The Caribbean is a very common destination for the winter traveler. You can almost guarantee warm and sunny weather, a must for the frozen populace of the northern states. Many have at least heard of, if not been to, St. Thomas, Jamaica, and the Bahamas. How about the Turks and Caicos Islands?

This group of islands is southeast of Florida about 600 miles. It is actually a continuation of the Bahamas island chain, geographically speaking, called the Lucayan Archipelago. Even though these islands are all part of the British Overseas Territory, they are separate as far as governing entities.

The Caicos Islands to the north and the Turk Islands to the south are low, flat islands sitting on the edges of 2 large limestone plateaus.  The islands have extensive marshes, mangrove swamps, salt ponds, and 128 square miles of uncrowded beach front. In fact, Providenciales, their largest city, has been named as the world’s best beach destination.  It also contains the longest coral reef in the world, making it a premier diving destination.

The National Parks system has designated areas for animal preservation, including 12 small cays for bird breeding. Some birds that either reside or migrate through the Turks & Caicos are Great Blue Heron, Flamingos, Egret, and Osprey. Several of the smaller and less populated islands harbor the near-extinct Rock Iguana.  In the ocean, Humpback Whales migrate past the islands from December through April. In the summer, the waters are alive with wildlife like turtles, dolphins, and many types of rays.

The weather is usually sunny, warm and dry, ranging from the low 80’s in the winter to the low 90’s in the summer. Usually, they only receive on average 1.5- 2” of rain per month but they are susceptible to hurricanes June to November, as most areas in the Caribbean and Mexico are.

Tourism is very important to this group of islands, comprising 25% of their GNP. Over the last decade, there has been a concerted effort to make these islands a more popular destination. Their typical tourist, at this point, are Canadians. English is the favored language and American dollars are accepted. Airfare to Providenciales averages around $850 per person all year long.

The resorts are upscale, including many high-end privately run resorts (not chains), and a wide assortment of private villas. The resorts costs run from $4,000 to $10,000 per week. There are two “family friendly” all-inclusive resorts that include all of your food and drink for the same price. A 2 bedroom/2 bath condo with pool and beach would go for $500-$1500 per night. Prices vary depending on date and number of people per unit.

They recently built a large new cruise ship port so many of the cruise lines have added it to their ports-of-call. Carnival, Holland America, Princess and a few luxury cruise lines include the Turks & Caicos on selected itineraries.  You would have a full day exploring Providenciales’ many sites and beaches.

Also they have hosted, since 2003, the large Turks & Caicos Musical & Cultural Festival. This week-long event happens in late July through early August and specializes in Gospel, R & B, Hip-Hop, and Reggae music. Many well-known, Grammy winning artists appear here every year.

Some interesting things to do on the island include: visiting a conch farm, examining the ruins of 200 year old cotton plantations, kayaking inland through mangrove swamps, golfing at award winning courses, whale watching boat trips, deep sea fishing for Tuna, Wahoo and Blue Marlin, plus ample opportunities to snorkel or deep sea dive along the coral reef.

This is a not-so-popular or common destination in the Caribbean so it might be worth your while to check it out. If you have questions about the Turks and Caicos Island or any other spot, contact me: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .