The Turks and Caicos consist of 40 different islands and cays, only 8 of which are inhabited. The islands of the Turks and Caicos are almost as diverse as its people. From the main tourist center of Providenciales to the quiet and tranquil islands of North and Middle Caicos to the historic Capital Island of Grand Turk; each one offers a different experience and a unique character but all offer year round great climate, beaches and underwater activities.
The only true way to experience the Turks and Caicos Islands is to experience each island in the entire chain. This is probably why most of the visitors come back to the Turks and Caicos on a regular basis. You can read about each of the islands here and maybe pick a few to see on your vacation either for daytrips, or longer stays.
Most of the islands are only about 10 to 25 minutes by air from Provo and most can be reached by boat, too. There are also regular ferries from North to Middle Caicos.
Providenciales is the most well known of the Turks and Caicos Islands and is the center of the tourism industry with a wide range of hotels, restaurants, attractions and facilities. Grand Turk and Salt Cay offer a glimpse into Caribbean history with great Bermudian architecture and a rustic charm as well as some of the best diving and probably the most "relaxing" time you will ever have. Grand Turk is also home to a brand new cruise ship center.
Middle Caicos and North Caicos represent the best of the environment, with lush green woodlands, the biggest cave network in the Caribbean on Middle Caicos, cottage pond and flamingo pond in North Caicos and a vast range of plant life and birdlife. North Caicos is also an up and coming resort destination with several new projects under development.
South Caicos is the center for fishing, with lobster and conch exported from the islands, the historic Cockburn harbor and the natural phenomenon of the boiling hole. This small yet friendly island offers many secluded beaches with awe inspiring views of the turquoise waters and surrounding islands.
Parrot Cay and Pine Cay are privately owned islands and are home to the most exclusive resorts Parrot Cay Resort and Spa and the Meridian Club.
There is also development underway in previously uninhabited West Caicos (future home of a Ritz Carlton hotel and community), Ambergris Cay (site of the exclusive Turks and Caicos Sporting Club), and Dellis Cay (where a major lifestyle resort to be run by The Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group has just been announced).
Grand Turk
Grand Turk is the capital island of the Turks and Caicos, its historical heartbeat, and home to a state of the art luxury cruise ship center. It is here that Christopher Columbus first made landfall on his initial voyage to the New World in 1492. Almost 500 years later, US astronaut John Glenn "discovered" Grand Turk himself, after he became the first American man to orbit the earth.
Cockburn Town is the center piece of the island with a wonderful selection of historical buildings and a rustic charm that is unforgettable. It has the second largest population of around 3,720 people. Grand Turk is one of the main historical points of Turks and Caicos. You will find many Colonial style buildings and ruins, along with The Turks and Caicos National Museum.
One of Grand Turk's main attractions is diving. With its many dive operators it can cater to novice snorkelers to experienced divers. There is an outstanding protected coral reef, which drops to 8,000 feet and is close enough to shore for beach dives. There are several accommodations as well as casual restaraunts which feature local entertainment. During whalewatching season visitors can watch the humpback whales pass from Grand Turk's shores as well as from the surface of the water.
The Grand Turk Cruise Center consists of a 3000-foot pier, the welcome facility and the recreational area. The pier has been built to accommodate two super post-Panamax class vessels simultaneously, including Queen Mary 2 and other large post- Panamex class vessels.
On an area of approximately 14 acres, a recreational center includes a swimming pool, 1,000 feet of beachfront (no water sports offered), cabanas (available for rent through the shore excursion office on board or at the facility), 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 and including chimneys considered a "must" by the newcomers from the colder Bermudian for the cold winter months, (These chimneys were never used but became part of the island, and therefore our Welcome Center architecture).
Cockburn Town is the administrative capital and the historic and cultural center of the islands. It is strongly reputed to be the landfall island of Columbus during his discovery of the New World in 1492. The town itself is well suited for a walking tours. Duke and Font Streets are lined with historic 18th and 19th century landmarks that reflect the Bermudan style architecture of the salt era. Two of these buildings are now popular inns, another is the governor's residence,as well as other government offices, the public library, churches, private residences and fraternities.
At the Turks and Caicos National Museum you will find a central exhibit that tells the story of the Molasses Reef Wreck, the oldest European shipwreck discovered in the Western Hemisphere (dated around 1505). It also discloses the rich cultural and natural diversity of the islands. Other historic sites include the Lighthouse, Fire Hill and the Hawks Nest Anchorage.
The most popular excursion just off Grand Turk is Gibbs Cay where visitors can enjoy an uninhabited island, a picnic on the beach and a chance to feed the beautiful stingrays who swim right up to shore.
Providenciales "Provo" Turks and Caicos
Providenciales, or more commonly known as "Provo", covers an area of 38 miles and is the most developed island in Turks and Caicos. It is here where most international flights arrive at the Providenciales International Airport (PLS). Surrounded by beautiful white sand beaches, Provo has been ranked "Best Beach" by Conde' Nast magazine and by the World Travel Awards for several years running. Found on the western end of the island chain, Provo offers all modern conveniences, including luxurious hotels, villas and condos, numerous restaurants, spas and shopping facilities, a championship caliber golf course, and full sevice grocery store. Although Provo is the most developed of the islands, it is still a destination for those who want to escape their busy schedules and relax.
On the north shore of the island, near Grace Bay, you will find the most beautiful beaches, as well as a long coral reef, which is rich in aquatic life. This main strech is home to the majority of the island major resorts and tourism services.
Towards the south of the island you will find Chalk Sound, a large lake with striking turquoise water and an array of small cays. Islands Magazine described Chalk Sound as "Beneath the radar: Untouched and off the beaten path, the pristine islets in Provo's Chalk Sound provide an ideal backdrop for expansive thoughts." Along the south side of the island in areas such as Sapodilla Bay, Copper Jack, Discovery Bay, Turtle Tail and Long Bay you will find many private villas available for rent. The island's commercial port, South Dock, is found east of Sapodilla Bay and has the capability to deal with containerized goods.
On the far western end is unspoiled Malcom's Beach, just adjacent to the magnificent Amanyara Resort.
On the eastern end of the island is Leeward Marina and development.
The two main and oldest settlements on the island are the Bight and Blue Hills, and are built around fresh water supplies. Both locations give a real feeling of Caribbean villages. If you wish to do some shopping, Provo can offer a good range of boutiques at Turtle Cove and along the quickly developing Grace Bay Road. Down Town you will find the retail shops, business offices and banks.
What to do in Provo
Grace Bay which features the famous 12-mile Grace Bay beach is the location for most of the tourism infrastructure, the Princess Alexandra Marine Park, which is also the playground of "Jo Jo" the famous bottlenose dolphin. Visitors to the world's first Conch Farm discover how to grow conch from tiny veligers to four-year-old adults. This is where most of the water sport activities take place from diving to deep sea fishing and everything in between.
Stones engraved by shipwrecked sailors (or waiting ship wreckers) can be found on the hilltop overlooking the now abandoned Marina Inn near Chalk Sound and Sapodilla Bay. If you like old ruins that are not too difficult to get to, visit 2 sites of plantation houses built by Loyalists, Cheshire Hall and Richmond Hill. "The Hole" at Long Bay is a deep and wide Limestone chimney with a mysterious depth of salt water at the bottom.
Parrot Cay
Local legend purports that female pirate Anne Bonny camped out here in the 1720s, lending the original name - Pirate Cay. This 1000 acre island now hosts the ultra luxurious and very private vacation hideaway Parrot Cay Resort and Spa, called by some the world's most exclusive resort. Movie stars enjoy the solitude and anonymity. Beachfront homes have been built for the rich and famous including Bruce Willis and Keith Richards.
Ambergris Cay
Ambergris Cay, home to Turks & Caicos Sporting Club, is an 1,100 –acre private residential island at the southeastern end of the Caicos Bank that has been under private ownership since 1811. With eight miles of waterfront, the private island is nearly 3.3 miles long by 1.5 miles wide and rises to 96 feet. More than 65 percent of Ambergris Cay is preserved to maintain its archaeological ruins and natural landscape.
Turks & Caicos Sporting Club, the private island of Ambergris Cay offers distinguished homesites, as well as first-rate amenities including the recently opened 5,700 foot private airstrip at Harold Charles International Airport, the longest private airstrip in the Caribbean. Harold Charles International Airport offers international certification, aircraft accommodations up to a GV and on-site Customs & Immigration. Turks & Caicos Sporting Club at Ambergris Cay offers members exclusive access to world-class outdoor pursuits including premiere bonefishing flats, deep sea and blue water fishing; PADI-certified SCUBA with expert Outdoor Pursuits Guides and staff; a deep water marina; an Environmental Learning Center with on-island naturalists; a luxury spa with private treatment rooms and wooden Japanese soaking tubs; and gourmet dining at Calico Jack Pavilion. The island is currently zoned for 550 homesites in neighborhoods such as Le Grand Cottages, Bonny Cove, Whale Watchers Point, Lightbourne Point, Astwood Ridge, etc.
Turks & Caicos Sporting Club at Ambergris Cay has formed partnerships with The San Diego Zoo and The Kew Royal Botanic Gardens of London to preserve the local flora and fauna native to the island. Ambergris Cay naturalists are working with The San Diego Zoo to preserve and translocate populations of the native Turks & Caicos Rock Iguana for repopulation on inhabited cays. The Kew Royal Gardens of London and Ambergris Cay are partners in an effort to collect endangered seeds from local plant species for contribution to The Millennium Seed Bank, a worldwide effort dedicated to safeguarding endangered plant species from around the globe. In an sincere effort to conserve and preserve the natural beauty of Ambergris Cay for generations to come, developers, staff, and members alike are taking great measures to protect this incredible oasis, Ambergris Cay.
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