Turks & Caicos Islands

About The Turks & Caicos Islands

Turks and Caicos is a series of tropical islands and cays in the Caribbean. The islands are an excellent vacation destination for families, honeymooners, or those simply wishing for a unique getaway, and offer incredible investment opportunities for home buyers as property values continue to increase. The Turks and Caicos Islands, often abbreviated “TCI,” actually consist of two different island groups: larger Caicos Islands and smaller Turks and Islands. Turks and Caicos is a British Overseas Territory. The islands are located in the Bahamas island chain. The Turks and Caicos are comprised of eight large cays (pronounced “keys”), smaller cays, islets, reefs, banks and 40 islands. Only six of the islands are currently inhabited and of the eight main cays, only two are inhabited. The principal islands are North Caicos, East Caicos, Middle Caicos (also called Grand Caicos), South Caicos, West Caicos and Providenciales (commonly called Provo). The majority of the population lives on South Caicos, Provo and Grand Turk.

The name Turks was inspired by an indigenous cactus called the Turk’s Head (Melocactus intortus). The cactus has a scarlet top that looks like a fez. Caicos may be derived from the indigenous Lucayan phrase caya hico, which means “string of islands.”

The white sandy beaches and bright turquoise waters have made Turks and Caicos a destination for vacationers and homeowners alike. Glamorous beaches like Grace Bay on Providenciales and Mudjin Harbor on Middle Caicos are frequently photographed and considered world-famous. In fact, Grace Bay Beach is regularly voted one of the world’s top beaches and vacation destinations and was named “One of the best tropical beaches in the world” by Conde Nast’s Traveler magazine.

There are over 30,000 residents of the Turks and Caicos Islands. Local natives are known as “belongers” and much of the population consists of expatriates and immigrants from nearby islands like the Bahamas. English is the official language, and the country operates under the US dollar.

As a British Overseas Territory, Turks and Caicos is under the rule of Queen Elizabeth II and the British monarchy. The country does have its own constitution and a governor, appointed by the monarch, who is responsible for internal and foreign affairs, security, defense and appointing public officers.

The tropical weather in the Turks and Caicos is relatively consistent, with temperatures remaining about the same throughout the year. While the temperature can occasionally reach over 100 degrees Fahrenheit during the summer months, the temperature averages between 70-80 degrees Fahrenheit year-round. The climate is relatively dry, so humidity is low.

Discover Living in Turks & Caicos

Location

Turks and Caicos is located about 600 miles southeast of Miami, FL, 110 miles below the Bahamas, and 100 miles north of the Dominican Republic. There are 40 different islands and cays that compose Turks and Caicos but only 8 of those islands are currently inhabited. Providenciales is the main island and the outlying islands are Middle Caicos, North Caicos, South Caicos, and West Caicos. Turks and Caicos is known for its beauty and its glamorous beaches like Grace Bay Beach; in fact, Conde Nast’s Traveler has named Turks and Caicos one of the “best tropical beaches in the world.”

Lifestyle

There are at least 30 world-class restaurants, all of which have their own unique cuisines, flavors and world-renowned chefs. There are plenty of island activities to enjoy like fishing, scuba diving, snorkeling, island hopping, kite-boarding, boating and more. Turks and Caicos is a very family-friendly place and our franchise designs and builds properties with family in mind. Most people purchase these properties to build legacies for their future generations and these properties are often passed down to allow the family members to continue creating memorable experiences. Nannying is also a popular occupation down here, and several of our properties have live-in nanny quarters. Watch a video about Turks and Caicos.

Explore Island Information & Properties

Ambergris Cay

Grand Turk

Middle Caicos

North Caicos

Parrot Cay

Providenciales

Salt Cay

South Caicos

West Caicos

Learn Quick Turks & Caicos Facts

Location
Turks & Caicos is located about 110 miles south of the Bahamas and 600 miles southeast of Miami, FL.

Weather
The Turks and Caicos weather is just one of the many reasons why people flock here. The year-round temperature averages between 70-80 degrees Fahrenheit. The temperature does increase to the mid-90s during the summer and drops to the mid-70s in the winter. The close proximity of the islands to the equator means there is not a big temperature change between seasons that would be experienced in the northern Caribbean, specifically the Bahamas and Bermuda. There’s typically low humidity and not much rainfall so there’s the perfect jet stream of temperatures and a nice easterly breeze.

Flights
There are 50 direct flights to Turks and Caicos on a weekly basis from major US cities including New York, Miami, Charlotte, Boston, Atlanta, Philadelphia, and Chicago. There is also a seasonal flight that leaves from Forth Worth, Texas, and international flights from London, elsewhere in Europe and Toronto, Canada. Air travel can range from one to eight hours by commercial air depending on your location.

Cruises
Grand Turk Island — the largest in Turks and Caicos — is actually home to a brand new cruise ship port. This facility is housed on 18 acres of landscaped grounds and visitors can relax on white sand beaches, explore interactive exhibits, shop duty-free in a high-end 45,000-square-foot shopping center, swim and snorkel in the reefs.

Population
There are about 6,000-7,000 local natives known as “belongers” and about 25,000 ex-patriots who establish residency or work here. In addition, there’s an influx of about 283,000 visitors per year.

Language
English

Currency
USD

Time Zone
Atlantic Standard Time (AST)

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