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Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos
Photo 1 - Shopping Area in Grand Turk. Photo -2
Lighthouse Cliffs. Photo 3 - Noordam at Grand Turk.
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All photos copywrite Grand Turk Cruise Center.
Measuring 7 miles long and only 1.5 miles wide, the island of Grand Turk is
located 575 miles southeast of Miami and 30 miles South of the Bahamas. The
island is a British colony and one of the islands in the chain known as the
Turks and Caicos.
The population of the island is approximately 3,700 people. The primary
language spoke is English and the currency is the US dollar.
The history of the island dates back to 1492, when it is reported that
Christopher Columbus discovered the island. Some historians argue that Ponce de
Leon might have been the first to discover the island, but in either case the
Taino Indians were truly the first occupants of the island. Later under the
Spanish, French, British, Bahamian, Bermudian and Jamaican rule, Grand Turk
finally became a British Colony in 1973.
Like most British colonies, they drive on the left hand side of the road, but
if you are uncomfortable driving your own vehicle there are taxis.
The terrain consists of lush vegetation, limestone plateaus and naturally
formed salt ponds.
Cockburn town is the centerpiece of the island, with its roots deep in
history. The small city offers a a selection of historical buildings with an
unforgettable rustic charm. Visitors will find many Bermudian and Colonial style
buildings to explore and photograph.
The island offers a wide variety of excursions including a new island tour –
referred to as the “Hop-on/Hop-off" bus tour. With a paid ticket, passengers are
allowed to exit the bus at any stop. The buses run in a continuous loop so
passengers can just catch the next bus and move at their own pace. Stops include
visiting the lighthouse, nature park and old Victorian prison to name a few.
Other land base excursions include horseback riding, swimming, bicycle hikes,
beach breaks, 4 X 4 vehicle adventures, dune buggy tours and visits to outer
islands. Water attractions include, snorkeling, diving, self-drive boating, deep
sea and flats fishing, helmet diving, semi-submersible tours, power snorkeling,
kayaking and snuba – a shallow water diving system that utilizes an air tank
mounted on a raft on the water’s surface.
All of the 8 powder-white beaches of Grand Turk are free to the public. At
each beach, the sea-life is abundant. Grand Turk has a well-earned reputation of
being one of the finest diving sites in the world. There is an outstanding
protected coral reef that drops to 8,000 feet and is close enough to shore for
beach based dives. The Turks and Caicos have the 3rd largest coral reef system
in the world.
For your dining pleasure there is authentic Caribbean Cuisine consisting of
seafood, conch, lobster and other delights from the sea. There also is a
selection of traditional restaurants - serving Italian, British and American
dishes.
Wildlife includes flamingos, rare birds and migrating humpback whales.
For shoppers, there are a number of quaint shops featuring local artists and
wares.
A relatively new cruise destination, The island has the capability to handle
2 cruise ships simultaneously.
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