Islands of Turks & Caicos
Providenciales – World Renowned Luxury
Providenciales is the third largest island in the Turks and Caicos chain and the hub of tourism activity. More commonly known as Provo, the 38 square mile island is home to Grace Bay Beach, recipient of the World’s Best Beach award year after year from several travel and tourism publications. Your vacation experience will begin with your arrival at the Providenciales International Airport and you can choose tostay in one of the many ultra-luxurious villas, resorts and hotels throughout the island. While Grace Bay Beach is renowned for its powder like sand and crystal clear waters, the island also boasts additional unspoiled beaches worth exploring such as Long Bay, Sapodilla Bay, Blue Hills Beach, Pelican Beach,Taylor Bay, amongst others.
For the discerning traveler, Providenciales guarantees exclusive opulence and luxury as well as serene solitude and unspoiled nature. Whether it’s a round of golf at the 18-hole Provo Golf Club, Thursday’s Island Fish Fry, indulging in rejuvenating spa treatments, sampling our culinary delights, snorkeling at Smith’s Reef or swimming with Jojo the dolphin and his friendly counter parts, there is no shortage of ways to relax and unwind.
Grand Turk – World Class Diving
Discover the unparalleled diving and rustic charm of Grand Turk, the capital of the Turks & Caicos Islands. The island attracts avid divers eager to experience one of the world’s greatest wall diving meccas, with a drop of nearly 7000 feet. This ‘Mount Everest’ of wall dives is just ¼ mile from the beach on Duke Street. Rent a car or take a leisurely stroll shaded by bougainvillea and yellow elder to fulfill your island exploration. Grand Turk has must-see sites including The 1852 Lighthouse, Philatelic Bureau, St. Thomas Anglican Church (built in 1823), Salt Museum and Cockburn Town which, in addition to Duke, Queen and Front Streets, are lined with restored 18th and 19th century Bermudian style architecture from the Salt Raking era. Behold Guanahani Beach, the site of the monumental first landfall of Christopher Columbus during his voyage to the New World in 1492.
Grand Turk throughout its history
The collection of historical experiences on Grand Turk continue at the John Glenn Exhibit which depicts the astronaut’s momentous splashdown off the coast of the island in 1962 when Glenn became the first American to orbit earth.
A holiday on Grand Turk is incomplete without visiting the historic Guinep House which is the location of the Turks and Caicos National Museum. The museum houses vivid exhibits which tell the timeline of the Turks and Caicos Islands history from their Lucayan roots through to modern times. The museum also features an exhibit of Molasses Reef Wreck, the oldest known European shipwreck discovered in the Western Hemisphere.
Memorable Vacation in the Island of Grand Turk
When booking your vacation you can choose accommodations from luxury villas, colonial style inns or boutique hotels. You can take a picture with a friendly donkey or enjoy happy hour at a rustic beach shack. Enjoy a swim and picnic at Governor’s Beach which boasts miles of unspoiled shoreline or indulge your adventurous side with an excursion to the nearby Gibbs Cay to feed stingrays. Enjoy the best in Turks and Caicos cuisine at one of the local restaurants and immerse yourself in flavorsome island dining experiences.
The Island was awarded Best Caribbean Beach Port by Porthole Magazine in 2019. The Grand Turk Cruise Center consists of a 3000-foot pier, the welcome facility and the recreational area. On an area of approximately 14 acres, a recreational center includes a swimming pool, 1,000 feet of beachfront, cabanas, shops and the world’s largest Margaritaville, providing food, beverages and Jimmy Buffett memorabilia. The Welcome Center has been designed based on Grand Turk/Bermudian architecture, influenced by the Bermudian influx into the salt industry thriving in the 17th and 18th centuries.
From the remnants of the salt raking industry to the esteemed supremacy of government, the island is the ideal destination to immerse in the best diving, heritage and culture of the Turks and Caicos. You will delight in the old-world allure of the island and its friendly people.
North Caicos – An Emerald Retreat
The Island commonly referred to as the ‘Breadbasket of the Turks and Caicos’. North Caicos is a 30 minute ferry ride from Providenciales which makes the island popular for day trips or dual vacations. Tourists can lobster dive with local fishermen in the tranquil waters, kiteboard in Bottle Creek or explore places of interest such as Flamingo Pond, Cottage Pond, and Wade’s Green Loyalist Plantation, among others. The island is well known for its lush tropical vegetation, agriculture and pristine beaches. Take a visit to the island’s farms where agriculturalists expertly harvest a number of crops such as callaloo, plantain, okra and sweet potato that are sold throughout the Turks and Caicos. Wake up in paradise and enjoy the scenic views, unspoiled beaches while sipping on fever grass or moringa tea, just two of the locally grown, herbal blends.
The population of approximately 1,400 people live in the settlements of Bottle Creek, Whitby, Kew and Sandy Point.
How To get To North caicos?
TCI Ferry and boat charters offer daily trips making the Island easily accessible. For adventurous travelers, car and bicycle rentals are available as well as taxis and guided tours.
South Caicos – Unparalleled Eco Oasis
Commonly referred to as “The Big South”, the island is a marine paradise best known as the fishing capital of the Turks and Caicos Islands. The 18 square mile island has a brilliant blend of luxury and quaint accommodations that includes Ocean & Beach Resort, East Bay Resort and the island’s only five star property – Sail Rock Resort.
How to get to South Caicos?
South Caicos is a quick and impeccable island getaway as it is only a ninety minute ferry ride or short twenty minute flight from Providenciales. The close proximity makes the Island ideal for dual island vacations in Turks and Caicos. Visitors are drawn for its fishing, snorkeling and scuba diving along the wall. Go bone fishing in the flats guided by expert fishermen or snorkel right off the immaculate beaches. Head to the heart of the town to enjoy a down-home island meal or treat yourself to a gourmet meal in a restaurant. Experience superior diving at Amos’ Wall, Eagle Nest and The Arch.
Ditch your flip flops and prepare to unwind and unplug while making personal connections with the friendly Harbonians (a colloquial term for natives of the island). Spend a day on the water catching seafood for your dinner or visit one of the popular plants to purchase fresh fish for a proper ‘sea to table’ dining experience. Catch, tag and release turtles with local tour operators then end your evening with exotic cocktails and dancing to the sound of ripsaw music.
Middle Caicos – An Emerald Retreat
Making up the other half of the ‘twin islands’ is Middle Caicos. It is the largest island in the Turks and Caicos Islands chain. A visit to this grand isle is an ideal experience and is the perfect opportunity to explore the dramatic cave system and revel in discovering the maze of caverns in The Indian Cave and Conch Bar Cave. The Island is home to some of the largest limestone cave systems in the Caribbean region with the underground caves extending for miles and connecting to the ocean. Adventurous travelers can go off the beaten path and enjoy hiking, biking and hobie tandem kayak fishing.
There are three settlements on the island. They are Conch Bar, Lorimers, and Bambarra. The settlement of Bambarra was established on the North Shore of the island in 1842 by survivors of the shipwreck of the Gambia, a Spanish slave ship bound for Cuba. “Bambarra” refers to the Bamberra people who lived on the shores of the Niger River in West Africa. Learn more about Turks and Caicos history.
Mudjin Harbor in Middle Caicos
Mudjin Harbor offers breathtaking views of the picturesque beaches and Dragon Cay and you can stargaze from the striking limestone cliffs along the coast. Take a piece of the Island home with you by purchasing a straw hat, purse or wallet, hand woven by the charismatic and industrious people of the island. Middle Caicos is also home to beautiful Bambarra Beach, an impeccable beach camping site and also the scene of the annual Valentine’s Day Cup.
How to get to Middle?
Thanks to the constructed causeway between Middle and North, one can take the TCI ferry from Providenciales to North Caicos and ground transportation to Middle. Also Taxis and Car rentals are available on North Caicos to explore the islands.
Salt Cay – Charming Eco Oasis
Time stands still on Salt Cay, the 2.5 square mile island in the Turks Bank, where you will experience an authentic, modest slow place to island life. Arrive on this ‘island that time forgot’ via ferry or airplane and be shuttled around by golf cart. It is easy to get caught up on the allure of the island and fall in love with the charm of Salt Cay. At every turn there are remnants of the island’s past as the center of the salt industry with the lingering presence of longstanding salinas and preserved Bermudian architecture, there are ample opportunities to get lost in historic significance of the island. The island’s enchanting bed and breakfast style accommodations welcome returning guests year after year. The quaint island has a population of less than 80 residents who are well-known for their kind hospitality and jovial nature.
Salt Cay Highlights
Visit the ruins at Taylor’s Hill and discover one of the most breathtaking views on the island. This is an ideal island for whale watching – and even swimming alongside them – a favorite pastime for visitors during January and April when migrating humpback whales populate the azures off the island. However, giant humpbacks are not the only visitors to the tiny island that you may enjoy watching. South creek is where the pink flamingos are most common and at the south tip of the island watching the waves from the Atlantic and Caribbean smash into each other. Feral donkeys are quite often your companions on there ventures. This quiet and tranquil environment is also a popular rest stop for migrating birds – gaining the approval of avid birdwatchers. Recommended as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, Salt Cay (see Wikipedia) has a wealth of authentic island experiences!