Aside from the Turks and Caicos' spectacular white-sand beaches and unbelievably blue waters, a view from the air reveals little that's inviting about the mostly dry, scrubby, sparsely populated chain of Caribbean islands.
Their real appeal lies below the water—one of the world's largest networks of coral reefs provides exceptional diving and snorkeling, while the turquoise inshore flats and deeper aquamarine offshore waters guarantee world-class fishing. The islands are surrounded by Atlantic, rather than Caribbean, waters.
Resting serenely to the southeast of the Bahamas, the Turks and Caicos have long been "discovered" by tourists yet still remain off the radar for the average vacationer. Most visitors to Turks and Caicos are from the U.S., since the islands are less than a two-hour flight from Miami.
Those who do visit typically head for Providenciales (known locally as Provo), the largest, most developed and most westerly island in the Turks and Caicos island chain. Provo has exploded in recent years and has many luxury hotels and good restaurants, but no cruise ships stop there, and although the skyline is now creeping upward, no one could mistake it for Aruba. You won't find fashion franchises or fast-food outlets; for many locals, dressing up means a clean T-shirt that doesn't promote a brand of beer.
The second-most-important isle, history-steeped Grand Turk, is the island capital. The rest of the inhabited Turks and Caicos islands have a real outpost feel to them—but they all have their own annual festivals, which provide a great time to gather on the beach, renew or start friendships, and eat some local specialties.
The Turks and Caicos islands are a pleasant destination, but before you go, make sure you have a solid understanding of what's there and what's not: Those who want to delve into the undersea world or lounge on the beautiful beaches—and want little else—won't be disappointed. The same goes for vacationers seeking hotel luxury beyond the dreams of Croesus.
Those who are looking for lush Caribbean island scenery or who can't appreciate a slow-paced, quirky island atmosphere should spend their vacation somewhere else.
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