Mention the idea of a budget break to most people and chances are that the first place that comes to mind will not be Turks & Caicos. Unfortunate as it maybe for the rest of us, there’s really no such thing as a glorious island paradise that gives itself away free of charge which in turn means that if you want to revel in the luxury of a Grace Bay resort, you’d better be willing to pay for it! But while enjoying a Turks & Caicos holiday on a shoestring may sound like a far-fetched concept, there are ways and means by which every last penny can be stretched as far as possible for maximum enjoyment.

According to the experts at www.coralgardensdirect.com, taking a more proactive approach to stacking up the savings can make an extraordinary difference to the overall cost of this kind of trip. It’s simply a case of taking nothing for granted and indeed taking matters into your own hands, which in conjunction with the following expert tips could make that trip infinitely more affordable than you might have thought:

FindingFlights

First and foremost, it’s worth bearing in mind than the cost of the flights could represent the single biggest expense of the whole trip. As such, there’s nothing to gain from diving into any deal without first seeing what’s on the cards elsewhere. See what kinds of deals are on offer for booking direct with the carrier, but also be sure to speak to a travel agent as they may be able to offer you an exclusive deal not available for private booking. What’s more, the key to getting the cheapest flights possible is flexibility – the more flexible you are with the dates you can travel, the better the deal you’ll pick up as a result. If possible, look for the cheapest deals and organise your time around them, not the other way round.

Booking Accommodation

To be honest it’s pretty much the same deal when it comes to accommodation too as not only are there hundreds of options on the table, but also a multitude of different approaches to the booking process. If you want to spend less than $50 for little more than a roof and a pillow, you’ll find it if you look hard enough. By all means use online comparison sites and booking services, but never forget that huge chunks of the industry still don’t advertise or take bookings through these sites so it’s good not to rely on them exclusively. Prices also vary hugely from island to island, so consider more than one destination.

Eating and Drinking

The best thing about the eating and drinking proportion of the cost is that you’ll have complete and total control over these expenses from start to finish. It’s all up to you how you go about it – all-inclusive deals can sometimes be a Godsend for families that eat and drink a lot, but on the other hand there’s amazing street-food and local produce to pick up for next to nothing all over the place. Eat where the locals eat and you’ll pay little for classic local delights – follow the tourists and you might pay more than $50 per plate. Plan ahead and research all options before making a final decision.

Local Transport

There’s a pretty strong chance you will never have to or want to leave the confines of Grace Bay at all during your trip as there’s enough to do here to keep you and your group in the lap of blissful luxury for ten lifetimes. However, if you do decide to stray a little further afield, you’ll be looking at paying about $2 per mile in a taxi, $15 a day for bike rental or $30 per day to hire a motor-scooter. Cars aren’t in huge supply on the island, so don’t be surprised to pay around $100 a day if you choose to hire one.

Souvenirs

If and when you see a large, well-presented or prominently placed gift shop, this is exactly where you should not head to pick up the bits and pieces you want to take home. Instead, look for the more authentic-looking market stalls, street sellers and the smaller stores that clearly are not owned by bigger companies who manufacture everything in China.

Taxes and Tipping

Last up, be sure to look into whether or not the standard hotel tax of 10% has been added to your bill before agreeing to any price as this can bump up the total cost hugely if added on at the end. Tipping is also standard practice with around 15% being normal, but again be sure to check if the tip has already been added onto the bill, as it often is.