The British Overseas Territory of Turks and Caicos has 8 main islands, 300 smaller islands, almost all virtually unpopulated. There may be fewer than 50,000 residents, but it punches above its weight as an offshore financial center and a favored Caribbean island destination for travelers by land or sea.
Most people live on Providenciales (nickname: 'Provo'), in the Caicos Islands. Grand Turk is a popular port of call for cruise ships big and small. It may be a British Overseas Territory, but the US dollar is used locally.
All photos: Brilliant Studios
Here are 10 other things to know about the Turks and Caicos:
1. What's in a Name?
The intriguing name refers to the 'Turk's cap' cactus and the local indigenous term 'caya hico' meaning 'string of islands'. Turks and Caicos is southeast of the Bahamas. It is made up of the larger Caicos Islands and the smaller Turks Islands, separated by the Turks Islands Passage.
2. 350 Days of Sunshine a Year
Unlike other islands in the West Indies, Turks and Caicos has few dramatic geographic features. The islands are mostly flat, low, limestone islands with plenty of marshes and mangrove swamps that provided Turks and Caicos with an early, important salt industry. They are also blessed with almost exclusively sunny weather and 130 square miles (320 square kilometers) of beaches. Water is sourced from collected rainfall or desalination.
3. Canada's 11th Province?
Bizarre as it seems, there have been attempts for over a century to incorporate Turks and Caicos as a province of Canada. Canadians historically sourced salt from the islands to pack fish, and these days provide many services from tourism to banking. Canadians are the largest per capita group of overseas visitors, and from their point of view, a province in the sun would balance Canada's winters. A majority of the islands' citizens also endorse the plan. But at the moment, the thought remains just a sunny dream.
4. Conch
Turks and Caicos' primary natural resources these days are shellfish. They harvest Caribbean spiny lobster and other crustaceans, but what's really unique is the only conch farm in the world. ** The sea farm was damaged by recent hurricanes so check in advance if it has re-opened. Visitors to the Caicos Conch Farm can see the process of raising what may be the world's most iconic shellfish, a show with trained conchs, and even conch pearls.
Conch Salad is one of the Caribbean's most authentic dishes. Try some at a local restaurant, or, if you are spending time on your own on the islands, buy some fresh conch and get a recipe to make your own.
5. Island Fish Fry
Hang out with locals and enjoy the best of local cuisine on Thursday evenings in Provo. The Island Fish Fry has local chefs and restaurants showing off their best specialties including lobster, competing recipes for conch salad, crab 'n' rice, lobster mac and cheese and corn on the grill all under the island's starry skies with local bands on stage. Don't miss handmade crafts for sale, 'Henry the Conch', local folklore stories, dance and a 'junkanoo rush' that brings the crowd to their feet.
6. Grand Turk Cruise Center
Coming in on a cruise ship? The island of Grand Turk welcomes cruise guests with a 14-acre, landscaped cruise center complete with a lagoon-like pool, beautiful, direct-access beach, a surfing simulator, private cabanas, the largest Margaritaville by Jimmy Buffet in the Caribbean and other food and beverage facilities, local and duty-free luxury shopping, as well as changing rooms, showers, and lockers. It's the launch point for shore excursions like fishing, snorkeling, whale-watching and more.
7. John Glenn Exhibit
Fans of America's Space program have a special pilgrimage to make: Splashdown Grand Turk. On the south side of the Grand Turk Cruise Center, this free exhibit commemorates the 1962 landing of the Friendship 7 capsule just offshore Grand Turk with replicas of NASA's historic space programs, statue of John Glenn in his spacesuit, and a glimpse into the future of space exploration.
8. Humpback Whales
North Atlantic Humpback Whales make Grand Turk and Salt Cay waters their home for mating and calving from late January through early April. Whale watching trips give you the opportunity to experience the unforgettable sight of whales breeching and playing with their babies. Some tours provide hydrophones to hear the 'songs' of the whales above or underwater. Others also offer diving experiences.
Make sure you use a tour operator with experience and a commitment to ethical whale watching that does not interfere with or disturb these magnificent creatures in their essential breeding grounds.
9. Glass-Bottom Kayaking & Eco Safari
You can explore coastal Grand Turk in a see-through, 2-person kayak through gentle, shallow mangroves and coves. On this tour, you'll see stunning marine life through the bottom of your kayak, and plants, birds and Osprey nests on shore. You'll go ashore for an eco-adventure walk to experience the best of the island's coastline.
10. Conch Bar Caves
This unique attraction involves neither conch, nor a bar. Conch Bar is a village on Middle Caicos with a spectacular secret: one of the largest cave systems in the Caribbean. The 15 miles (24km) of underground caverns with lagoons, stalactites and stalagmites and (harmless) colonies of bats have significant human history in the islands from pre-Columbian times. A National Park encompasses the cave system and the land overhead that is home to rare plants and animals.
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