An incredible place on Earth where you can relax from the gray city everyday life, lie on a white sand beach, go diving in the clear emerald sea, and be alone with nature among the tropical jungle - all these are the Turks and Caicos Islands in the Caribbean. Tourists from all over the world fly here every year, and no one is left disappointed with their vacation.
What to do, what to see, where to relax, what to eat and where to stay on the islands - you can find out all this from this article.
History
The Turks and Caicos Islands were discovered in 1512 by the Spanish navigator Juan Ponce de Leon. Since 1766, the islands have been officially recognized as a British colony.
The old coat of arms of the Turks and Caicos Islands depicted a sailboat, a local resident on the shore and two piles of s alt. During the creation of the coat of arms, the English designer, having seen the images, decided that the mounds of s alt were buildings, and added black “doors” to them. SoThus, igloos, the national dwellings of the Eskimos, appeared on the coat of arms of the tropical islands. This coat of arms of the Turks and Caicos Islands until 1968 was considered official. Now the emblem depicts the flora and fauna of the islands and coastal waters.
Location
The Turks and Caicos Islands are located in the Atlantic Ocean and are an archipelago, which includes more than 40 islands. The Turks - to the east and the Caicos - to the west - are two island groups surrounded by reefs. The place where the Turks and Caicos Islands are separated from each other is called the Columbus Strait. 150 km to the north is the island of Haiti, and 50 km to the southeast is the Bahamas.
Many don't know which country is the Turks and Caicos Islands? The archipelago is a constitutional monarchy and belongs to the British territory overseas.
Climatic conditions
The climate in the Turks and Caicos Islands is maritime, sunny and relatively dry. Thanks to this, you can relax here at any time of the year. There are two main seasons on the archipelago: dry - from November to June and the rainy season, which lasts from July to October - at this time hurricanes and typhoons are possible. Thus, the best time for a beach holiday is from November to June. At this time, the air temperature reaches +29°C and is very comfortable. The water warms up to + 23-26 ° С.
How to get there
The islands do not have direct flights with Russia. The question immediately arises: how to get to the Caicos and Turks? FromYou can fly to Moscow with a transfer in London, from where flights depart for Providenciales Island, the main tourist center of the state, where the airport is located, which receives all international flights.
Also from Russia you can get through the Dominican Republic or the USA. The approximate cost of tickets for one round trip is 1700-1900 USD.
Visa regime
Citizens of the Russian Federation coming to the Turks and Caicos Islands need a visa, which can be obtained from the British Embassy in Moscow. In some cases, a call for an interview is possible.
Tourist infrastructure
Foreign tourism is the main source of income for the island nation. Despite the fact that the main routes of most cruise lines of the Caribbean Sea lie here, the presence of the largest and most incredibly beautiful coral reef and beautiful beaches, of the entire group of Turks and Caicos Islands in the Caribbean, Providenciales is the only one where the tourist infrastructure is well developed. The rest of the islands are much less tourist oriented, but you can still find hotels and restaurants on them, as well as beautiful beaches for relaxing.
The Turks and Caicos Islands' main tourist destinations will be discussed below, as well as tips and tricks for vacationers.
Providenciales Island
Locals call this island Provo, it is the main tourist center of the state. When choosing a tour to the Turks and Caicos Islands, tourists mostly stop at Provo Island. The attention of vacationers are offerednumerous world-class hotels, shopping centers, casinos, a large number of bars, restaurants and nightclubs.
Most of the resorts of the Caribbean Turks and Caicos Islands in Providenciales are located on the northern coast of the island and are located along the beach in Grace Bay.
The main attraction of the island is the marine national park, which includes several s alt lakes and reefs. Here you can see a large number of waterfowl.
Diving enthusiasts choose Providenciales as their destination for a good reason - the coastal waters are incredibly clear, and the large coral reef, which is home to a variety of marine life, is perfect for diving and snorkeling.
Providenciales Island boasts 22 km of Grace Bay Beach. It has repeatedly been included in the lists of the best beaches in the world. And this is not surprising: the purest azure water, white sand, palm trees growing along the coastline - an ideal place for spiritual relaxation and diving.
An interesting place to visit in Providenciales is the underwater cave of Hole, as well as the only farm in the world where giant king shells are grown, which are an endangered species.
Grand Turk Island
The island wraps around a coral reef, making it an ideal place for snorkeling and a stunning coastline to unwind. The main attraction of Grand Turk iscoral reef, located at a distance of 200 m from the coast. Swimming to the bottom of the reef, you can see how the seabed abruptly goes to a depth of 2.5 km - an incredible sight. Here you can meet sea turtles, whale sharks, rays.
In winter, you can watch humpback whale migrations right from the shores of Grand Turk Island: such experiences will be remembered for a lifetime.
Those who are tired of a beach holiday are invited to visit the town of Cockburn Town. Here you can wander among the colonial buildings and wooden houses that were built at the end of the 19th century. Tourists are interested in the old lighthouse, as well as Gibbs reefs, where fur seals live.
S alt Cay
A small piece of land with only 80 inhabitants is of great interest to tourists. This is due to the fact that windmills, s alt sheds and s alt lakes have been preserved here - characteristic features of the industry of the late 19th century. Tourists call this island an open-air museum. Here you can also see the famous Wanda Last Shoal, which attracts whales and rays due to the huge accumulation of plankton that the marine inhabitants feed on.
South Caicos Island
The smallest island of the archipelago, which attracts drivers from all over the world with a coral reef of incredible beauty. Due to the large differences in depths, the underwater world here is diverse and beautiful. In these waters you can meet a variety of sharks, rays, turtles, dolphins and even humpback whales. Off the east coast of the SouthRocks are located in Caicos, and underwater caves in the reef serve as a habitat for a huge number of fish.
West Caicos
An uninhabited island located at a distance of 8 km from Providenciales. This place is ideal for those who dream of a quiet holiday away from the crowds of tourists and unity with nature. Photos from Caicos Island are incredibly beautiful. In the east, there are beaches that are considered the best in the entire archipelago. The entrance to the sea here is gentle, the depth increases gradually, the water is very clear and has an incredible azure color.
On the West Coast, low limestone cliffs form a huge number of small beaches and secluded coves.
Practically the entire island is surrounded by the coral reef Molassis Reef, which contains the remains of a shipwreck that occurred in 1509. Of great interest is the underwater canyon, where giant sea sponges live, reaching a length of 30 m.
In addition, on the island you can visit the Katherine Lake Sanctuary, where flamingos live.
Middle Caicos
The largest island of the Caicos group attracts tourists with the Conch Bar cave complex and the national park, which are located in the very center of the island. Here you can admire stalactites and stalagmites, as well as underground lakes with the purest water. Once the caves were a sacred place of the Indians, who left a large number of petroglyphs on the walls.
During the selection of a tour to the Turks and Caicos Islands, you will not find offers to relax in the Middle Caicos, as the tourist infrastructure is practically not developed here. There are no entertainment centers, clubs, hotel complexes on the island. Tourists are invited to rest in small boarding houses or guest houses, which contain good-natured and hospitable locals.
North Caicos
One of the most beautiful islands, which is famous for the richest vegetation. Precipitation here is several times more than on other islands, so the flora on the island is more dense and diverse.
North Caicos is famous for its beautiful Whitby Beach. White sand, clear azure water and palm trees make it a heavenly place to relax.
Here you can visit the historic Waits Green plantation, which organizes tours for everyone.
Restaurants
Local cuisine is based mainly on seafood and is a combination of British, Spanish, Indian and Irish traditions.
When you visit the Turks and Caicos Islands, you should definitely try the traditional dish - grits, which is a pea porridge with seafood, shellfish, smoked fish and vegetables.
The most popular drink on the islands is tea, which is brewed in accordance with English traditions - with milk.
Of the alcoholic beverages, only rum is common here. Connoisseurs note that on the islands it has excellent quality and is in no way inferior to the famous Cuban rum.
Must visit is the restaurant "Dora" on the island of Provo, specializing in sea food.
Hotels
There are hotels in the Turks and Caicos Islands for every taste and budget. Tourists with limited funds can stay in small guest houses or in the private sector with local residents who always welcome foreign guests. More demanding travelers can consider 5-star hotels when booking a tour to the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Grace Bay Club is a great option for accommodation. This luxury hotel is considered one of the most romantic in the Caribbean. Each room has its own terrace, which offers an incredible view of the azure sea, snow-white beaches and palm trees. The services provided to guests include a SPA program.
For those who want to relax in a real tropical paradise, the Parrot Cay hotel, located on a previously uninhabited island, is ideal. Vacationers are delighted with untouched nature, exotic plants, tropical birds. You can even see flamingos and hummingbirds. Kilometer-long beaches, the cleanest sea with a coral reef and white sand will not leave anyone indifferent.
Not to mention the amazing Amanyara Hotel. On a vast territory there are unsurpassed villas and pavilion rooms. The hotel has its own diving center. Scuba diving is open to both beginners and professional divers.
Reviews of tourists
Everyone who was lucky enough to rest onTurks and Caicos Islands, they unanimously say that it was the best vacation of their lives. The purest sea, snow-white sand and the unsurpassed beauty of the underwater world will be remembered for the rest of your life. Photos from the Turks and Caicos Islands can be used as a screensaver for your computer desktop.
According to the reviews of tourists, hotel service always remains at a high level. The staff is friendly and knows their duties well. All-inclusive hotels offer a wide range of cuisines.
On the beaches you can always rent a sun lounger and an umbrella, the coastal area is kept in order and clean, the entrance to the sea on most beaches is gentle and ideal for tourists with children.
Summarizing all of the above, it should be noted that the Turks and Caicos Islands in the Caribbean Sea is a place on Earth that everyone should visit.
