Turks & Caicos Islands Travel Guide

Former Name

Capital City

Grand Turk

Area Size

The eight main islands and more than 20 smaller islands have a total land area of 616.3 km².

Time Zone

GMT -5 hours

Climate

The average temperature ranges between 29-32 degrees celsius from June to October, sometimes reaching 35 degrees celsius, especially in the late summer months. From November to May the average temperature is 27-29 degrees celsius. Water temperature in the summer is 28-29 degrees celsius and in winter about 23-26 degrees celsius. A constant trade wind keeps the climate at a very comfortable level. There is an annual rainfall of 21 inches on Grand Turk and South Caicos, but as you go further west the average rainfall could increase to 40 inches. In an average year the Turks and Caicos has 350 days of sunshine. Hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30th.

Geography

The two island groups are in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of the Bahamas, north of Hispaniola, and 914 km from Miami, at 21°45′N 71°35′W. The territory is geographically part of the Bahamas, but is politically a separate entity. The Caicos Islands are separated by the Caicos Passage from the closest Bahaman islands, Mayaguana and Great Inagua. The two distinct island groups are separated by the Turks Passage. The Caicos Islands are the larger group, with almost 96 percent of the land area (589.5 km²) and 82 percent of the population (26,584 out of a total of 32,337 in 2006). The spatial arrangement of the islands around the large Caicos Bank (roughly 3700 km²) resembles an Atoll, with the six large islands in the west, north and east, and a few tiny reefs and cays in the south. Four of the six main islands are inhabited, plus two of the smaller islands The Turks Islands are a chain that stretches north-south. The total area is 26.7 km², with an estimated population of 5 753. There are two main islands, both inhabited.

Languages

English (official)

Culture

The original settlers,Taino and Lucayan Indians, left a rich heritage of seafaring, salt raking and farming, which still lingers on today. Words such as “canoe”, Caribbean and “caicos” are derived from the Arawak language.Even the name of the country comes from these earliest inhabitants. Another peculiarity that has been passed down through the generations is a love of shellfish, particularly conch – which is actually available in abundance to this day, thanks to the work of the Caicos Conch farm, the only commercial conch farm in the world. For almost 700 years, the Taino and Lucayan Indians were the sole residents of the islands, settling mainly in Middle Caicos and Grand Turk.They lived peacefully and were skilled in farming, fishing and gardening. They cultivated almost 50 types of plants, some of which can still be found on undeveloped sections of the islands. Shortly after Columbus arrived in 1492, the Lucayan civilization disappeared and the islands remained sparsely populated for about 30 years.During this time, the salt making industry was born. Though the days when the Lucayans fished and sailed the turquoise waters of Turks & Caicos have given way to live-aboard dive boat operators, commercial fishing and off-shore financial services, their gentle temperament and love of nature can still be felt today, after almost 1200 years. Turks & Caicos strictly controll development to protect the islands heritage as a pristine sanctuary for both local residents and tourists to enjoy for the next thousand years. Local bands play anything from reggae, salsa to rake and scrape, all creating relaxing island vibes. With the increase in residents from throughout the Caribbean,the music is becoming more varied with a strong influence from the Dominican Republic.The artists on Turks & Caicos have started to blossom. Much of the art is inspired by the local scenery and marine life, with vibrant colors of the Caribbean. The Middle Caicos Artisans Coop in recent years has brought back the art of woven grass baskets and palm hats made from local plants by local people, of their own design. Building and sailing of the Caicos sloop has recently been revived by the Turks and Caicos Maritime Heritage Federation.

History

Long before Christopher Columbus first set foot on the capital island of Grand Turk during his discovery voyage of the new world in 1492, the islands of the Turks & Caicos were inhabited by Taino and Lucayan Indians. For almost 700 years, the Taino and Lucayan Indians were the sole residents of the islands,settling mainly in Middle Caicos and Grand Turk. They lived peacefully and were skilled in farming, fishing and gardening. Shortly after Columbus arrived in 1492, the Lucayan civilization disappeared and the islands remained sparsely populated for about 30 years. Bermudians came to Turks & Caicos to rake the salt and take it back to Bermuda. In 1706, the French and the Spanish briefly captured the Turks & Caicos Islands from the Bermudians. Four years later the British reclaimed the islands for Bermuda but in subsequent years the place became primarily a haven for pirates and British Loyalists fleeing the American Revolution. Ultimately, Britain retained the island country by the end of the century as part of the Treaty of Versailles. In 1766, after being controlled by the Spanish, French and British, Turks & Caicos became part of the Bahamas colony and was placed under the Bahamian government. Attempts to integrate the two distinct communities failed and in 1874 after “the Great Bahamas Hurricane” devastated much of the chain of islands, the Turks & Caicos Islands became dependencies to the British Crown Colony of Jamaica. The islands were part of the UK's Jamaican colony until 1962, when they assumed the status of a separate crown colony upon Jamaica's independence. The governor of The Bahamas oversaw affairs from 1965 to 1973. With Bahamian independence, the islands received a separate governor in 1973. Although independence was agreed upon for 1982, the policy was reversed and the islands remain a British overseas territory. It was not until the early 1980’s when Club Med Turkoise Resort opened that Turks & Caicos started to become a viable tourist destination.

Travel Information

The Turks and Caicos Islands currently have 2 full service international airports, Providenciales and Grand Turk, and limited entry facilities in North and South Caicos. All other islands have domestic airports except for East and West Caicos, which are uninhabited.Most visitors fly into Providenciales upon entry to the islands and then can easily take a commuter flight to the other islands. It is a modern, full service facility that welcomes dozens of international flights every week from North America, Europe and other Caribbean Islands. It is also the gateway to the rest of the Turks & Caicos Islands. Check the airport web site for up to date flight schedules and route maps. Grand Turk (GDT) is our country's capital and its international airport is served by scheduled daily flights from Providenciales/PLS on Sky King, Air Turks & Caicos and by charter on Global Airways. Flying time is approximately 30 minutes. The airport offers full international entry and departures services, as well as a restaurant/bar, ground transportation, tourist information, and a full-service FBO for private planes. Many visitors arrive to the Turks & Caicos by boat and enjoy our pristine waters. Private boaters are reminded that they must clear customs and immigration upon arrival.The most popular tourism route by sea is aboard one of the dozens of cruise ships that now call on Turks and Caicos. You will arrive at a state of the art cruise ship terminal in Grand Turk and be able to enjoy a wide variety of activites, attractions and shopping. Private boaters can use a number of facilities in Providenciales, most notably the full service Turtle Cove Marina that features extensive docking facilities, fuel, lodging, restaurants, washing facilities, Internet access as well as complete entry facilities. Other marinas in Provo can be found at Leeward Marina , South Side Marina , and Caicos Marina and Shipyard . South Dock is the main entry facility for large commerical boats and cargo.

Accommodation

Throughout the Turks and Caicos Islands you will find a wide variety of accommodations, from comfortable guest houses and inns, to magnificent villas and secluded hideaways, to award-winning luxury hotels and all-inclusive resorts for families. Many hotels and resorts work with dive & tour operators so that hotel and dive packages can be created and tailored to your requirements. Arrangements for golfing, scooter, golfcart, car or bicycle hire can easily be made for you as well as all watersports and excursions. A select number of hotels and resorts offer in-house fitness rooms and spas for ultimate relaxation and well-beng. Mobile services are also available through most properties.

Visa Requirements

Effective January 8, 2007 all US Citizens traveling by air to the Turks & Caicos Islands will be required by the US Government to have a valid US passport. Cruise ship passengers have until June 1, 2009 to meet the requirement. Visitors from Canada may enter without a passport, if they have an original birth certificate (or, a notarized copy) and a photo id (e.g.. Driver's License). Visitors from other countries do require passports, but no visas are necessary except from countries of the former Eastern Bloc. They are advised to contact the nearest British Consulate Office. * All visitors must hold a round trip ticket. * Visitors are allowed to stay for 30 days; this is renewable one time only.

Getting Around

Buses are almost completely unavailable in the islands except on Provo. There you'll find limited city bus routes as well as a tourist charter bus. Bikes, mopeds, and scooters may be rented as well, but only on Provo. Cars can be rented on Provo and Grand Turk. Taxis, on the other hand, are available on every island of the chain, and may be the most common and reliable form of transportation. While ferries may be hard to find, they can be an excellent form of transportation for island hoppers. Head to the marina at Leeward-Going-Through on Provo, or ask around to see what ferries are currently in service. Look into planes for easier island hopping, especially from Providenciales. Prepare yourself for a relaxed vacation, but be ready to use taxis if you leave Provo to visit any other Turks and Caicos Islands.

Health & Safety

There is a small hospital on Grand Turk, and a number of private general practitioners on Providenciales as well as an emergency care facility. All of the other islands have commuinty clinics. Other health services available include: emergency room, dental, chiropractic, physiotherapy, optometry, pharmacy, X-ray, ultrasound, recompression chamber and air ambulance service. We strongly recommend that you obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling. This should include suitable cover for medical evacuations.You should seek medical advice before travelling and ensure that all appropriate vaccinations are up to date. The overall crime rate in the Turks and Caicos Islands remains low. The level of crime on Providenciales (the country’s tourist and economic hub) is higher than on the other islands. Most crime tends to involve incidents of opportunistic burglary and theft. We strongly advise you to safeguard your possessions irrespective of which island you visit and to take normal precautions to ensure your personal safety. You should avoid carrying large amounts of cash and other valuables and take particular care to safeguard your passport, as this cannot be replaced locally. Use hotel safety deposit facilities to safeguard passports and valuables.

National Holidays

Fixed dates: 1 Jan (New Year's Day) 12 Jun (Turks & Caicos Constitution Day) 25 Dec (Christmas Day) 26 Dec ( St Stephen's Day, Boxing day) Varied dates: 6 Apr (Good Friday) 9 Apr (Easter Monday) 28 May (Commonwealth Day) 6 Aug (Emancipation Day) 8 Oct (Columbus Day) 22 Oct (International Human Rights Day)

Currency

U.S. Dollar (USD)

Electricity

110V A & B

Working Hours

Business hours are generally Mon-Fri 0800-1300 and 1400-1630.

Emergency Numbers

ambulance/fire/police 999/911