Perfect getaway on Grand Turk. My son and I stayed at Crabtree Apartments in June 2013 and loved it. The apartments are conveniently located on the central, west coast of GDT. 15 min walk to Osprey or 20 mins to Sand Bar for lunch or dinner (walk the beach to Osprey rather than the road). Even though they're on the airport/cruise port road, the apartments are quiet and feel secluded. The beach is peaceful and we rarely saw more than a couple other people (typically another Crabtree dweller). We often walked the beach, returning to see only our own footprints in the powdery sand. The apartments are clean, well stocked and very comfortable. Open the kitchen windows a bit and swing the patio doors open and there's a wonderful cross-breeze to keep everyone cool. The bedrooms have A/C if you need to take the edge off. The wireless was reliable and very adequate for most email/FB type lurking. It was really nice to have the bikes to ride to the store, to town, the lighthouse, or down to the cruise center to stare at the cruisers. (That would probably be my one complaint - the bikes need some love. They were semi-functional but in poor repair.) Blue Water Divers (Mitch and Audrey) would pick us up right on the beach outside our room in the morning - diving couldn't get any easier than that. Snorkeling off of Crabtree, like most of GDT, is pretty meh. If you're patient you can see some tangs or jacks, or maybe some juvy fish in amongst the sand and dead coral. But the real show is out at the wall 200-300 yds away. Even if you're comfortable swimming that far it is probably not a great option due to possible boat traffic. Then again, just hanging out in 80+ degree gorgeous Caribbean-blue water is such a gift that we didn't really care. A group of potcake dogs seems to have adopted the Crabtree. Whenever we'd head to town they'd be in tow, excited to have companionship and rallying all the dogs on the way to join us. As others have pointed out, groceries are shockingly expensive (that's not uncommon in the Caribbean though). If you have the spare room in your check-in it's worth bringing a few things to avoid having to purchase them. Snacks, like m&m's. Coffee (ground for a #4 drip-style filter). Laundry detergent (none at the apts). As you may have guessed, Grand Turk is not the place to come for Grand Cayman-style shopping, restaurants or luxury living. Bohio (Guanahani) on the northern end probably comes the closest to that in terms of hotel/restaurant. However, if you like quiet, laid-back, friendly and an authentic Caribbean experience, Grand Turk is a wonderful choice. The cruise port has changed things for sure, but in perhaps a win/win way for the island. Other than the funky bus, Segway and 4-wheeler tours that buzz through briefly on cruise days, the island is much the same as it was 20 years ago. In general, the cruise ships come and go pretty quickly, and most of the cruisers stay in the Margaritaville village. The beach there has some 3000 lounge chairs elbow to elbow. It's a true Wall-E spectacle of humanity when a ship is in port. In terms of diving, the wall on GDT is IMO equivalent to diving on Little Cayman or Bonaire. We did not see any pelagics while diving on this trip but did see a pod of wild dolphins alongside the dive boat. A couple decades ago we would reliably see mantas cruising the wall but apparently, per the dive masters, not so much anymore. However, the corals and reef life on the wall are varied and in fantastic shape. Thanks in large part to the permanent moorings and good stewardship. We saw parrotfish, wrasses, garden eels, triggerfish, tangs, reef and arrow crabs, spotted drums, needlefish, trumpetfish - all the usual cast of familiar characters. Even the stodgy, seen-it-all diver should consider the snorkel trip to Round and Gibbs Cays. A fun, semi-wild snorkel experience on Round Cay through Disneyesque elkhorn corals. Rum punch on Gibbs' perfect sugary beach with stingrays nudging your feet. I'd recommend using Blue Water if you do. Some of the other dive centers are taking conch and feeding the rays (of course, that's why they come around - but it's a dodgy practice from a habitat management perspective). And, by the way, the island has a fantastic hospital up north by Bohio. We had a dive issue that required a Sunday night visit to the emergency room and their quality and level of care was excellent. We would unhesitatingly recommend Crabtree Apartments, and we definitely plan to stay there again! Room Tip: The two end units offer the most privacy but all three are excellent

This place is exactly as advertised, clean and spacious but best of all right on a gorgeous beach. The crystal clear water with a nice sand bottom was beautiful for swimming. Easy walk to town and restaurants and the bikes were great for exploring the island and picking up groceries. The veranda was perfect for having morning coffee, pina coladas while watching amazing sunsets or reading a book. We could not get enough of the view and sound of the waves, didn't want to leave. If you are looking for a relaxing vacation in a location that isn't surrounded by huge resorts, this is the place to stay. The wi-fi works well and was a bonus. There are 2 adorable potcake dogs that like to visit so make sure to bring some dog treats.

If you are looking for a peaceful, relaxing holiday on an idyllic island with lovely uncrowded beaches, clear turquoise water, great snorkelling (and diving) and friendly people than head for Grand Turk. If you are debating where to stay, put the Crabtree apartments at the top of your list. My husband and I just returned from our 3rd visit to Grand Turk and our first stay at the Crabtree and couldn't have been more pleased. Our unit was very clean, well equipped, private and steps from a lovely little beach. We have no doubt we will return for a 4th visit and another relaxing stay at the Crabtree. Highly recommended!