Wade’s Green Plantation

North Caicos

4 star rating by Visit Turks and Caicos Islands

Wade’s Green is the best-preserved historical plantation ruin in the Turks and Caicos Islands and is a fascinating site to see when visiting North Caicos. We recommend that you visit this historical if you have the time.

Visiting and Admission

Wade’s Green Plantation historical site is managed by the Turks and Caicos National Trust and is typically opened on weekdays from 9:30-11:30 in the morning and from 2:30-4:00 in the afternoon.

Admission and 30 minute tour is $10 per person.

Tickets and a printed guide are available for purchase at the TCI National Trust office nearby in the village of Kew. No restrooms, shop, or office is onsite. For inquiries, information and Saturday entry, contact the North Caicos branch of the Turks and Caicos National Trust at +1 (649) 232 6284.

Grand Turk Lighthouse

Grand Turk

4 star rating by Visit Turks and Caicos Islands

Built in 1852, this lighthouse is Grand Turk’s most famous landmark and is the only lighthouse in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

In the early 19th century, many ships wrecked off the northern coast of Grand Turk, and it reached a point that shipping firms (primarily the US and Bermudian) and the UK and US Governments insisted that a lighthouse is built to aid in navigation.

The lighthouse is no longer operational.

The Attraction Today

The grounds of the Grand Turk Lighthouse are open for visitors. There’s a $3 (2017) admission charge per person for entry, yet some tours may include admission as part of a package.

There’s a small snack and gift shop in the old light-keepers house and a scenic coastal path that leads along the top of the marine limestone cliffs of the coastline.

Directly adjacent to the east of the lighthouse are the ruins of the 1950s era U.S. Navy NAVFAC 104 base. Although not an official tourist attraction, this site is nevertheless interesting.

The cute and hardy Turk and Caicos donkeys can usually be seen wandering in this region of Grand Turk.

Cockburn Town

Grand Turk

4 star rating by Visit Turks and Caicos Islands

Found on the central west side of Grand Turk, Cockburn Town is a small coastal settlement and the capital city of the Turks and Caicos Islands.

The town is named after Sir Francis Cockburn, then governor of the Bahamas in the early 1800s. Cockburn Town is the oldest permanent settlement in the country, having been initially settled by sea salt producers from the Bermuda.

Exploring Cockburn Town

As the oldest town and the centre of government in the Turks and Caicos, Cockburn Town definitely has the most character of all of the settlements in the country.

The historical part of Cockburn Town is not extensive. It mainly follows the coastline for about 1 mile (1.6 kilometres), with the majority of sights on either Queen Street or Front Street, both of which run parallel to the beach. Access to the beautiful Cockburn Town Beach can be found at many spots along both of these roads and off of Duke Street.

When exploring Cockburn Town, we recommend starting at Duke Street on the southern end of the town and heading north along this coastal road. You’ll mainly see quaint vacation villas, and a few small inns and restaurants.

After about half a mile, Duke St merges into Queen Street, which fronts the ocean. After a short distance, Queen Street becomes Front Street at some indiscernible point. Many of what used to be the important government and social buildings in the Turks and Caicos stand along Queen Street and Front Street.

Next to Her Majesty’s Prison and at the northern end of Front Street, small outdoor gift and souvenir stalls can found.