How many islands turks and caicos

Most of the islands are only about 10 to 25 minutes by air from Provo and most can be reached by boat, too. There are also regular ferries from North to Middle Caicos. Providenciales is the most well known of the Turks and Caicos Islands and is the center of the tourism industry with a wide range of hotels, restaurants, attractions and facilities. Grand Turk is also home to a brand new cruise ship center. Middle Caicos and North Caicos represent the best of the environment, with lush green woodlands, the biggest cave network in the Caribbean on Middle Caicos, cottage pond and flamingo pond in North Caicos and a vast range of plant life and birdlife.

North Caicos is also an up and coming resort destination with several new projects under development. South Caicos is the center for fishing, with lobster and conch exported from the islands, the historic Cockburn harbor and the natural phenomenon of the boiling hole.

Cruise ships dock at the Grand Turk Cruise Center. Triangular in shape, each coastline is barely two miles long and there are fewer than full-time residents. In the s, it boasted a thriving salt industry. Today, Salt Cay is renowned for fabulous whale watching encounters, both in and out of the water, miles of pristine, deserted white sand beaches, small town friendliness, and very fresh local seafood.

This is the perfect island for nature buffs, cyclers, snorkellers and SCUBA divers, and for those who just wish to relax and unwind. Beautiful Salt Cay is a blending of contradictions…old and new, mystery and simplicity, solitude and soli A visit to the historic "White House" is a must!

Virtually undeveloped, the island is surrounded by two miles of the best white-sand beaches in the Caribbean. With no internet and limited telephon Pine Cay's 2. With 1, acres of parklike terrain to explore and a mile-long beach of some of the most beautiful sand in the world, Parrot Cay i Just a 20 minute ferry ride to and from Providenciales Celebrities have private homes here - Bruce Willis, Keith Richards, and more Keep walking along the beach until you walk past North Caicos just across the water Grab a resort bike and explore the island on wheels, check out the banana and coconut plantations.

A stop at Daniel's Cafe for a local lunch experience is a must Don't miss the opportunity to see the Middle Caicos co-op Go with a guide and see the Conch Bar caves. With a population of nearly 23,, Providenciales, or Provo, is the most populated island in the entire territory, so it looms very large.

The name Caicos comes from "caya hico," a Lucayan term meaning "string of islands. The two island chains are separated by the Turks Passage, and the territory is separated from the Bahamas by the Caicos Passage. The name Turks comes from the Turk's cap cactus, which is one of the most prominent and distinctive plants in the region. In terms of topography, the Turks and Caicos - which include eight main islands and nearly smaller ones - are mostly characterized by low, flat limestone terrain.

The interior often includes mangrove swamps and marshes, and the territory boasts nearly square miles of beaches. Fresh water is difficult to come by as there are few lakes, ponds, rivers or streams.

The Turks and Caicos have what is known as a marine tropical climate. Compared with most territories and nations in the Caribbean, the climate is remarkably arid. Temperatures tend to be quite consistent throughout the year, with the summer months from June through November bringing frequent hurricanes and most of the approximately 50 inches of rainfall that occur annually. Temperatures tend to run between the high 80s and low 90s, but low humidity and ongoing breezes make it quite comfortable.

The ocean has an average temperature of 84 degrees. During the winter, from December through May, temperatures run between the high 70s and mids. The ocean has an average temperate of 75 degrees at this time of year. Peak tourism season in the Turks and Caicos runs from January through April, which is mostly because of the high threat of hurricanes during the other half of the year.

Prices tend to surge around the holidays, so keep that in mind when booking a vacation here. The total year-round population of the Turks and Caicos is around 31, people. Of that total, nearly 75 percent live on Providenciales. Only eight of the 30 largest islands are inhabited, with about 4, people residing on Grand Turk; around living on Salt Cay and around 23, living on Providenciales.

Like so many areas in the Caribbean, the Turks and Caicos has a fairly diverse population. In terms of demographics, the population is about 88 percent black and about 8 percent white. The remaining population mostly consists of mixed races and people of East Indian descent. Before traveling to the Turks and Caicos, it pays to have a basic understanding of a few key facts. For instance, the official language is English, which is very convenient for visitors from Canada, the U.

The U. Residents here are largely Christian, with 40 percent of the population identifying as Baptist, 16 percent identifying as Methodist and 18 percent identifying as Anglican.

TCI has a very devout population, so you can expect the local churches to be bustling on Sundays. Most travelers arrive in the Turks and Caicos by air. Providenciales International Airport is the main point of entry, and numerous flights to and from major U. However, some folks arrive on personal vessels as well. Due to the fact that the native population was completely removed from the islands so long ago and that the islands then remained uninhabited for so long, cultural traditions here have largely been borrowed by neighboring countries and territories.

For example, the predominant musical genre, ripsaw, is very similar to rake and scrape music from the Bahamas. This lively music gets its name from the fact that a knife is typically run along the teeth of a saw and is accompanied by instruments like the box guitar, the triangle, the drums and the accordion. If you come to TCI, make sure to take in at least one performance of ripsaw music.

You won't soon forget it! Popular sports in the Turks and Caicos include soccer, sailing, fishing and cricket, which is the official national sport. Hats and baskets made out of straw are among the most popular locally handcrafted items, and they are sold in all of the most populated areas.

Because the original inhabitants of the Turks and Caicos were enslaved and removed from the country by the Spanish, the territory doesn't have much in the way of an official, distinctive cuisine. However, you can expect to run into a few common themes while visiting. Most notable is conch, which is served up in a variety of ways.