These islands are located not far away from the Bahamas and Florida, but despite that fact the Turks and Caicos Islands are an independent archipelago. The islands have become increasingly popular during the last decade. Travellers come there to enjoy relaxing beach rest and world-class diving. Just like many islands of the Caribbean, the Turks and Caicos are not very rich in architectural or historic landmarks, but under the tender sun and in the beautiful setting of the island travelers are unlikely to be interested in visiting museums. Instead, visitors are recommended to explore miles long coral reefs, swim with dolphins and see sunken ships.
The Turks and Caicos Islands are divided into two island groups that are divided by the Turks Passage. Turks Islands consist of Grand Turk and Salt Cay. Caicos Islands are bigger and consist of North Caicos, Middle Caicos, South Caicos, Providenciales and other smaller uninhabited islands.
It’s great to mix beach rest with walking, so travelers are recommended to visit Chalk Sound National Park. The park is mostly known for its amazingly beautiful turquoise colored lagoon. The 5 kilometre wide lagoon features bigger green islands and tiny islets. The Sapodilla Bay Hills Rock Carvings, which is located nearby, is the place where a ship wrecked in 1844. The names of sunken sailors are carved on rocks of the hill.
Turtle Cove, which is located in Turtle Harbor, is a great place to relax and listen to live reggae performances. This is a popular bar that works as a restaurant on the daytime and as a night club at night. The most famous museum on the islands, Turks & Caicos National Museum, is located in Cockburn Town on Grand Turk. Other popular activities include visits to Conch Farm and Salt Cay, and flamingo spotting on North Caicos.
History and Entertainment
The discoverer of the island state is Spanish navigator Juan Ponce de Leon. His team was the first to board the islands in 1512. At that time, the islands were absolutely uninhabited. Despite the fact that the first colonizers setting foot on these lands were Spaniards, the first colonial settlements were established by Britons in the 17th century. They formed large plantations here. In 1766, the archipelago was officially recognized as a British colony. The island country is still under Britain but it has had its own parliament and local government since 1976.
The Turks and Caicos Islands have become a tourist center relatively recently. The most convenient island for travelers is Providenciales. Most of the archipelago islands lack any tourist infrastructure, so they will impress admirers of exotic nature. Fans of recreation in a peaceful atmosphere always have an opportunity to visit one of the calm desert islands. There are open beaches almost on all these islands. It should be also noted that there is the biggest coral reef of the Caribbean located in the coastal waters of the archipelago.
