Right about now you are dreaming of warmer weather and perhaps, sun, sand and surf. Wouldn’t a trip to somewhere tropical with crystal clear waters, terrific cuisine and fun activities be just what the doctor ordered? Well, I think Turks and Caicos is the perfect remedy for your winter blues!
Visitors are drawn to Turks & Caicos’ promise of sand, sun and an extremely relaxing atmosphere, especially on Providenciales. But thrill-seekers can also find some great diving sites, like the limestone swimming “Hole” or Middle Caicos Caves as well as hiking and water sports in Chalk Sound and Mudjin Harbour. Sightseeing is also pretty good on Grand Turk and a visit to the Turks & Caicos National Museum national museum is a must. While the nightlife is not quite like that of neighboring Caribbean islands; it is the serene relaxing vibe that draws tourists. Grab a drink and enjoy a beach bonfire, it’s a fabulous way to unplug and enjoy the Turks and Caicos way of life. And for the best place to stay, be sure to check out Turks and Caicos rentals.
With the most pristine, turquoise water and beach in the world, it’s no surprise that most of the activities in Turks and Caicos and things to do in Providenciales revolve around the ocean and beach. Scuba Diving, snorkelling tours, kayaking eco-tours and boat charters are great ways to make your stay memorable.
Turks and Caicos is an archipelago of 40 low-lying coral islands in the Atlantic Ocean, a British Overseas Territory southeast of the Bahamas. The gateway island of Providenciales, known as Provo, is home to expansive Grace Bay Beach, with luxury resorts, shops and restaurants. Scuba-diving sites include a 14-mile barrier reef on Provo’s north shore and a dramatic 2,134m underwater wall off Grand Turk island.
The Turks and Caicos Islands, hiding at the southern tip of the Bahamian Archipelago, elude most travelers’ radars. Yet this sparsely populated string of low sand cays boasts some of the world’s most spectacular coral reefs, and has built itself into a true luxury-tourism destination. The pace of life is easygoing, the local welcome genuine and the diving truly out of this world.
Providenciales is the bustling epicenter of all this, but beyond its endless beaches and world-class resorts, you’ll find local festivals, jungle-wrapped ruins, perfect seaside bars and even traces of Europe’s first discovery of the New World. Encompassing virtually the entire west coast of Grand Turk, the Columbus Landfall National Park marks the very spot where its namesake explorer is thought to have first set foot on the lands of the New World way back in the 1400s.
Make a stop at Cheshire Hall located in Providenciales. It is home to 200 year old ruins of a former cotton plantation. However, while the history is fascinating, most people today head here for the natural wonders that abound.
Venture to the less populated islands, and you’ll be enchanted by colorful postcards of fading colonial glories, gobsmacked by the annual migration of thousands of humpback whales, spoiled with your pick of deserted beaches and all but forced to abandon the pace of modern life.
Nowhere is better than the underwater reaches of the Landfall National Park either, which descend deep into the ocean with steep coral walls, offering up a montage of manta rays and lionfish, multi-coloured tropical species and colossal sponges.
This is where most will opt to do their PADI qualification, and there are oodles of outfitters on offer in nearby Cockburn Town. For expert divers, Turks & Caicos is a mecca for their walls: the islands lie right on the edge of two undersea mountaintop plateaus with steep walls throughout. Closer to shore than almost any dive site anywhere, you can swim along the edge of an awe-inspiring abyss, staring into the dark where the ocean floor drops off rapidly to as deep as 7000 feet.
But really, the biggest draw for global visitors are the beaches! Thanks to the third largest coral system in the world, Turks and Caicos has beautiful, clean beaches. The water is a magnificent turquoise with soft white sand.
Grace Bay Beach in Providenciales is the most well-known beach and home to many of the most luxurious hotels. Snorkeling and scuba diving are common past times on the island and attract many visitors.
Visit Chalk Sound for snorkeling, amazing water views and sunsets. Smith’s Reef and Bight Reef are also popular snorkeling locations. There are many other attractions including Humpback whales that can be seen on Grand Turk Island from January through April.
Turks and Caicos is also the home to wonderful wildlife. If you are a bird watcher this is also the place for you. The salt ponds and marshes are home to over 170 species of birds on Turks and Caicos. Take a “glow worm cruise.” These cruises are planned 3-6 nights after the full moon when the marine worm “Odontosyllis” performs a mating ritual in which the female worm releases eggs then swims to the surface emitting a pale, green luminescence.
Keep in mind that Turks and Caicos has a relatively flat terrain so you will not find mountains, cliffs, jungles or waterfalls. This is important for the land adventure traveler vs. the water soaked beach traveler.
The Healthy Voyager, aka Carolyn Scott-Hamilton, is the creator and host of The Healthy Voyager web series, site, and overall brand. An award winning healthy, special diet and green living and travel expert, holistic nutritionist, plant based vegan chef, best-selling cookbook author, media spokesperson, sought after speaker, consultant and television personality, Carolyn Scott-Hamilton is a respected figure in the world of healthy lifestyle and travel as well as special diet cooking and nutrition. The Healthy Voyager aims to help people live well, one veggie at a time!
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Right about now you are dreaming of warmer weather and perhaps, sun, sand and surf. Wouldn’t a trip to somewhere tropical with crystal clear waters, terrific cuisine and fun activities be just what the doctor ordered? Well, I think Turks and Caicos is the perfect remedy for your winter blues!
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