Nothing can prepare you for the dazzling blue waters surrounding Turks & Caicos islands. As your plane slowly descends towards the airport on the main island of Provodenciales and the clouds part to reveal the tapestry of different blues that make up the ocean, you simply stare.
And it’s a feeling you’ll get used to on this chain of Caribbean islands, a short hop from Miami. Turks & Caicos consist of forty islands and cays, only eight of which are inhabited. It is a small place with an unspoilt, undiscovered feel that immediately puts you at your ease. Beauty surrounds you at every turn, if it isn’t the stretches of endless white beach, it’s the stunning interior, the limestone caves or the palm fringed bays.
The locals in T & C live by the laid back Caribbean code dictated by the hot weather – if you are looking for a place where chilling out has been elevated to an art form, this is your kind of place. For a place to relax, check out and unplug, it’s perfection.
Any holiday on T& C will include a visit to Grace Bay Beach. Stretched over twelve miles of pristine sands along the north coast, this globally renowned beach is where much of the action on Provo occurs. Because there is so much beach to go around and there are only 30,000 residents on the islands, the resorts, hotels and condos are not crammed in – the low rise developments are restrained, spread out and low key. Many accommodations open straight out onto the sand, making access to the water at any time a total breeze. From fabulous five star fantasy hotels to relatively cheap and cheerful rentals, there is choice to suit all budgets and tastes. This area also has plenty of good restaurants and bars and there’s even a small casino.
Although still relatively unknown as a tourist destination, Turks & Caicos has enjoyed the celebrity attentions of actors such as Bruce Wills and Alec Baldwin and the designer Donna Karan. So it’s probably a good idea to visit soon, before the trickle of visitors becomes a tide.
The ocean that surrounds T &C is brimful of the most colourful and exotic aquatic life, you will find its temptations hard to resist. Either through snorkelling on wonderful Smith’s Reef, or taking a charter boat for a day’s deep sea fishing Turks & Caicos over-delivers when it comes to sea-going fun. Adrenalin junkies who enjoy the challenge of deep sea fishing Turks & Caicos style may also care to try para-sailing, kite surfing or jet ski rides, all on offer in the islands.
Although exquisitely beautiful, Grace Bay Beach isn’t the only one worth checking out on the islands. Five Cays Beach offers plenty of music and entertainment and in contrast Long Bay Beach is quiet and often empty, except for kite surfers.
Exploration and discovery of the islands is made simple with easy car hire or scooter rentals. If you prefer to pedal yourself, bicycles can be hired and those wanting to travel on horseback can pick from several riding stables.
If you have a taste for something a little wilder, head for Middle Caicos and North Caicos. These are the two biggest islands in the chain but you have to look hard to find busy areas. The island of North Caicos has a famed donkey named Liza who lives in the tiny village of Kew – if you meet the challenge of finding Kew in the first place, that’s only half the battle. Finding Liza the donkey can be hard and searches for her soft, brown charms often sadly fail.
Mudjin Harbour on Middle Caicos has several inlets edged by limestone cliffs and is pretty as a picture. Just as breathtaking is Three Marys Cays Beach on North Caicos, a secret place at the end of a dirt road where the views are stunning and the snorkelling is jaw dropping.
Because many of the cays and islands are free of inhabitants, they make the perfect habitat for wildlife. Birds such as flamingoes, herons and egrets are common sights and thousands of iguanas can be viewed on Little Water cay.
Everybody deserves at least one holiday in paradise, so if you’ve got to narrow it down, choose Turks & Caicos. You can’t go wrong…
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