|
Turks & Caicos Vacations; Hotel Resorts, Romantic Honeymoon Vacation Deals
Want to discover a fabulous spot that has yet to become hot? Try the Turks and Caicos, so far from popular, you'll wonder if the world will ever discover them. Anyone who has found the Turks and Caicos has probably gone there for the diving, snorkeling or fishing. Those who want to delve into the undersea world-and want little else-will find this a wonderful travel destination. Those who don't, and who are looking for lush island scenery or who can't appreciate a very slow-paced island atmosphere, should spend their vacation somewhere else.
There are two great reasons that the seas surrounding the Turks and Caicos are such a draw: First, the coral reefs found off most of the islands harbor a rich variety of marine life, from grouper to manta rays. The other reason is the Turks Island Passage, the 7,000-ft-/2,100-m-deep channel that separates the Turks island group from the Caicos group. The sheer drop-off is considered one of the finest diving destinations in the Caribbean. Above sea level, the islands tend to be dry, sunny and very relaxed: The principal activity seems to be hanging out in the watering holes along the beach. It's a pleasant place-we've truly enjoyed our visits-but before you go, make sure you have a solid understanding of what's there and what isn't. The islands' earliest inhabitants were Tainos (also called Lucayans), descendants of South American Arawaks who arrived by canoe from Hispaniola, Haiti and Cuba nearly 200 years before Columbus showed up.
There are theories that it was Grand Turk-not San Salvador in the Bahamas-where Columbus first set foot in the New World. However, most history books credit Ponce de Leon as being the first European to sight Grand Turk (in 1512). During the 16th and 17th centuries, pirates frequented the islands and used them as a base for raiding treasure ships that passed through. Many ships also fell to the treacherous Caicos Banks, the area where the deep waters of the Turks Island Passage suddenly become very shallow. Early settlers, many from Bermuda, came for whaling and salt production. The Caicos Islands were settled after the American  Revolution by colonial loyalists, who brought slaves with them and set up cotton plantations.
The two island groups-the Turks and the Caicos-were united by Britain in 1848 for administrative purposes. They were put under the rule of Jamaica in 1959, but reverted back to direct rule from London in 1962. Today the islands are a British Crown Colony presided over by a governor appointed by the Queen of England. The colony consists of 40 islands, islets and quays (pronounced keys). Of them, only eight are uninhabited: North Caicos, Middle Caicos, South Caicos, Grand Turk, Parrot Cay, Pine Cay, Salt Cay and Providenciales (also called Provo). Grand Turk, Salt Cay and South Caicos get little rain: The terrain is covered with cactus, thony  scrub, low trees and crabgrass. The northern islands are greener. With its many remote islands, Turks and Caicos has been long been a haven for smugglers, and the country's former chief minister was implicated in drug smuggling in the mid 1980s. Most believe the situation has improved since that time, though others claim there has been a resurgence in trafficking in recent years. Whatever the case, there have been no reports of travelers facing any danger due to smuggling. Other crime is also rare, though, as with any destination, common sense should always be exercised.
Thank you for visiting theTurks and Caicos Vacations, Turks and Caicos Hotels, Luxury Resorts, Turks and Caicos Travel Packages guide.
|
