FAQ

The Turks and Caicos Islands

The Turks and Caicos Islands are one of the Caribbean's secret hideaways. More than 40 islands and cays are locked inside the world's most spectacular continuous coral reefs. Islands far from the neon and noise of cities; where life is simple, warm and welcoming, where there's no need to lock your doors.

Feel like you've never felt before! Sunning, swimming, beachcombing, sailing, diving, fishing, or searching for sunken treasures off our 230 miles of gold and white sand beaches.

Turks and Caicos Islands lie southeast of Nassau, halfway between Miami and Puerto Rico, and are separated from the Bahamas, our nearest neighbors, by a 30 mile wide ocean passage. The two groups of islands, the Turks Islands and Caicos Islands, are 200 square miles.

The Caicos group consists of six principle islands: Providenciales, North Caicos, South Caicos, Middle Caicos, East Caicos and West Caicos, and numerous small cays, some of which, like Pine Cay and Parrot Cay, are inhabited.

The Turks Islands are smaller and are separated from the Caicos Islands by the 22 mile wide deep-water channel (the Turks Island Passage) and consist of two main islands, Grand Turk and Salt Cay, and a number of small uninhabited cays

Conservation

Electricity is created by diesel generators on Providenciales and brought to North by an underwater cable. It is expensive.

Fresh Water is precious -- please help us to conserve it.

Our reefs and marine life are our heritage. Please look after them so that we can all continue to enjoy their beauty.

Thank-you for helping us to keep the islands pristine, as you would wish to find them.

How to Get to North Caicos

See this link for options on transportation to North Caicos

Currency and Banking

The Turks & Caicos Islands are a British Crown Colony and popular tax haven for North Americans and Europeans. The U.S. dollar is legal tender of The Turks & Caicos Islands. There are no currency control regulations. Full international banking facilities are available on Providenciales in several locations.

There are no banks or ATM machines on North Caicos at this time.

Credit cards are not extensively used in North Caicos. US dollar denominated traveler cheques are always accepted. There is a Western Union office.

Clothes to bring

Dress is informal. Light sweaters are useful for breezy evenings. Our Island is in the tropics and the sun is much hotter than in Florida, so bring your sun protection creams!!!!!!

Climate

The climate on North Caicos can best be described as an eternal summer cooled by the trade winds. The constant sunshine, makes the Turks and Caicos Islands an ideal year-round vacation destination. The temperature rarely drops below 25° C (77° F) or rises above 28° C (83° F) average. The breezes make for comfortable sleeping without air conditioning. North Caicos is known as the Garden Island and enjoys a rainfall averaging 40 inches per year. The vegetation is more lush compared to the neighboring islands.

Turks & Caicos Ship Wreck, the 'River Arc' on North Caicos Reef

One night in early July 1985, a German made steel ship drifted into the North Caicos waters and got stuck on one of the small natural cuts in the reef.

There was no crew aboard, however, personal items and charts were left behind. The generators were still running.

It is believed that it was a drug ship and that the crew of 4-6 people abandoned ship into their lifeboats after their transaction was complete.

Hurricane Kate in late November 1985 moved the ship to its present position. There was a rope ladder on the west side and in the early years we use to climb up the ship to look around. The view was spectacular, because you were literally sitting right on the reef.

In later years an Oprey Nest appeared on the North side of the ship at the highest point. Over the years the wind and storms have gradually beaten the vessel down, loosing large section of panels it has now twisted and leaning. I am sure we will wake one morning to the ship no longer on the horizon becoming part of the reef, just as we woke in July 1985 to a ship being on the horizon. (K.P. 2010)

1985 - The River Arc - ship wrecked on North Caicos

2010 - River Arc - rusting away on North Caicos barrier reef

2013 - River Arc sinking into the sea