Turks and Caicos Archipelago. Luxury holidays in Turks and Caicos

If you have ever thought about a holiday on the islands, where sunny summer reigns all year round, where warm blue waves gently wash the white sandy beaches, That best place than the Turks and Caicos Islands, you simply cannot find it anywhere on the globe.

More than 30 islands and small coral reefs that make up the Turks and Caicos archipelago lie in the basin Atlantic Ocean and are an extension of the Bahamas. The permanent population and staff live only on a few of the largest islands: Grand Turk, Providenciales, Salt Cay, Pine Cay, Parrot Cay, South Caicos, North Caicos , Middle Caicos. The largest city and capital is the city Cockburn Town located on the island Grand Turk, and most popular resort Turks and Caicos is rightfully considered Providenciales Island.

The islands were discovered in 1512 by Spanish conquistador Juan Ponce de Leon, who would discover Florida a year later. In the 17th century, salt was found here - the most valuable product of that time - so Great Britain entered into a struggle with Spain for ownership of the islands, and already in 1766 Turks and Caicos became an official colony of Great Britain. Currently, the Turks and Caicos Islands have the status of a British Overseas Territory, governed by an Executive Council headed by a Governor.

About 90% of the indigenous population of the islands are representatives of the Negroid race (descendants of black slaves brought to the islands by the British in the 17th century to work on plantations), the rest are mulattoes and whites (Americans, British and Canadians who have real estate and business on the islands).

The main income for the islands comes, of course, from tourism, but Turks and Caicos is also an offshore zone and an important fishing center, supplying lobsters and shellfish to the best restaurants in the United States.

The islands have all the conditions for a luxurious holiday: upscale hotels and restaurants, casinos and nightclubs, magnificent beaches and picturesque coral reefs, golf clubs, tennis courts, etc.

Capital	Cockburn Town
Population	46,400 people (2012)
Population density	75 people/km 2
	English
Religion	Baptistism, Anglicanism, Methodism and other directions of the Protestant Church
Form of government	constitutional monarchy, British overseas territory
	U.S. dollar
Timezone	UTC-5 (in summer UTC-4)
International dialing code
Domain zone
Electricity	120V 60Hz (US flat plug)

Climate and weather

The climate on the islands is of a tropical marine type, so you can relax here with pleasure at any time of the year. In the hottest months, which usually fall in July-August, the average air temperature is +29...+32 °C, rising on some days to +35 °C. January is considered the coldest month, but even at this time the air is warmed up to +26 °C. All year round, the sea water temperature does not fall below +23...+29 °C - depending on the season. Most often the weather here is sunny, dry, but hurricanes sometimes occur in summer and early autumn, so the most favorable period for visiting the Turks and Caicos archipelago is from November to May.

Nature

All the islands of the archipelago have a flat landscape, with swampy lowlands found in some places. The coastal strips of many islands are occupied by mangroves, which are home to thousands of waterfowl. Vegetation in resort areas is represented by coconut palms and all kinds of flowering shrubs. In some places, small strips of pine forests, extremely rare for these latitudes, have been preserved. In desert areas you can only see cacti and rare stunted bushes. But in the sea, life is really in full swing, because almost every island of the archipelago is surrounded by coral reefs, in which a variety of representatives of warm waters live and hunt Caribbean Sea. On some not inhabited islands there is still a small population of the rarest species of masked iguana living in wildlife only in this place. If you are in the Turks and Caicos Islands between January and April, you can witness global migration humpback whales, which can be observed even from the shore.

On the island of Providenciales you can visit Chalk Sound National Park, which is a shallow lagoon with many rocky islands.

Attractions

Turks and Caicos has virtually no traditional architectural landmarks. Almost all tourists are shown the remains of the once prosperous cotton plantation Cheshire Hall, built at the beginning of the 19th century, organized an excursion to a farm of shellfish of the species Strombus gigas, which is a delicious delicacy, as well as to the largest limestone caves in the Caribbean. The history of the islands from the day of their discovery in the 15th century by Spanish sailors to the present day is told in the exhibitions of the National Museum of Turks and Caicos.

Nutrition

In local restaurants you can hardly try real traditional cuisine islands. All establishments offer an international menu with the greatest influence from British culinary traditions.

You should prefer seafood delights to meat dishes in Turks and Caicos. The main side dishes are corn, peas and rice.

IN compulsory program All vacationers on the islands include a tasting of the most popular dish here, grits, which is a not very attractive-looking mixture of vegetables, seafood and meat mixed with pea porridge. Among other culinary offerings, it is worth trying the special whelk fish soup, shellfish soup, peas with fish, peas with meat and rice.

The best way to quench your thirst is traditional English tea with milk or cream, which can be ordered in literally every establishment. Various juices and sweet thick syrup are also sold everywhere. grenadine. Among alcoholic drinks it is worth noting rum And rum punch, prepared with the addition coconut rum.

Accommodation

On the Turks and Caicos Islands you can find 3, 4 and 5 star hotels, as well as luxury villas and private apartments.

The minimum cost of living in a 3-star hotel is $50, in a 4-star hotel – $170, in a 5-star hotel – $565. Renting a small 2-bedroom villa on the coast will cost approximately $400 per day. An apartment for 4 people will cost at least $200. The most high prices for accommodation in hotels located on small private islands. Of the large islands, Providenciales is considered the most expensive.

Entertainment and relaxation

The main goal of all vacationers on the Turks and Caicos Islands is to have a lot of fun on the local white sandy beaches, which fall into the top ten best beaches world in ratings conducted by organizations and publications from various countries. On local beaches you can sunbathe and swim in warm sea waters, go diving or snorkeling, windsurfing or yachting. All beaches are well equipped and quite deserted (there are never any problems finding free sun loungers), and they are all free. If the hotel is located on the seashore, then at the entrance to the beach there are towels for free use.

Most hotels are equipped with swimming pools, tennis courts, golf courses, spa centers, gyms, etc.

Lovers of active nightlife will easily find a place where you can spend a wonderful evening: nightclubs, bars, casinos, beach parties, etc.

Purchases

On all inhabited islands you will find modern supermarkets and shopping centers where you can buy everything you need, but the price level is quite high.

As for souvenirs, in addition to all kinds of magnets and mugs, tourists are attracted to products made from shells of all shapes and sizes. The largest selection of shells is presented in the shop at the shellfish farm.

Transport

You can get to Turks and Caicos by airline British Airways(from Moscow only with a transfer in London and a technical stop in Nassau in the Bahamas - the journey takes 16 hours). It is possible to fly via New York, Toronto or Miami, but the travel time takes more than a day. The cost of round trip tickets ranges from $900 to $4,300, depending on the number of transfers, travel time and class. International airports providing a full range of services are available on the islands Grand Turk And Providenciales. There are domestic airports on all inhabited islands of the archipelago. Ferries operate between the islands. The cost of the crossing is from 25 to 40 $ (travel time is approximately 30 minutes).

Many cruise ships make a stop on the island of Gran Turk.

total length highways of all the islands of the archipelago taken together is about 120 km, and only a little more than 20% of them have hard surfaces. As the islands are a British Overseas Territory, traffic drives on the left.

Everywhere in airports and sea ​​ports However, as on the streets, you can use taxi services (from $2 per mile for 1 person). In addition, taxi drivers are almost the best guides. It is better to negotiate the cost before the start of the trip. You can also catch a private bus (jitney), which does not operate on certain routes. Prices are set by the driver at his own discretion.

If you are over 21 years old, driver license and credit card Grand Turk and Providenciales you can rent a car, SUV or scooter. The rental cost ranges from 50 to 80 $ excluding tax of 15 $ (for a scooter - 5 $).

Connection

Pay phones that support international calls are located in shops, restaurants, banks and other public places. The phones work using Lime magnetic cards, which can be purchased at tobacco kiosks, directly at the company's offices or in supermarkets. The cost of calls ranges from $0.3 to $0.4 per minute. The cheapest way to make calls abroad is by World Talk cards. Occasionally there are pay phones that work with Master Card, Visa, American Express and Discover credit cards. To get in touch, dial 1 800 744 7777 and then follow the instructions.

Mobile communications on the islands are provided by 3 operators: Lime, Digicel and Islandcom Telecommunications ($0.35 per minute for calls abroad).

The Lime operator has special tariffs designed for tourists: Anywhere Talk 100 ($20), Anywhere Talk 250 ($50), Anywhere Talk 500 ($90) - they include, respectively, 100, 250 and 500 free minutes to anywhere in the world.

The Digicel operator (per-second billing) also offers a number of tariffs designed specifically for calls abroad: digiWorld 160 ($40) - 160 included minutes, 50 SMS (account must have at least $100), digiWorld 320 ($80) - 320 included minutes, 100 SMS (account must have at least $100), etc.

All mobile operators offer Internet connection (approximately $50 per 1 GB of traffic). IN largest cities You can find The Computer Guy Internet cafe and CompTCI Internet kiosks.

Free Wi-Fi or wired internet in public area and rooms are provided by all hotels.

Safety

When going on vacation to one of the islands of the archipelago, you can be confident in your safety, since neither pickpocketing nor fraud is common on the islands. But basic caution and concern for the safety of personal belongings will never hurt.

The main danger is represented by fairly frequent summer hurricanes.

You should also take certain precautions when swimming and diving. You can only swim between the reef and the shore, since many poisonous and predatory fish and other dangerous inhabitants of the ocean (moray eels, barracudas, stingrays and jellyfish). Also, outside the safe zone, as a rule, the depth increases sharply and strong ocean currents are observed.

You cannot drink tap water; it is recommended to use boiled water even for brushing your teeth. It is advisable to peel fruits. You should also worry about vaccinations in advance.

Business climate

Officially, the Turks and Caicos Islands are an offshore zone, and this status implies a lot of privileges for doing business (asset protection, tax minimization, ease of registration and business management, etc.). However, due to their strong dependence on the UK, they are not very popular among investors, since many of the conditions characteristic of independent offshore zones are not met here. First of all, this concerns confidentiality and anonymity, speed of registration, tax avoidance and lack of reporting. Hiring process foreign workers It takes several months to register a business on the islands and costs the company tens of thousands of dollars.

The local government is making every effort to create more favorable conditions on the islands for doing business. In particular, the issue of introducing VAT on the islands (11%) is being resolved in a strict manner, because local authorities, unlike the British government, believe that this tax will have an extremely negative impact on tourism. VAT is planned to be introduced on April 1, 2013. It would replace the domestic financial services tax, hotel and restaurant accommodation tax, communications tax, insurance premium tax and stamp duty on vehicle rentals.

Real estate

Almost all real estate in Turks and Caicos is owned by wealthy British (30%), Americans (30%) and Canadians (30%). The price of 1 m2 of apartments starts from $5,000, houses - from $4,000, and has a constant upward trend. When you buy property on the islands, you receive 100% ownership of both the building and the land. If the value of the property exceeds $500,000, the owner automatically receives a residence permit, and after 5 years can apply for a British Overseas Passport. The real estate offer in Turks and Caicos includes apartments in luxury residential complexes, often equipped with moorings for deep-sea yachts, and luxury villas by the sea with their own pier.

The purchase, sale or rental of real estate on the islands is carried out through specialized companies, so the personal presence of the investor is not even required to carry out these operations.

Walking along city streets in beach or sportswear is unacceptable, since the islanders are quite scrupulous about their appearance and, accordingly, the appearance of visitors. Clothing on the islands is the main attribute of a person’s social status. Despite the hot daytime weather, it is advisable to take a couple of long-sleeved sweaters with you in order to calmly walk along the embankment on cool evenings, and also to avoid catching a cold when entering rooms with full-scale air conditioning. It wouldn’t hurt to have an extra cocktail or evening dress in your suitcase, which is mandatory for some restaurants.

Tips in restaurants are 15% of the cost of the check, but you should pay attention to whether they are already included in the total amount. In hotels it is not customary to tip service staff.

On almost all beaches there is a ban on sunbathing in the nude and even topless.

There are a number of restrictions on the import/export of certain goods and personal items from/to the territory of the islands of the archipelago. The list of items prohibited for import into Turks and Caicos includes narcotic drugs, any pornographic products and weapons, including those for spearfishing. It is prohibited to export more than 2 liters of wine or 1.13 liters of other alcoholic beverages, more than 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars.

When leaving the island, everyone is forced to pay a $35 airport tax.

Credit cards are accepted everywhere (even in taxis), but it is always worth carrying some cash with you.

Visa information

Citizens of the Russian Federation and others CIS member countries To visit the islands of the Turks and Caicos archipelago, a visa is required, which can be obtained from any UK Visa Application Centre. To obtain a visa, the following documents are required:

a standard form filled out in English;

a foreign passport with at least one free page for a visa, valid for the entire duration of your stay on the islands;

a copy of the passport page with the owner’s personal data;

1 color photograph measuring 3.5x4.5 cm;

copies of tickets in both directions;

confirmation of financial solvency;

certificate from place of work;

hotel reservation;

consular fee of $83 (payable either at the cash desk Visa Application Center, or using a credit card if the application is completed online).

The visa processing period can take from 10 to 20 days.

Citizens with a residence permit of the UK, Canada or the USA, as well as valid visas to these countries, a visa is not required for Turks and Caicos.

The British Embassy in Moscow is located at:

121099, Moscow, Smolenskaya embankment, 10

Travel notes, day 30

Turks and Caicos is a British overseas territory north of Haiti. It's funny that next to the very ass of the world there are real paradise islands with excellent beaches, luxurious hotels and restaurants. Surprisingly, there are almost no people here. It seems that the whole country is one big good resort hotel. Everything is very sincere and homely. Despite the fact that not everyone can afford a vacation in Turks and Caicos (everything is very expensive), there is no pathos and glamor here, like in St. Barts, and there are no crowds of American baby doll tourists here, like in the Bahamas. The first paradise islands that I liked. I even decided to leave the camera and rest a little. So there will be few photos today).

01. We're taking off to Miami! Mmm-mm, denouement)

02. Houses

03. General view of Miami. Tomorrow we will take a more detailed walk around the city.

04. As you can see, almost the entire city is rectangular blocks of one-story buildings.

05. There are skyscrapers in the center.

06. In principle, the standard layout of any American city.

07. Miami Airport.

08. Houses

09. Rich area

10. The famous beach with expensive United Russia apartments

12. And here is our destination, the Turks and Caicos Islands. As you can see, the islands are surrounded by reefs, so the beaches are always calm and warm.

13. View from the plane of Providenciales, where I am flying. There's the airport on the right.

14. As I already said, Turks and Caicos are real island paradise. Deserted beaches with snow-white sand stretch for tens of kilometers. There are no storms here, no rocky shores, everything is as advertised.

15. I looked at one of the beaches.

16. Everyone swims with masks and looks at the corals. The reefs are close here, so you can watch fish and all kinds of underwater beauty just a few meters from the shore. The sea is warm and calm. All that is needed.

17. There are not many people.

18. The development of the islands is typical American-provincial. Hangars of shops and shopping complexes, one-story houses surrounded by greenery. Driving is on the left.

19. The coast is being actively developed. Every second house is sold. It is worth noting that the villas that are sold here are very good in architecture. I don't know about prices.

20. Look how cute the houses are.

21.

22.

23. There are also almost no high fences here. Everything is like the States.

24. Bentley

25. At home

26. Bank. Like many others caribbean islands, Turks and Caicos is a popular offshore.

27.

28. Surprisingly, there are a lot of homeless vicious dogs on the island. As soon as you get out of the car, some flea carrier is already rushing to bite you

29.

30.

31. Turks and Caicos are 30 islands. There are islands with luxurious villas of celebrities, there are uninhabited islands with real paradise beaches from chocolate advertisements, there are islands with pirate caves and awesome nature.

32. This is such a paradise island.

Also, Turks and Caicos is expensive. Hotels will cost 2-3 times more than similar ones at other resorts. For a three-star room far from the sea they ask for 250 dollars, a room in resort hotel with the beach it will cost from $1000. Food is more expensive than in Moscow, both in restaurants and in supermarkets. A taxi driver at the airport will ask for $100 for a twenty-minute ride. Maybe that’s why there are few people here, although it has its own special thrill.

33. Supermarkets have an abundance that even Moscow grocery stores can envy. Here's a fresh lobster tail for $23 a pound. As far as I understand, a pound is about a third of a kilogram. I've never seen tails sold separately before. Comfortable.

34. And look at the meat!

35. Steaks cost about 1000 rubles per kg.

As of April 2013, the Turks and Caicos national football team is officially recognized as the worst football team in the world.

Entire trip:
Day 1: San Francisco, USA
Day 2: Carmel Valley, USA
Day 3: Apple, Facebook, Google, USA
Day 4: 17 Mile Road, Sunset in SF, USA
Day 5: Bermuda
Day 6: Bahamas
Day 7: Bahamas
Day 8: Cayman Islands
Day 9: Jamaica
Day 10:
Day 11: Aruba, Baneiro and Curacao
Day 12: Road to the Dominican Republic
Day 13: Dominican Republic, part 1
Day 14:

/ Turks and Caicos

Turks and Caicos - information about the country

Turks and Caicos Archipelago- these are 2 groups consisting of 30 islands, only 8 of which are inhabited. The islands are located in Central America, in the Atlantic Ocean basin (21? 45" N, 71? 35" W), east of Cuba, 48 km southeast of Bahamas and 145 km north of Haiti, 900 km southeast of Miami and 70 km southeast of the chain of the Bahamas, of which they are a continuation.

The Caicos group of islands includes: West Caicos, Providenciales (Provo), North Caicos, Middle Caicos (Grand Caicos), East Caicos and South Caicos, separated from each other by narrow straits. Each island is surrounded by numerous reefs.
The Turks Islands group, separated from the Caicos Islands by the 35-kilometer Columbus Strait (or Turks Island), includes Grand Turk Island, the small islet of Salt Cay and a scattering of uninhabited reefs.
The total area of ​​the islands is 430 square meters. km.

Providenciales Island

Providenciales, often called Provo for short, is the most popular island among tourists. They are attracted here by the bustling resort life, many restaurants, bars and shopping centers and not only... Here is located most of hotels and the island's luxurious largest beach, 22-kilometer Grace Bay, equal in beauty to the famous sandy beach of Grand Cayman. The British Sunday Times named Grace Bay one of the four best beaches in the world.
Another "magnet" is the world's longest chain of reefs, fringing the islands. Turks and Caicos is one of the world's best diving destinations.

FLIGHT

Regular flights to the islands are operated by British Airways. Transit landings - in London (with an overnight stay) and in Nassau (Bahamas).

HISTORY, POLITICAL ORGANIZATION AND ECONOMY

The islands were discovered in 1512 by the Spaniard, Juan Ponce de Leon; at that time they were uninhabited. In the 17th century. they began to be settled by colonists from Bermuda. In the period from 1764 to 1783 they were captured by France, in 1783 the islands became the possession of Great Britain, and until 1962 they were a colony of Great Britain as part of Jamaica, and in 1962 they received the status of a separate colony. In 1959, the islands were given the right to internal self-government.

Great Britain retained the right to determine only the country's foreign and defense policy. The Queen of Great Britain is represented by the Governor, who is also the Chairman of the Executive Council, consisting of the Prime Minister and four ministers. The Executive Council administers the islands. The Legislative Council consists of 19 members.
The legal system is based on English common law and some old laws of the Bahamas and Jamaica, modified locally.

The country has a constitution that came into force in 1976.

The main role in the country's economy is played by foreign tourism and income from financial services in the offshore zone. Fishing and fish processing, salt mining on the island of Salt Cay, and the production and sale of souvenirs for tourists are developing.
The Turks and Caicos Islands are a classic offshore zone. Companies registered here are not subject to taxation and do not submit annual reports. The country maintains high confidentiality - a closed register of shareholders and directors. Information may be disclosed only by court order. When using nominee directors and shareholders, the true owners of the company cannot be identified at all.

CAPITAL

Cockburn Town on Grand Turk Island.

POPULATION

Before the discovery of the islands by the Spaniards, they did not have a permanent Indian population. In the 17th century, colonists from Bermuda began to come here for salt. With the advent of plantations, slaves were brought here from the African continent. Since 1766, Turks and Caicos became a colony of Great Britain, and from 1873 to 1962 they were part of Jamaica. Today, over 90% of the population are blacks and mulattoes. The white population of the islands consists mainly of immigrants from the USA and Canada.
Today the population of the islands is about 21,000 people.

LANGUAGE

The official language is English.

RELIGION

The islands are mainly represented by various Christian denominations: Catholicism, Baptist, Methodical, Anglican churches, Seventh-day Adventist Church, etc.

CURRENCY

The most common currency is the American dollar. Traveler's checks and major credit cards are accepted for payment.

TIME

Time zone Minus 7 hours.
In summer, time lags behind Moscow by 8 hours, from the first Sunday in April to the Saturday before the last Sunday in October - by 7 hours.

CLIMATE

The climate of the islands is tropical, trade wind.
The sun shines on the islands 350 days a year. The average monthly temperature in June-October is from 29 to 32C, sometimes in the last summer months it can rise to 35C. average temperature in November-May - 27 to 29C. The water temperature in summer is 28-29C, in winter - about 23-26C. Constantly blowing trade winds make the weather favorable for beach holidays all year round. Hurricanes are possible between June and October.
The vegetation is represented mainly by mangroves on the coast and rare pine forests.

VISA

Citizens Russian Federation A visa is required to travel to Turks and Caicos Island.

CUSTOMS

The import and export of national and foreign currency is not limited.
Persons over 18 years of age are allowed duty free import up to 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 125 gr. tobacco products; up to 1.13 liters of alcoholic beverages or up to 2 liters. guilt. The import of drugs and drug-containing medicines, pornography of all types and harpoon weapons for fishing is prohibited. A permit is required to import firearms.

AIRPORT TAX

When departing from the country, a fee of U$ 15.00 will be charged at the airport.

ELECTRICITY

120 Volts (American standard - flat plug), in some hotels 240 Volts, 50 hertz.

MEDICINE

For everyone major resorts You will be provided with medical assistance, where there are also well-equipped pharmacies at your service.

CLOTH

For walking around the city, shorts, T-shirts and other light clothing are ideal, but in no case are beach suits. It can be cool in the evenings, so it is recommended to take a light sweater or blouse with you on your trip. Some restaurants require evening wear.

TRANSPORT

To rent a car, the necessary conditions are: driver's age - at least 21 years; availability of an international driver's license and a new Russian license, driving experience of at least one year; presence of a valid credit card from one of the systems that is widely used in the name of the driver!

TIPS

There are no specific rules. If you liked the way you were served, a tip of 15% of the total bill would be appropriate.

BANKS

Banks are open: Monday - Thursday from 8:30 to 14:30
Friday - from 8:30 to 12:30, and from 14:30 to 16:30

HOLIDAYS AND NON-WORKING DAYS

1st of January - New Year
March 14 - Commonwealth Day
March 25 - Good Friday
March-April - Easter and Easter Monday
May 30 - National Heroes Day
June 12 - Queen's Birthday
August 1 - Emancipation Day
September 30 - Youth Day
October 10 - Columbus Day
December 25 - Christmas
December 26 - Boxing Day
Weekends - Saturday and Sunday

FESTIVALS AND HOLIDAYS IN THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS

A huge number of holidays and festivals are held on these tiny islands, which is not surprising - the motley mixture of cultures and customs characteristic of Turks and Caicos has led to the formation large quantity common traditions, and predominantly Christian culture - to the emergence of a large number of religious rituals, each of which gradually “overgrown” with a large number of ceremonies.

On January 1, Grand Turk and Providenciales host a grand celebration of the Junkanoo Jump-Up, accompanied by dancing from midnight to sunrise.
On January 30, the traditional Mini-Triathlon takes place in Providenciales.
The Cactus Slam Festival is celebrated in mid-February.
On March 17, St. Patrick's Day is celebrated throughout the country.
March 31st is the end of the lobster fishing season (on all islands).
The annual Kite Flying Competition is held on April 17th.
At the end of April is Earth Day and the Salt Cay Island Festival (April 28-30).
At the end of May, the annual regatta takes place in South Caicos, and the traditional folk festival Kinko de Mayo takes place in Turtle Cove Bay.

Grand Turk Island hosts a two-day Summerjam festival every June, complete with live concerts and beauty pageants.
On June 5, Providenciales hosts the Golf Club Cup competition.
June 19 is Father's Day.
At the end of June there is an Oval-Ball rugby competition.

The annual Turks and Caicos Fishing Championships are held in the waters surrounding Providenciales in June and July.
In July, Grand Turk hosts the Wreck and Scrape Festival, accompanied by parades of bands playing traditional music, the Conch Carnival, and the annual Rotary Fishing Tournament, Heineken Tournament and Turks and Caicos Tournament. Classic", as well as an annual regatta. During this period, North Caicos hosts the Festarama festival, and Providenciales hosts a week-long Summer Festival (the island's largest holiday) with numerous regattas, parades, and a theatrical beauty pageant.

From the beginning of June to the end of July, Providenciales hosts the International Women's Football Festival. On August 1, all islands celebrate the opening of the lobster fishing season. In late August - early September, Cultural Week (Culture Festival) takes place throughout Turks and Caicos.

In mid-August, Providenciales celebrates Caicos Day, and at the end of the month the Grand Turk Carnival takes place for a week.
In October, North Caicos hosts the bustling Xtravaganza festival, the annual Oktoberfest (on all islands), the traditional World of Waves regatta in Grace Bay, and the Turks and Caicos Music and Poetry Festival.

On October 24, in the same place, in North Caicos, International Human Rights Day is celebrated, and October 31 is Halloween.
In November, the annual Providenciales International Film Festival and Fisherman's Day, the annual Christmas Arts and Crafts Fair, and Museum Day are held.

In December, the following events take place: the colorful “Homecoming Festival”, “Chief of Government Christmas Evenings”, the annual illumination competition on the Caicos Islands, and on Grand Turk the Christmas Tree Lighting Festival.

WHAT TO SEE?

Cheshire Hall - ruins of a cotton plantation.

A sea shell farm where small shells grow into adults, learn how pearls are grown, and if you wish, purchase shells for yourself that can be used to make salads.

The largest limestone caves in the Caribbean.

The National Museum of Turks and Caicos, which tells the history of the islands.

During sea ​​trips on a yacht in January-April you can meet humpback whales and bottlenose dolphins.

Turks and Caicos is a British overseas territory located in the West Indies, part of the Bahamas. The territory consists of 30 islands washed by the Atlantic Ocean. The inhabited areas are: Grand Turk, Salt Cay, Parrot Cay, Grand Caicos, East Caicos, South Caicos and Providenciales.

The basis of the relief is lowlands. Highest point– Providenciales Island (49 m). The Turks and Caicos Islands have the third longest coral reef system in the world.

Total area – 430 sq. km, the population is about 31,500 people, of which 90% are blacks, the rest are mulattoes and whites. 40% of the population consider themselves Baptists, 18% - Anglicans, 16% - Methodists, 12% - Pentecostals, 14% - profess other religions. The official language is English.

The capital is the city of Coburn Town (Grand Turk Island).

Cities of Turks and Caicos

The capital of the archipelago, Cockburn Town, is famous for its unsurpassed nature, interesting architecture and history. Currently, it is also a popular offshore zone.

How to get to Turks and Caicos

There are no direct flights between Belarus and Turks and Caicos.

The best option would be to fly on the route Minsk - Providenciales with two connections (for example, in Frankfurt and New York) with Lufthansa and United Airlines. The travel time will be about 1.5 days, including connections, the cost of a round-trip ticket is from 2000 US dollars per person. If you choose this route, you will also need a US visa.

Regular flights to the island of Provideñales are operated by British Airways from London.

For all questions related to travel to Turks and Caicos, please contact travel company“Thank you – travel” - our experienced managers will do everything possible to make your vacation unforgettable.

Climate of Turks and Caicos

The territory of Turks and Caicos is influenced by a tropical maritime climate.

The average air temperature in summer is +32 degrees, in winter - +25 degrees. The water warms up to +28 - +29 degrees in summer, and up to +23 - +26 degrees in winter.

The annual precipitation is about 530 mm. It usually rains in winter. Strong winds are typical in August and September, hurricanes and tropical storms - from July to November.

Best time for traveling around the region - from mid-December to mid-July.

Hotels in Turks and Caicos

The hotel base of the archipelago is at a good level both in terms of comfort and quality of service. Hotels are classified according to our usual “star” system.

Hotels at the 4* - 5* level will have swimming pools, sports grounds and golf courses, SPA centers, excellent beaches, and babysitting services are provided for families with children.

Premium class hotels here are called condos.

There are also hotels on the islands with cheaper accommodation, which does not mean a lack of amenities - in almost every one you can even find swimming pools and nightclubs.

Some hotels provide all-inclusive meals.

The average cost of living in a 3* hotel is from 50 US dollars per day, 4* - from 170 US dollars, 5* - from 565 US dollars.

As an alternative to hotels, you can stay in a rented cottage or villa with a beautiful view of the ocean (cost of stay - from 400 US dollars per night). You can rent an apartment for 4 people for 200 US dollars per day.

Beaches of Turks and Caicos

The beaches of the archipelago are among the best in the world in terms of beauty, comfort and opportunities for activities. active species sports - diving, snorkeling, windsurfing, yachting. Local beaches belong to the state, so entry is free.

On the island of Grand Turk, in addition to a passive beach holiday, you can go diving and snorkeling. The most suitable beaches for this are Governor*s Beach and Gibbs Cay.

Divers are attracted to East Caicos for its reefs and rich underwater world.

The beaches of West Caicos are some of the most beautiful and also attractive for scuba diving enthusiasts.

The infrastructure on the island of Providenciales is well developed - there are luxury hotels, beaches, casinos, historical monuments. The most popular beaches here are Sam Beach, Pin Cay, Black Bay Beach, and Taylor Bay.

North Caicos is famous for the picturesque sandy beach of Whitby. The diving here is also excellent.

Banks, money, exchange offices

The currency of the Turks and Caicos Islands is the US dollar, equal to 100 cents. There are paper bills in circulation in denominations of 1,2,5,10,20,50,100 dollars and coins in denominations of 1,5,10,25,50 cents.

Banking hours:

From Monday to Thursday – from 8.30 to 14.30

Fridays – from 8.30 to 16.30

You can exchange currency in banks.

Credit cards of the world's major payment systems and travel checks are accepted for payments on the islands of Grand Turk and Providenciales. On small islands it is almost impossible to pay by bank transfer.

Tips are 15% of the total bill in restaurants unless a service charge is included in the check.

Tourist safety

Staying in the Turks and Caicos archipelago is practically safe for foreign tourists, but following basic rules will protect you and your loved ones from minor and major troubles:

• It is advisable to leave valuables, large sums of money and documents in the hotel safe
• In places large cluster people are advised to keep an eye on their personal belongings and not leave them unattended
• It is unacceptable to appear even partially naked on public beaches
• Swimming should only be done in designated areas
• When swimming, you should take into account tidal currents
• Use only bottled water for drinking and brushing your teeth.
• Fruits and vegetables should be washed thoroughly, and fruits should be peeled

Transport

Internal air traffic is developed on all inhabited islands of the archipelago. Operates flights airline Air Turks and Caicos.

You can also get from island to island by ferry. Ticket price: 25 – 40 US dollars per person.

The total length of roads on the islands is about 120 km. Taxi services are popular with fares starting from $2 per mile. It is better to agree on the price before the start of the trip. The taxi driver can also act as a guide.

Private buses operate on certain routes on the islands; the fare is announced by the driver.

In order to rent a car, you will need the following documents:

• International driver's license (age: 21 years or older)
• Credit card

Traffic is on the left, the cost of renting a car is from 50 US dollars per day, scooter rental is from 5 US dollars per day.

Entertainment, excursions, attractions

The main attraction of Cockburn Town is the place where Christopher Columbus once came ashore. It will be no less interesting to visit National Museum, which tells the history of the island. Then you can walk along the small city streets, admire the local architecture, and enjoy the splendor of nature. Extreme tourists like to go on buggies, jeep safari, horseback riding or cycling.

North Caicos, called the “garden island,” is recognized as the most beautiful place in the archipelago. The main attractions here are Wades Green Plantation, Pumpkin Bluff Pond Nature Reserve with rare bird species, Dickhill Creek, Cottage Pond and Bellfield Landing Pond Nature Reserves, East Bay Island National Park.

Salt Cay Island is a museum under open air, which preserved industrial exhibits from the 19th century. Among the architectural monuments of the city of Belfour are the White House, the old Treasury building, the Anglican church and the old prison.

Grand Caicos Island is the largest in size. Interesting place here is the cave complex Conch - Bar, 25 km long, turning into a national park. Tourists will be able to go hiking along the most beautiful places islands - freshwater lakes, pine forests and beaches.

The town of Cockburn Harbor, located on South Caicos, has Bermudian architecture and salt pans that are home to populations of flamingos and pelicans.

Cuisine and restaurants

For today National cuisine The archipelago is a mixture of traditions from different countries. The main ingredients of the dishes are seafood and rice. The most popular dishes here are:

“grits” - pea porridge with seafood, shellfish, smoked fish or poultry and vegetables

"welk" - fish soup

clam chowder

lobsters cooked in a variety of ways

fresh fish and peas

"Homini" - a dish of oatmeal with peas and shellfish

peas with rice and pieces of meat

Drinks: tea with milk or cream, juices, Grenadine syrup

Alcohol - good quality local rum and rum punch

Shopping and shops

The most common souvenirs brought from the islands are hats, baskets, dishes made from palm leaves, and items made from shells.

Customs

You can import and export local and foreign currencies in unlimited quantities.

Persons over 18 years of age are allowed to import:

• Up to 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 125 g of tobacco products
• Up to 1.13 liters of strong alcohol or up to 2 liters of wine

It is prohibited to import:

• Drugs and narcotic-containing medications
• Pornography of all kinds
• Harpoon weapon for fishing
• Firearms (without special permission)

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Turks and Caicos is ocean and beaches in a nutshell. On the beaches - great hotels and a variety of entertainment, in the ocean - “long-lasting” waves and coral reefs, which means diving, surfing and other water sports. All about Turks and Caicos: tours to the islands, maps and photos.

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The Turks and Caicos Islands are located in the Atlantic Ocean and are a continuation of the Bahamas island chain. This is a suitable vacation spot for fans aquatic species sports, diving and snorkeling - the largest coral reef in the Caribbean is located in the coastal waters of the archipelago. In addition, there are excellent sandy beaches, ranked among the best beaches in the world. The center of tourism and resort life is the island of Providenciales, where all conditions for a comfortable stay are created. Lovers of silence, a calm and secluded holiday can visit the neighboring islands.

Cities and regions

Time difference from Moscow

− 8 hours in summer −7 hours

• with Kaliningrad

• with Samara

• with Yekaterinburg

• with Omsk

• with Krasnoyarsk

• with Irkutsk

• with Yakutsk

• with Vladivostok

• from Severo-Kurilsk

• with Kamchatka

How to get to Turks and Caicos

There is no direct flight from Russia. The flight is carried out by British Airways in transit through London (a technical landing in the Bahamas in Nassau is provided). Flight duration is approximately 14 hours.

Search flights to Turks and Caicos

Visa

Russian citizens do not require a visa to visit Turks and Caicos. For your own peace of mind, you should also take out travel medical insurance in advance for the entire duration of your trip.

Customs

The import and export of national and foreign currencies is not limited. Duty-free import of 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars or 125 g of tobacco products, up to a liter of strong alcoholic drinks or up to 2 liters of wine is allowed. The import of drugs and drug-containing medicines, pornography and harpoon weapons is prohibited. A permit is required to import firearms.

Phone numbers

There are no diplomatic missions of Turks and Caicos in Russia and Russia in Turks and Caicos.

Rescue service: 911.

There are no intercity telephone codes - all islands are within the coverage area of ​​one operator.

Maps of Turks and Caicos

Tourist safety

The islands are safe for recreation, the crime rate is low. Nude and partially nude appearances are prohibited on all public beaches.

Caution is required when swimming and diving. You can only swim in strictly designated areas - local beaches Although they are quite well equipped, only the zone between the reef and the shore is safe. On the outer side of the reefs, the seabed has a very large slope, and the waters are inhabited by many dangerous inhabitants. The currents washing the outer side of the reefs are very strong, and the surf and tidal currents also pose a certain danger.

Climate of Turks and Caicos

The climate is tropical marine, sunny and relatively dry. The average temperature in winter is about +27…+28 °C, in summer +32 °C. Water temperature in winter is +23…+26 °C, in summer +28…+29 °C. Tropical trade winds blow throughout the year, with the strongest winds possible in August and September. The best time to visit the country is from mid-December to mid-July.

Cuisine and restaurants

The basis of local cuisine is seafood and rice. The most popular dishes are shellfish and lobster. The most famous local dish is “grits”, which is pea porridge with seafood, with the addition of shellfish, smoked fish or poultry and vegetables.

A typical drink on the islands is rum punch, the ingredients of which are two types of rum (one of which is coconut), orange and pineapple juices, and grenadine syrup.