The Turks & Caicos Islands Vacation Guide

Turquoise waters, sugary white beaches

The Turks and Caicos Islands are a small British Overseas Territory located just east of the Bahamas, about an hour by air from Miami.

The archipelago is famous for its white-sand beaches, and is surrounded by shallow turquoise waters frequented by dolphins, while humpback whales migrate close to one of the longest barrier reefs in the world.

Find the perfect holiday in the Turks and Caicos Islands

Many visitors travel to the Turks and Caicos Islands to enjoy snorkeling, diving, deep sea fishing and paddling

Others are looking for an unspoiled, private retreat and a glimpse of the Caribbean of the days gone by.

Basic Turks and Caicos Islands information guide

With that in mind, we've prepared this basic Turks and Caicos Islands information guide that includes:

• geography

• weather

• things to do

We’ve also included some hints about where to find the perfect secluded private island getaway in the Caribbean.

For more information, please contact us at: info@meridianclub.com

Where are the Turks and Caicos Islands?

The Turks and Caicos Islands are located just east of the Bahamas, about an hour by air from Miami.

The area consist of 40 islands, or ”cays” that are the remnants of an ancient coral reef.

All that remains is soft, sugary sand.

Provo, the island hub

Providenciales (aka “Provo”) and Grand Turk are home to the majority of the territory’s population

There are also many sparsely islands that feature secluded, pristine beaches surrounded by turquoise water

All this provides a glimpse of Caribbean ecology and traditional way of life.

Sundrenched, turquoise waters

To the south of the archipelago stretches the Caicos Bank, a shallow sun-drenched body of water that is perfect for fishing, sailing or paddling.

To the north, on the leeward side of the islands, lies deeper water and one of the longest barrier reefs in the world.

Weather in the Turks and Caicos Islands

The Turks and Caicos Islands are warm year round.

If you’re coming from the frigid interior of North America, this is the perfect place to plan a winter vacation in the sun.

Trade winds keep things cool

The average temperature ranges between 85 and 90 degrees (29-32 degrees Celsius) from June to October

Constant trade wind keeps the climate at a very comfortable level.

From November to May the average temperature is 80 to 84 degrees (27-29 degrees Celsius).

Warm water temperatures, perfect for swimming

The water temperature ranges from 82 to 84 degrees (28-29 degrees Celsius) in summer, to 74 to 78 degrees (23-26 degrees Celsius) in winter.

Perfect for swimming, splashing and paddling.

350 days of sunshine each year

Each year the Turks and Caicos Islands averages 350 days of sunshine

There is an annual rainfall of 21 inches, falling mostly during hurricane season, from the start of June to the end of November.

The Caribbean’s best beaches

Grace Bay Beach on the island of Providenciales recently received two Travellers' Choice Awards from TripAdvisor:

#1 Beach in the Caribbean

#2 Beach in the world

In 2012, the Turks & Caicos Islands was awarded the title of “World’s Leading Beach Destination”; Grace Bay Beach was voted the #1 Beach & Sun Destination.

“World’s Leading Beach Destination”

In 2012, the Turks & Caicos Islands was awarded the title of “World’s Leading Beach Destination”

Grace Bay Beach was voted the #1 Beach & Sun Destination.

Key Turks and Caicos Islands facts:

The Turks and Caicos Islands consist of 40 islands and cays (pronounced keys)

The territory is 575 miles southeast of Miami (about an hour by plane)

English spoken, American currency accepted

350 days of sunshine each year

Exploring the Turks and Caicos Islands

Providenciales Acting as the gateway to the Turks and Caicos Islands, Providenciales is

the location of an international airport as well as services for the western reaches of the territory.

Provo is home to many luxury resorts, especially along world-famous Grace Bay Beach. Just off the beach lies the popular “Coral Gardens” reef.

Pine Cay

Pine Cay The location of The Meridian Club,

Pine Cay is an 800-acre private island to the east of Provo with two miles of pristine white sand beach.

With just a few homeowners, and limited access to telephone and internet, Pine Cay is one of the only places in the Caribbean where you can get completely away from the pressures of modern life.

Middle Caicos

Middle Caicos Lying to the west of Providenciales and Pine Cay, Middle Caicos is a

sparsely populated cay famous for the largest above-ground network of limestone caves in the Caribbean.

The cay is also known for the Middle Caicos Crossing Place Trail, a path that passes through native terrain with great views of white sand beaches, and which has served as a transport route for nearly two hundred years.

North Caicos

North Caicos North Caicos is the second-largest island in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

North Caicos is the lushest of all the islands due to the abundant rainfall.

The lush tidal flats are home to the largest flock of West Indian Flamingos in the Turks & Caicos Islands.

Whitby Beach, 7 miles of white sand, spans much of the northern coast.

Popular for snorkeling the Three Mary's Cays are also located on this side.

Caicos Bank

Caicos Bank The Caicos Bank is a shallow turquoise body of water that stretches out,

seemingly forever, south of Provo and the cays to the east.

The tidal flats and swamps are perfect habitat for conch and lobsters and, at the southern edge of the bank, a steep drop-off makes for a perfect dive spot.

The Caicos Bank is also a perfect place to go fishing for bonefish, wahoo, or Mahi Mahi.

Activities

Snorkeling and Diving in the Turks and Caicos Islands Grace Bay, Northwest Point, the Channel, West Caicos, French Cay and

Pine Cay all offer fantastic diving in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

In addition to swimming with brilliantly-colored tropical fish, divers and snorkelers can sometimes encounter sea turtles, eagle rays, and even dolphins and Humpback whales.

Dive sites close to Pine Cay

Dive sites close to Pine Cay include Football Field

50 Yard Line (a mini wall dropping to 150 feet with soft corals and sponges and many different types of schooling fish)

Eagle Ray Pass, a more challenging site known for rays and sharks, plus boulder, star and brain corals

The Turks and Caicos Islands flight information

Air Transat Charter flights from Montreal (YUL) to Provo (PLS), Turks and Caicos

American Airlines Daily service from Miami to Provo

Air Canada Daily flights from Toronto (YYZ) to Provo

Bahamas Air Flights from Nassau (NAS) to Provo

Continental Charter flights from Philadelphia (PHL) to Provo

British Air From Heathrow (LHR) to Provo

Delta Airlines Daily flights from Atlanta (ATL) to Provo

JetBlue Charter flights from JFK, Atlanta and Miami

Turks & Caicos Air Frequent trips between Provo and other Caribbean destinations

United Airlines Regular service to Provo from Newark, Philadelphia

US Airways Service from Charlotte (CLT) to Provo

WestJet Regular flights from Toronto to Provo

Turks and Caicos private airport

Pine Cay also features its own private airport

Some guests fly their own planes to the resort

For more information…

For more information on how to enjoy this Caribbean paradise, see:

http://www.meridianclub.com/contact/

This ebook was sponsored by TheMeridian Club, a private island resort in the Caribbean, in the Turks and Caicos Islands.