How many turks and caicos islands are inhabited

Duty free goods that may be brought in to the Islands include: 50 cigars, cigarettes, 1. There are no restrictions for travelers on the import of cameras, film or sports equipment, except spear guns and Hawaiian slings. To bring in firearms of any type including spear guns and Hawaiian slings , you must have written approval from the Commissioner of Police. Controlled drugs and pornography are illegal.

Visas are necessary from some countries of the former Eastern Bloc. They are advised to contact the nearest British Consulate Office. All visitors must hold a round trip ticket. Visitors are allowed to stay for 30 days; this is renewable one time only. For luggage restriction, individual airlines should be consulted. Health services provided at the centres include: emergency care, dental, dialysis, internal medicine, surgical, orthopedic, obstetric and endoscopic procedures, physiotherapy and diagnostic imaging.

Tele — medicine is also currently being introduced to improve inter island healthcare delivery. Providenciales also has a number of private general practitioners and all of the other islands have community clinics. Tourism Guide to Protect our Islands. Book Now. Newsletter Stay up-to-date. First Name. Last Name. You can unsubscribe anytime. Skip to content.

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Telephone Service. The most common dishes enjoyed by locals include boilfish and grits, which is often served for breakfast, boilfish and johnnycake and peas and hominy. Not that long ago, the average number of annual visitors to TCI hovered around 87, That number has soared of late, with more than , visitors in This surge largely has to do with the fact that many cruise lines now include the Turks and Caicos as a port of call.

In , more than cruise ships paid visits to the islands. Most of them arrived at the Grand Turk Cruise Terminal, a state of the art facility with a variety of dining, shopping and entertainment options. Most vacationers choose TCI for its beaches, but the territory is also world-renowned for its amazing diving due to the fact that it has the third largest coral reef system in the world. You can take your pick from the usual array of options when it comes to getting around the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Rental cars are readily available, but you can also rent bicycles, jeeps, motor scooters and even boats in the more populated areas. Taxis are ubiquitous in population centers like Cockburn Town, and many drivers pull double-duty as tour guides as well.

This is a great way to get an insider's view of the local area, so be sure to ask which taxi companies offer this service. It should come as no surprise that the most popular activities in the Turks and Caicos revolve around the water.

Since the s, scuba diving has been wildly popular in the region. The most popular areas to scuba dive are off Grand Turk, South Caicos and Salt Cay, but numerous other sites are scattered around the islands. West Caicos Marine National Park is also a very popular diving location.

The coral reefs of these islands are truly stunning, and divers encounter huge schools of fish, gray reef sharks, nurse sharks, turtles, octopuses, eagle rays, gray reef sharks and all kinds of other critters. In addition to diving and snorkeling, popular activities in the Turks and Caicos include sailing, parasailing, gambling, golfing, shopping, dining and fishing.

Some of the most populated areas boast amazing spas and salons too. For being such a laid-back place, there's really never a dull moment in the Turks and Caicos. You can just as easily spend your entire vacation lounging on a gorgeous beach as you could keep busy with all kinds of fun activities. Either way, it pays to be familiar with the most popular attractions on the islands, and you can take your pick from a nice assortment of options. Some of the most popular include:.

You can take your pick from the usual array of accommodations in the Turks and Caicos. Lately, a few very upscale private resorts have been developed on uninhabited islands.

Parrot Cay is, without a doubt, the most popular and well-known of them all. Pine Cay is another example, and it really stands out with its gorgeous, 2. Of course, you don't have to splurge on a high-end, all-inclusive resort while visiting the Turks and Caicos.

Providenciales, in particular, is home to numerous lovely hotels that are positioned right on the beach. However, small inns and other locally owned and operated motels are par for the course here, and it's where most visitors stay. Quaint and personal, these inns offer a nice, relaxing change from the usual Caribbean resort lifestyle. Whether you opt for an inn, a luxury hotel or an upscale resort, you can expect to find condo-style accommodations complete with a full kitchen and other amenities.

If you're planning a trip to the Turks and Caicos, odds are that you intend to spend most of your time on or near the water. Still, it's nice to have a basic understanding of the local history of a vacation destination, and the TCI's is colorful, indeed.

The islands' original inhabitants were Taino people, an indigenous group that was later joined by Lucayan people. The first documented European sighting happened in , when Juan Ponce de Leon of Spain first happened upon the group. Spain proceeded to enslave the Taino and Lucayan people and brought them over to nearby Hispaniola.

As a result, the Turks and Caicos were essentially uninhabited from through the end of the 17th century. Control of the islands has changed hands numerous times, with Spain, France and Britain being the primary occupiers. However, the first European settlement didn't happen until , when British Loyalists fled the United States following the revolution. For a while, the Turks and Caicos were annexed to the Bahamas by the British. The Turks and Caicos make up the other part of the Lucayan Archipelago.

This British Overseas Territory is made up of around 40 islands and cays; 12 of them are inhabited. The name of the territory comes from Grand Turk Island and Providenciales, which is otherwise known as Caicos. The official currency of the Turks and Caicos is the U. Though English is the official language, Haitian creole and Spanish are widely spoken too.

The country enjoys a warm, pleasant climate. Compared with many Caribbean islands, it is remarkably arid, and an average of only around 50 inches of rain falls per year.

The majority of the precipitation occurs during the summer months, which is also the danger zone for hurricanes. Most people visiting Turks and Caicos arrive via cruise ship or plane. If you fly into the country, you will likely arrive at Providenciales International Airport, which is near the capital city of Cockburn Town. The islands are crammed with fun things to see and do, including casinos, scuba diving, sailing, birdwatching, whale watching and golfing.

The cuisine is eclectic, and rum punch is the drink of choice. A vacation in the Turks and Caicos can be anything you want it to be. As one gets farther from the tourism center of Provo, the island terrains becomes remote and wild.

Dickish Cay and Joe Grant Cay have unbelievable beaches. East Caicos hides Karst caves and sinkholes. Our last island to the west, West Caicos is a perfect destination for a boat trip, as it features ocean cliffs great for jumping off of! There are fewer islands in the Turks Island group of our archipelago.

Grand Turk and Salt Cay are inhabited, and there are several secluded and scenic little cays. Gibbs Cay is a stingray sanctuary, Cotton Cay once had a cotton plantation and feral goats for a while as well! The remaining Caicos cays tend to only be visited by custom charters or on kayak or stand up paddle board tours. One of the cave systems on the uninhabited East Caicos. South Caicos. Grand Turk. Salt Cay. Travel Info.