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The Turks and Caicos Islands
consist of 40 islands and cays, eight of which are inhabited.
The islands are located 550 miles southeast of Miami, Florida,
just below the Bahamas chain and just to the northeast of Cuba
and north of the island of Hispaniola (Dominican Republic and
Haiti.) Technically, the Turks and Caicos are located in the
Atlantic Ocean, not the Caribbean Sea.
The islands are home to roughly 30,000 full time residents, and
welcome more than 200,000 tourist annually.
Most of the islands are only
about 10 to 25 minutes by air from Provo, the commonly used name
for Providenciales.
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 the capital and 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).
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