Turks & Caicos
Experience the small tropical archipelago nation found south of the Bahamas
About Turks & Caicos
The Turks and Caicos is a tropical Atlantic archipelago that’s located 575 miles (925 kilometers) southeast of Miami, Florida, and 75 miles (120 km) north of the Dominican Republic. The country is a British Overseas Territory with a population of about 30,000 spread over nine inhabited islands. There are about 100 named islands and cays in the Turks and Caicos.
As our country’s name suggests, we have two island groups: the Turks Islands of Grand Turk and Salt Cay to the east, and the larger Caicos Islands archipelago of Providenciales, North Caicos Middle Caicos, East Caicos, South Caicos and West Caicos to the west. The 20 miles (32km) wide and 5000 foot (1.5km) deep Columbus Passage divides the two island groups.
The majority of the population of Turks and Caicos resides on the island of Providenciales. Grand Turk supports the second greatest population, as well as the nation’s capital city of Cockburn Town.
Unlike many Caribbean countries, the Turks and Caicos has one of the lowest annual rainfall averages in the region, and consequently a high percentage of sunny days and great weather.
The islands in the Turks and Caicos are generally quite small, with low-elevation terrain. Drought-resistant tropical dry forest and marine mangrove wetlands make up the majority of vegetation in the country.
Luxury tourism is the primary source of income to the Turks and Caicos. Grace Bay Beach on the island of Providenciales is home to the majority of resorts and hotels in the country.
The Atlantic Archipelago of Turks & Caicos
The Turks and Caicos is found about 80 miles (130 km) north of the Dominican Republic and 30 miles (49 km) east of the Bahamas. Florida is about 560 miles (900 km) northwest.
There are eight main islands in the country, with six of them inhabited, and countless small cays. With an area of 238 mi² (616 km²), the TCI is about double the size of the Florida Keys.
What does “Turks & Caicos” mean?
Caicos was derived from a Taino word, the meaning of which was roughly “archipelago” or “chain of islands”. An early map maker combined the names as a warning to ships traveling in the area, and the title has stuck ever since.
Year Round Beautiful Weather
Weather conditions for the different water sports do vary somewhat throughout the year, yet the air and water temperature is quite constant, with an annual average air temperature range of 75° F to 95° (24° C to 35° C), and an ocean water temperature range of 79° F to 85° (26° C to 29° C).
For most first time visitors, February, March, and April will offer the best combination of weather, prices, and availability.
Late August, September, October, and early November typically have the lowest accommodation and activity rates.
The weather is very consistent throughout the year. The water temperature only changes by a few degrees throughout the year. The main difference is that the period from August through December has higher rainfall averages.
The weather conditions for most activities are great throughout the year. Popular activities such as boat harters, snorkeling, diving, parasailing, kayaking, paddle boarding, and sailing can be enjoyed anytime.
The conditions for wind sports such as kiteboarding and windsurfing are a little more consistent in the winter months.
Whale watching is the only activity that’s truly seasonal, as the migrating humpback whales only make their appearance from late December to early March.
Your Best time to Visit
The main factors to consider when visiting the Turks and Caicos are accommodation prices, hurricanes, and for some of the islands, the presence of mosquitoes.
The Turks and Caicos experiences consistent and beautiful weather year-round, barring the occasional storm. Water and air conditions are never too cold for the beach. The water temperature only changes by a few degrees throughout the year. The main difference is that the period from August through December has higher rainfall averages.