°C (84°F) | January, 27°C (81°F) |
| Free sights in our guide | 5 | 7 |
| Day trips in our guide | 4 | 3 |
| Beaches | Carlisle Bay | Grace Bay Beach |
| Airports | BGI | PLS, GDT |
Which one is right for you?
Choose Barbados for…
Rum, Oistins Fish Fry, lower day-to-day costs and nightlife. Barbados is a coral island about 34 km long, the most easterly in the Caribbean chain. Its calm, turquoise west coast — the 'Platinum Coast' around Holetown and Speightstown — has the upscale hotels and villas, while the livelier south coast around St…
Choose Turks and Caicos for…
Grace Bay and Turquoise water. The Turks and Caicos Islands are a British Overseas Territory of low, limestone islands and cays southeast of the Bahamas, surrounded by one of the largest barrier reef systems in the region. Most visitors stay on Providenciales ('Provo'), where Grace Bay's…
Top sights compared
| # | Barbados | Turks and Caicos |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Historic Bridgetown and its Garrison | Grace Bay Beach |
| 2 | Carlisle Bay | Bight Reef (Coral Gardens) |
| 3 | Harrison's Cave | Smith's Reef |
| 4 | Oistins Fish Fry | Chalk Sound National Park |
| 5 | Bathsheba and the Soup Bowl | Sapodilla Bay |
Food compared
| Barbados | Turks and Caicos |
|---|---|
| Flying fish and cou-cou | Conch salad |
| Macaroni pie | Cracked conch |
| Fish cakes and bakes | Conch fritters |
| Cutters | Spiny lobster |
Which is cheaper?
Barbados is usually the less expensive of the two: a mid-range day costs about $220–$380 per person there, against $300–$550 in Turks and Caicos (AMZBooking estimates, excluding flights). Barbados on a budget.
Can you visit both?
They are about 1,651 km apart, so combining them means a flight. With 15 days or more it works; otherwise pick one.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Barbados or Turks and Caicos cheaper?
Barbados is usually less expensive: about $220–$380 a day mid-range against $300–$550 (estimates).
+Is Barbados or Turks and Caicos better for a first trip?
Pick Barbados for Rum, Oistins Fish Fry, lower day-to-day costs and nightlife, or Turks and Caicos for Grace Bay and Turquoise water.
+How far is Barbados from Turks and Caicos?
About 1,651 km in a straight line.