Turks and Caicos

The Turks and Caicos is a tiny archipelago of some 40 islands in Atlantic Ocean. Located southeast of the Bahamas and east of Cuba, this tiny Caribbean paradise is mainly known for its superb diving and excellent whale watching opportunities. The perfect place to sit back and relax, the Turks and Caicos islands have a total land area of just 1,113 sq km, with its capital Cockburn Town, located on the tiny island of Grand Turk. A British Overseas Territory, the Turks and Caicos are unique in the fact that the official currency here is the US Dollar.

The climate here is similar to that of the Southern Bahamas, making the winter season the best time to visit, when the weather is nice and pleasant. The period between August and November are the hottest months here, with plenty of rain in the summer. Most people usually combine a visit to the Turks and Caicos with a trip to the Bahamas as both the islands are in close proximity to one another. However, a truly superb vacation destination on its own, come here for a week and you will never want to go back home.

The Turks Islands comprise of the islands of the Grand Turk, Salt Cay and other several smaller isles. They are separated from the Caicos Islands by the 22 mile wide Turks Island Passage. The Caicos Islands lie in the shape of an arc and are made up of the islands of South Caicos, Middle Caicos, North Caicos, East Caicos, West Caicos and Providenciales along with numerous small islands and cays. Grand Turk is the main island in the Turks, while in Caicos, Providenciales is the tourist hotspot.

Grand Turk is a tiny island just 11 km and 2.4 km wide. Home to the capital of the Turks and Caicos, Cockburn Town, this island is the economic and financial hub of the country. However, don’t expect to see some swanky buildings and hotels. This island is small and sleepy, with horses, cattle and donkeys roaming freely all over the place. There are also a number of pretty beaches around the island where you can sit back and relax on. Just offshore from Grand Turk you will find numerous cays which play host to important seabird nesting colonies in the area. Salt Cay is the most significant of these cays because the diving and fishing here is truly spectacular. Attracting whales and eagles rays, this cay is one of the best places in the Caribbean to see Humpback whales during the winter months.

In the Caicos, Providenciales is the tourist center and is the most well developed island in the Turks and Caicos. Called Provo for short, this island is home to many beautiful beach resorts and residential developments. The beaches here are stunning as well and tourists flock from all over to enjoy the azure blue waters ands white sandy shores. To escape the crowds head east to find rugged hills and the Princess Alexandra National Park. The diving and snorkeling here is also outstanding.