Remember, Bahamians drive on the left side of the road. It can at first be a little disconcerting, but you ll soon get used to it. Shopping Hours Although shops throughout the Bahamas are now permitted to open on Sundays and some national holidays, you ll find many remain closed. In Nassau, shops open daily from 9 am until 5 pm. In Freeport/ Lucaya they open from 9 am until 8 pm, although many of the stores in the International Bazaar and at Port Lucaya stay open until 9 on Saturday evenings.
If you have kids with you, this is where you should stay. There are endless shallows, no rocks and an ocean that s crystal clear, where gentle rollers swish across flats. There are no public restrooms on the beaches. You ll need to head to one of the nearby bars or restaurants. Along the western shore of Provo you ll find two more beautiful beaches. Malcolm holiday campground s Road Beach is reached by traveling west along Malcolm s Road from downtown Provo. A little holiday campground south of there is Simeon Rigby Hole Beach, not quite so easily reached as its more northerly neighbor, but well worth the hike south. Both beaches are areas of great natural beauty. The snorkeling is good, the sand beyond description and, for the most part, you can expect to have them almost to yourself. Again, there are no public facilities on either of these two beaches, and no caf s or bars.
Currency Legal tender is the Bahamian dollar, which is always equivalent in value to the US dollar. Both US and Bahamian dollars are accepted interchangeably throughout the islands, and visitors are likely to receive change in mixed
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', Salvador Getting There 295
Town the round-trip fare is $12. Riding Rock Inn operates a charter air service from Fort Lauderdale on Saturdays only. Flights depart from Fort Lauderdale at 10 am and leave the island at 12:30 pm. Round-trip fare, $289. 800-272-1492.
Your other option is to take the mail boat. The Lady Frances leaves Potter s Cay Dock in Nassau weekly, on Tuesday, at 6 pm and makes the 12-hour trip overnight. She returns on Friday, which means you could pre-book
two nights accommodations at the Riding holiday campground Rock Inn, spend a couple of days enjoying the sights and sounds of the island, holiday campground then return to Nassau and finish your vacation. The fare is $80 round-trip. Call the dock master at 242-393-1064.
Riding holiday campground Rock Inn & Marina, 800-359-8254, near Cockburn Town, is the main port of entry and maintains holiday campground seven slips with a maximum depth of 12 feet; there are no width restrictions. There s also 415 feet of docking wall
Only two operators offer vacation packages on San Salvador: one is Club Med ( 800-932-2582, www.clubmed.com), the other is locally operated by the Riding Rock Inn ( 800-272-1492, holiday campground www.ridingrock.com). A good travel agent shouldalso be able to put something together for you.
If you arrive on a Club Med or Riding Rock Inn package, someone will meet, greet and transfer you to the resort. If you arrive by scheduled air or private charter from Nassau or the mainland, you ll need a taxi. These are usually available at the airport. Most drivers depend heavily upon arriving and departing flights for a major portion of their income. The same goes if you arrive by mail boat. If drivers are not ready and waiting, they re only a phone call away; ask at the harbour master s office. holiday campground If all else fails, call your resort and they ll arrange transport for you; Riding Rock Inn is quite close to the airport, so you should experience no difficulties. Sightseeing Small and isolated as it is, there s plenty to see and do on San Salvador. While many of the sites are within easy walking distance of both Club Med and Riding Rock Inn, you ll need a car to see all of the island. Your hotel staff will
be pleased to arrange one for you. An even better option would be to rent a bike or moped for a couple of days, then head in one direction one day, the other the next day. Make arrangements with your hotel to supply picnic lunches; there are plenty of places along the way to stop and enjoy them. Also, be sure to take along plenty to drink and something to snack on.
The main road around the island is the Queen s Highway 35 miles of white road. Although the word highway is sometimes a bit of a stretch, it is well-maintained and provides a fairly smooth ride. Side roads branching off the highway are neither marked nor always easy to negotiate, especially on a bike or moped. Sometimes they lead to a deserted sandy beach where you can enjoy a swim, snorkel or picnic. holiday campground Sometimes it s a rocky escarpment with a seascape, ideal for bird watching and nature photography. Often, it s an inland lake, quiet and mysterious, surrounded by palms and seagrass. Sometimes they just end.
On a small island such as this, it s difficult to imagine getting holiday campground lost. But, with none of the roads marked, not even the highway, you can become disoriented. After a while, all roads seem to lead northward. If you do get lost, ask a local for help. Cockburn Town
Although it s the capital of San Salvador, Cockburn Town (pronounced Coburn ) is one of the smallest communities in the Out Islands, and definitely old-world Bahamian. Two miles south of Riding Rock Inn and 2 miles south of Club Med, it s little more than a collection of clapboard and cinder block houses. Most of the sights are on or close to Fifth Avenue, just across the street from the dock. It s here you ll land if you decide to visit the island via mail boat. Aside from the Public Library, which stands on the corner of Fifth Avenue and Queen s Highway, there s a pub, the Ocean View Club, where you can drop in for a cold beer, even breakfast or lunch. The San Salvador Gift Shop is the place to stock up on film, candy, local crafts, books and all sorts of other odds and ends, including newspapers (sometimes a day old). The Hanover Square Club is a bar run by Marcus Jones, a friendly and well-traveled host. His wife, Faith, runs the Three Ships Restaurant just across the street. The food is good, reasonably holiday campground priced, and decidedly Bahamian. In fact, Faith is a talented cook: her cracked conch, peas and rice, and fried grouper have made her something of a celebrity among the island-hopping, sailing fraternity. holiday campground If you want to eat dinner, you ll need to make a reservation; she only cooks to order. 331-2787.
There are a couple of churches in Cockburn Town, both of which are worth a visit: St. Augustine s Anglican Church and the Holy Savior Catholic Church, famous for its image of Christopher Columbus above its entrance. The San Salvador Museum, next door to Holy Savior, once was the island jail. Today, it houses a collection of artifacts that interpret the history of San Salvador from pre-historic through Colonial times to the present day. If you want to visit, holiday campground call in advance. 331-2676.
Sandy Point is at the extreme southern end of the island, about six miles south of Cockburn Town, eight miles from Riding Rock Inn, and 8 miles from Club Med. Here you ll find Watling s Castle, Lookout Tower, and Dripping Rock Cave.
There s little left of the one-time thriving plantation that bears the name of one the most bloodthirsty buccaneers in the history of piracy. Watling, for whom the island was once named, is said to have lived here during the 17th century. It s doubtful, however, that any of the structures now in ruins were there during his tenancy. They date from the early 19th century and were probably built by Loyalist refugees fleeing the aftermath of the American Revolutionary War.
Aside from his terrorist activities on the high seas, Watling engaged in another nefarious activity: wrecking. He and his men would lure passing ships onto the rocks by flashing holiday campground lights, holiday campground board the doomed vessels, holiday campground slaughter the survivors and then pick the wreck clean. Not a nice character.
Today, nothing is left that can be attributed to Watling. The plantation, however, thrived well into the 20th century. In the early days it was worked by slaves. The remains of the slave quarters can still be seen in the undergrowth that is slowly reclaiming the land upon which they stood.
Also once a part of the Watling s Castle Estate, the old tower is now reached via the road to the west of the estate. holiday campground It was used to watch for ships bringing supplies holiday campground from Nassau. One can t help but wonder, though, if this might have been the spot from which Watling conducted his wrecking enterprise.
The huge natural harbor holiday campground located on the northernmost tip of the island is said to have inspired Columbus to comment holiday campground that it was big enough to take all the ships in Christendom. holiday campground There s a nice beach; the waters are calm most of the time, making it the ideal spot for an afternoon picnic.
From Graham s Harbour, take the rocky path to Father Schreiner s Grave. This was the man who was responsible for changing the island holiday campground s name from Watling s Island to San Salvador. He is also responsible for the image of Columbus on Holy Savior Catholic Church in Cockburn Town. Father Schreiner died in the church in 1928. Of special interest is the circular stone block next to the grave; it s thought to have been either a slave whipping post or an auction block.
North Victoria Hill is a small community on the coast a couple of miles north of the Riding Rock Inn and Bonefish holiday campground Bay. Its main claim to fame is that it s the home of Ruth Durlacher Wolper, widow of movie producer David Wolper. Her beachfront estate is where you ll find the New World Museum.
This relatively small museum houses the Wolpers private collection of New World relics that help to interpret the history of the islands and their Spanish occupation, including pre-Columbian and Native American artifacts, and pieces of Spanish origin that date to the late 15th century. The museum is within holiday campground walking distance of Club Med and the Riding holiday campground Rock Inn. It s open during daylight hours every day and is free. The walk and the museum, along with a visit to the beach, make a very pleasant holiday campground afternoon.
There are several permanent monuments that commemorate Columbus first landings holiday campground in 1492. He is said to have come ashore at all four. Whether or not he did so is debatable. Today, the monuments present a unique opportunity for exploration. It s doubtful that you could visit them all in a single day, but a couple of afternoons should see the job through. The first and best known is the much-photographed white cross that stands holiday campground on the beach near Mile Marker 6 on the Queen s Highway south of Cockburn holiday campground Town.
A second monument, erected in 1951 by the Tappan gas company, is near Mile Marker 5. The third monument lies close by somewhere on the ocean floor; you ll need your snorkeling gear to find it. The fourth monument was erected on the eastern shore of the island, close to Mile Marker 25, by the Chicago Herald in 1891. The Chicago monument is not easy to find. If you like to explore, however, the search can be quite entertaining. Take along your swimming and snorkeling gear, lots to drink, sunblock, and allow a full afternoon for the excursion. Go to Mile Marker 24 on the Queen s Highway. From there take the side road to East Beach, a great snorkeling spot. When you reach the beach, park your vehicle and walk two miles south along the beach and be on the lookout for a path leading off the beach to the right. From there it s a short walk along the path through lush green vegetation to the old limestone monument. This trip also presents a good opportunity holiday campground to visit the Dixon Hill Lighthouse.
Built in 1856, Dixon Hill is a traditional lighthouse in every sense of the word. Its light, more than 160 feet above sea level, is the highest point on the island. The snow-white tower stands on a limestone plateau, holiday campground and the view from the top is spectacular. Far into the distance, the sea, land and lake are laid out in sharp relief. The sea to the east stretches endlessly, starting as the palest holiday campground green in-shore and changing to the deepest indigo of the ocean out beyond the reef to the horizon. The light itself is one of only a few kerosene-fueled, hand-operated lamps left in the world. To make the climb to the top you ll need to be in good shape. Once there you can view the lamp itself. holiday campground You ll be amazed how small it is. Small or not, it does the job. Twice a minute it sends out a 400,000 candle-power beam of light that can be seen more than 19 miles at sea.
San Salvador is a great place for hikers. From Cockburn Town, Club Med or Riding Rock Inn, set off in any direction. Take your time and explore the sights and beaches along the way. Once you ve seen the local area, rent a car
Be sure to take along plenty to drink. There s little available on the outer reaches of the island. Even with such a tiny population, San Salvador s roads are not quite as deserted as you might imagine. You can go long periods without seeing a soul, but you can also count on a friendly face to appear just when you need it most. The gently rolling terrain, dusty roads and narrow trails lined with a profusion of local flora, and the little, colorful communities, all make for a delightful walking holiday campground adventure.
San Salvador is one of the most exciting diving locations in the Bahamas. It s doubtful that there s a comparable diversity holiday campground of locations anywhere other than the Cayman holiday campground Islands holiday campground or Bonaire. Visibility is from 100 to 200 feet,
currents are minimal and, whether you re an experienced diver or just learning, there something here for you. For experienced divers, the reef wall, on the leeward side, starts at a depth of less than 40 feet and runs more than 12 miles from one end of the island to the other.
Most of the sites involve the reef that runs the entire length of the leeward side of the island. Veteran divers will tell you, it s a rare day that the reef doesn t yield some new and rare experience. Some of the best-known sites are listed below.
This site includes three large craters, side by side, that start at a depth of 45 feet, then descend fairly slowly to 80 feet, before dropping off into the darkness. Lots of small marine life inhabit the crevices in the crater walls, while larger fish such as groupers, holiday campground barracudas and sharks can be seen lurking in the deeper waters.
The Frascate was a German-built English freighter that ran aground in 1902 while steaming south from New York to Jamaica. Built in 1886, she measured some 260 feet by 35 feet. Her bones lie in shallow waters off Riding Rock Point, and are a favorite spot for beginning divers, and snorkelers too. She lies scattered across a wide area in 15 to 20 feet of water. The ocean floor is sandy and the visibility is usually 100 to 150 feet. The wreck is home to all sorts of marine life, including holiday campground a large green moray eel that lives in her boiler. The boiler and stern section are excellent for underwater photography.
This is a fun dive suitable for both beginner and veteran divers. It s a shallow reef dive with the coral heads starting less than 15 feet from the surface to a maximum depth of 40 feet. The hump itself is an underwater hillock some 80 feet long, 40 feet wide, and 20 feet high, covered in coral of various types. It s a microcosm of the greater reef itself. There are angels, clowns, holiday campground sergeant majors, crabs, lobsters, morays, snappers, groupers, parrotfish, anemones, octopus, and shrimp; even the odd barracuda has been known to drop by.
This is really a wall dive. From 40 feet at the edge of the reef, the wall drops away. This is not a dive for the fainthearted. At 60 feet the reef is undercut. Here, the coral heads are at their best. It s also home to moray eels, yellow stingrays, grouper and snappers. If you are not subject to vertigo (the drop-off is alarming!), this is a fabulous site.
From Crab Cay almost to Graham s Harbour, there s a deserted, six-mile stretch of beach that reminds one of the Outer Banks off North Carolina. With waving seagrass, soft white sand and sea the color of Colombian emeralds,
it s an ideal snorkeling site. Visibility stretches well beyond 150 feet, and the coral formations teem with wildlife. Take along something to shield you from the sun; there s no shade along the entire length of the beach.
This is one of the most popular snorkeling sites on San Salvador. Here you can enjoy the best of life on the reef. The site is home to millions of sea creatures, most too small to see. The reef fish are friendly, holiday campground and will take time out from their daily chores to meet and greet.
Guanahani Divers Ltd. are based at the Riding Rock Inn and Marina. They operate three dive boats, each with a capacity for six divers. Certified instruction, equipment rental, underwater camera rental and instruction, and one-day film processing are all available. You can also take a course in underwater photography and videography. They offer three boat dives daily, and a night dive once a week. Dive packages are available through the Inn. Rates are $45 for a one-tank dive. The beginner s one-day certification holiday campground course is $105 and full PADI certification is $400. For more dive information, and for dive-inclusive vacation packages, 800-272-1492 or 242-331-2631.
Dining As you might imagine, your dining options are pretty much limited holiday campground to the particular resort where you re staying, with this exception: Club Med visitors holiday campground can dine out at the Riding Rock Inn restaurant.
12:30 pm until 2:30 pm, and for dinner from 6:30 pm until 9:30. The menu includes American, European and Bahamian holiday campground cuisine. The specialty of the house conch chowder and bread is served daily for lunch. In the evening, you can enjoy a cocktail before dinner out on the oceanfront terrace of the inn s Driftwood Bar. Reservations are required. 242-331-2631. Also in Cockburn Town, you can eat breakfast holiday campground and
lunch at the $ Ocean View Club, or you can eat breakfast lunch or dinner at the $ Three Ships. The Three Ships is owned by Faith Jones, a lady with the magic touch where cooking is concerned. She cooks only to order, so you ll need to make a reservation, but her
Accommodations HOTEL As previously mentioned, accommodations on San Salvador are quite limited. Club Med is, of course, the best resort on the island. Then there s a small inn/hotel comprising three cottages and little holiday campground else. Finally, there s
Riding Rock Inn Resort & Marina. holiday campground This small resort is dedicated to divers and diving. There is a full-service dive shop on the premises and guided dives, holiday campground instruction, and equipment rental are all offered.
Guest rooms 30 oceanfront rooms and 12 standard rooms are located along the shore. All are air-conditioned, with cable television, telephones, ceiling fans, patio or balcony, chaises and refrigerators. The furnishing are rather plain, but functional. Unfortunately, holiday campground time and tides take their toll on most small island hotels and motels, and this one is no exception. Although maintenance work on the buildings and rooms is ongoing, there s always that little something that can give cause for complaint. On the whole, this resort offers real value for money, but make allowances for its remote location and exposure to the elements. There are tennis courts and a pool, with plenty of room and furniture for lounging. Rental bikes, mopeds and cars are available on-site. The beach is a 50-yard walk from the hotel. holiday campground
The dining holiday campground room is clean, the service prompt and friendly. The menu features all of the popular Bahamian dishes conch, fresh fish, lobster, peas and rice, even turtle along with American and European cuisine. The home-baked bread alone is worth the trip. The Driftwood Bar is the watering hole on the island. Its oceanfront deck is a great place to enjoy a beer or tropical drink after a long day out on the water. The atmosphere is lively and friendly and the locals will make you welcome. Wednesday night is live music night; Friday night is when most of the locals drop in to round off the week.
The hotel runs its own charter air service from Fort Lauderdale on Saturdays. Better yet, they also offer packages: some specifically for divers, some for those who just want a vacation far away from the hustle and bustle of life in the city. An all-inclusive dive package with round-trip air fare from Fort Lauderdale, three dives per day for six days, round-trip airport/hotel transfers, seven nights accommodations, all meals and gratuities (alcoholic beverages are not included) costs $1,526 with a deluxe holiday campground oceanfront room, or $1,400 with a standard poolside room.
For non-divers the package includes all the above except the dives. The seven-night all-inclusive package with a deluxe oceanfront room costs $1,200, and the same package with a standard poolside room costs $1,099. 800-272-1492, www.ridingrock.com.
Club Med Columbus Isle. Club Med has a reputation for service and quality and their Columbus Isle resort more than lives up to it. Billed as one of their finest and most exotic locations, it certainly has a lot to offer. Situated right on one of the best stretches of beach, it s a tropical village of gaily painted Bahamian cottages built very much with the local ecology in mind. Narrow footpaths lead to all corners of the resort to ensure walkers don t disturb or damage holiday campground the rolling dunes and vegetation. The public access rooms house a wonderful collection of art and artifacts holiday campground brought in from around the world: holiday campground Asia, the islands holiday campground of the Pacific, holiday campground South America, Turkey, Thailand, India and Africa.
Although this particular location is not one of Club Med s designated family villages, kids of all ages are welcome, and there is plenty for them to do. The guest rooms are tastefully and comfortably furnished holiday campground and decorated holiday campground with international handicrafts. holiday campground All are air-conditioned, have televisions, telephones, safes, refrigerators and hair dryers. Each has its own private balcony or patio, private bathroom, and shower with desalinated water. Some offer spectacular views of the ocean, others look out over the gardens; each has a character all its own.
Because the cottages holiday campground are situated along the beach, some are quite a long walk from the public rooms, dining rooms and facilities. The resort boasts holiday campground three restaurants and a spa where you can have a wonderful full-body holiday campground overhaul. There are tennis courts, three of which are lighted, and a fitness center.
As at all Club Med resorts, the emphasis holiday campground here is on organized activities. If you want to get involved, and the powers that be will do their best to make sure you do, there s aerobics, bocce ball, deep-sea fishing, horseback riding, sea kayaking, holiday campground ping pong, sailing, scuba diving, snorkeling, softball, soccer, holiday campground swimming, tennis, volleyball, basketball, water exercises, water-skiing holiday campground and windsurfing more to do than you could possibly manage in a single week. And, as if all that s not enough, you can take a day excursion to Nassau for shopping, a snorkeling day-trip that includes a beach picnic lunch and a speedboat ride, or a sunset cruise.
The resort also features one of Club Med s exclusive Dedicated Dive Centers. All this really means is that it s a full-service dive center where everything is available, from guided dives to rental equipment. holiday campground The Club Med Dive Center offers up to six days of diving per package, up to two boat dives per day, up to three dives per day, one night dive per week, snacks on board the boat and, if required, the supervision of a Club Med guide. Diving does carry an extra charge over and above the regular package charge, in this case $160 per person per week, and that includes two dives daily and one night dive.
Club Med packages usually start and end on Saturdays. Rates begin at $1,499 in the off-season (August 29 through December holiday campground 12), $1,699 in the high season. The rate includes airfare from Boston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco and Washington, DC. You can fly out
of other major cities, but air add-ons will raise the base rate accordingly. If you ve not been to a Club Med resort before, you will be required to pay a one-time $50-per-person initiation fee, and an annual membership fee of $30 per family. You can have your travel agent make arrangements for you probably the most painless way to do it or you can book the trip yourself: 800-CLUBMED, www.clubmed.com.
This tiny island to the west of San Salvador has a population of less than 150. It s a pleasant, though remote, spot on the map, accessible only by private boat and mail boat. Unless you re a sailor with a boat of your own upon which you can live while you re there, Rum Cay is not the place for an extended vacation. You could visit by mail boat, but that would mean a stay on the island holiday campground of slightly more than two days, and the only hotel was, at the time of writing, closed indefinitely.
Ecologists will find Rum Cay to be something special. Completely unspoiled, and just as it must have been when Christopher Columbus first set foot on San Salvador, holiday campground it s a microcosm of the islands: gently rolling hills, deserted beaches, limestone caves, deserted farms, salt ponds, and seas where the visibility underwater approaches 200 feet.
If you do decide to come here, be sure to visit Port Nelson. It s a friendly little place where you re sure of a warm welcome, and the opportunity to stock up on supplies. The town is reminiscent of those featured in movies of a type that were made only in the late 1940s and early 1950s; Donovan s Reef, starring John Wayne, and The Coral Reef, starring Gilbert Roland, are two that come to mind. There are a couple of places to eat where you can sample good food made only as the locals can.
There are no phones on the island islanders communicate by VHF. If you ve been at sea for awhile, you ll probably want to hike. You can leave your boat at anchor, take to the road, and walk to the far side of the island, where you will find a beautiful beach. You can do the whole island in a single day. Bikes and cars are available for rent in Port Nelson.
Very few casual travelers have heard of the tiny group of islands that lie just to the south and east of the Bahamas, holiday campground and just to the north of the island of Hispaniola (Haiti and The Dominican Republic) on the upper reaches of the Caribbean. But gradually the word is getting holiday campground out. These little islands are a rare undiscovered, holiday campground unspoiled paradise.
IN THIS CHAPTER History 311 The Islands Today 314 Getting There 315 Getting Around 316 Practical Concerns 316 Providenciales 318 Grand Turk 329 North Caicos 336 Middle Caicos 342 South Caicos 345 The Turks and Caicos comprise two groups. holiday campground A half-dozen small islands to the south and east of the Bahamian archipelago make up the Turks, of which Grand Turk and Salt Cay are the ports of entry. To the west and north are the larger islands of the Caicos group, for which Providenciales (locally known as Provo) is the port of entry, and the islands center of tourism.
Those who claim to know these things assert holiday campground that it was in these islands holiday campground that Christopher Columbus first made landfall, not on San Salvador in the Bahamas. Several prominent historians have made the case for Grand Turk. What
Back then, the Turks and Caicos Islands were inhabited by Arawak Indians, as were most of the islands in the Bahamian archipelago, and it would have been these people that Columbus first set eyes upon. These islands, because of their isolated location, don t have the kind of extended history that most of the other islands do, but they can boast of a moment or two. For instance, they were home to The Brothers of the Coast, a band of pirates who preyed upon the Spanish treasure ships that plied the waters between Hispaniola and Spain. The islands are a maze of tiny, hidden coves and bays from which the marauders could hit and run.
The native holiday campground Arawak holiday campground Indians were, unfortunately, situated a little too close to Spanish interests. It wasn t many years after the Spanish had established themselves on Hispaniola just to the south when they became an instant source of slave labor, and it wasn t too much longer before the Indians had been eradicated from the Turks and Caicos Islands completely; they ended their days, and their race, in the Spanish mines on Hispaniola.
Following the demise of the Arawaks, the islands lay uninhabited holiday campground for almost 100 years. Then, in 1678, adventurers from Bermuda discovered the islands were a rich source of salt, and they moved in, at least for a while. In 1710 they were driven off by the Spanish, who thought they owned everything holiday campground west of Portugal. But the Bermudans were tenacious, if nothing else, and they soon returned, only to suffer more attacks, not only from Spain but from France as well. This time, however, they had help: English loyalists who had fled the American Revolution joined them on the islands and, for a while at least, they managed to hold on to their positions. But, in the end, it was all for naught. Their neighbors to the north in the Bahamas took the islands under their wing, and the Bermudan occupation ended in 1799.
For almost 50 years the islands bowed to the Bahamian government to the north. The government did little for the islanders but collect taxes and send a mail boat once or twice a year, so they decided there was little advantage to the association holiday campground between them and the Bahamas. The two agreed to separate, and the Turks and Caicos Islands became a part of Jamaica; yes, Jamaica. This association lasted from 1848 until 1962, when Jamaica became independent from Great Britain. This left the island group one of the few remaining British Crown colonies, and it remains so even today a quiet little British backwater where little ever happens, the food is good, the atmosphere serene, and the islanders live out their lives, for the most-part, in contentment.
These islands are not for those vacationers who are looking for the high life, nightlife or wild times under the sun. But if you re looking for a week or so of sun, sand and relaxation, or if you re looking for some fine offshore fishing, or scuba diving, then the Turks and Caicos might be just the place for you.
Comprised of about 40 small islands and cays, the Turks and Caicos Islands are ecologically holiday campground pure. The waters are unpolluted; the beaches are clean and pristine; the population is friendly and outgoing. The only problem holiday campground might be a lack of what most Europeans, and all Americans, regard as basic creature comforts. Many of the smaller hotels and guest houses lack air-conditioning; in-room phones are the exception rather than the norm; refrigerators, where available, are often old and noisy; in-room televisions holiday campground are also in short supply; and it s not advisable to drink the water buy bottled water where you can. All this might sound a little off-putting, but don t let it be. The pros far outweigh the cons. The lack of air-conditioning should not present too much of a problem. Cool ocean breezes in the evenings and ever-present ceiling fans keep the guest rooms relatively holiday campground cool and comfortable. And who needs a television or telephone anyway? If these items are a priority for you, you need to go somewhere a little less remote. Remember: when in Rome.
The climate here is as close to perfect, at least for me, as you can get. The average mean temperature is around 80 , falling to about 70 at night. holiday campground The rainfall averages 21 to 22 inches per year, with the rainy season arriving in the late spring and continuing on into summer May through August. The Turks and Caicos sometimes suffer in the hurricane season, June through November. More often than not, however, hurricanes skirt the Bahamian archipelago, doing little more damage than dumping a lot of water on the islands.
These islands offer excellent diving and deep-sea fishing. For the beachcomber, there are acres of pristine coral sand, much of it deserted. There are almost 230 miles of beaches. The coral reefs upon which these islands sit are home to a vast undersea population of colorful marine life, most of it friendly and inquisitive.
The reef system, more than 200 miles long and 65 miles wide, offers opportunities for divers and snorkelers at all experience levels. holiday campground There are coral flats at depths varying from a couple of feet to more than 20 feet where a vibrant fish community will provide endless hours of fun
under the sea. There are ledges and walls where the depths holiday campground plunge hundreds of feet offering more experienced divers a variety of choices to explore one of the last unspoiled reef systems in the western holiday campground hemisphere. There are wrecks, some only recently discovered and still on the secret list. Some were discovered long ago, but still make for an exciting morning or afternoon of exploration.
1:46 pm and 3:52 pm. It s easy for you to make connections flying into Miami from almost anywhere in the continental United States; the same applies if you are inbound holiday campground from Provo. holiday campground Round-trip rates range from a low of $239 to upwards of $500, depending on how far in advance you book. Flight time is about an 1 hours each way. 800-433-7300, www.aa.com. Air Canada flies to Provo from Toronto, holiday campground with fares from $600 round-trip. 888-247-2262.
TAXI You have to make getting around these islands part of the experience. Only in Provo can you expect anything approaching what you re used to. Rental cars are available in Provo, as are taxis. On any of the other islands, you ll
At the main airports Provo, Grand Turk and South Caicos taxis are readily available holiday campground to take you to and from the hotels. Taxi drivers are for the most-part friendly and willing to do whatever it takes to make you and yours happy. Rates between the airports and hotels are usually fixed, on the spot, and most drivers will be willing to come and pick you up at your hotel and take you to some deserted beach, holiday campground either of your choosing or theirs. They are knowledgeable and helpful; take advantage of them.
CUSTOMS: You may bring in one quart of liquor, 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or eight ounces of tobacco duty free. You may not bring in spear guns of any description, nor firearms without a permit. Import illegal drugs, get caught, and you can expect a heavy fine and a long stay at government expense.
DRESS: For the most part, casual dress is the order of the day. Ladies might want to take along a cocktail dress for a special evening, and men a dress shirt and a tie. I don t know of any place where a jacket is required.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS: US and Canadian citizens must have a passport, or a birth certificate plus a photo ID, and a return or on-going ticket. Citizens from Great Britain, Ireland, Caribbean Countries of The British Commonwealth, and of the European Community must have a current passport. All other visitors must have a visa as well as a current holiday campground passport. holiday campground
MEDICAL: What is available is quite good. The islands are served by three medical doctors with qualified staff. There is a small but well-run hospital on Grand Turk (Grand Turk Hospital, 649-946-2040), complete with OR, path lab, and X-ray facility. There is a Health Center in Providenciales at Leeward Highway and Airport Road, 649-941-3000. There is a medical clinic on South Caicos, 649-946-3216; one on Middle Caicos, 649-946-61454; and another on North Caicos, 649-946-7194. The islands are also served by a dentist, who can be contacted at the Providenciales Health Center.
POST OFFICES: There are post offices on Grand Turk, 649-946-1334, holiday campground and Providenciales, 649-946-4676, and there are sub-post offices holiday campground on many of the smaller islands. Hours are from 8 am to noon and 2 to 4 pm, Monday through Thursday, and on Friday from 8 am to 3:30 pm.
SAFETY: You have very little to fear as far as personal holiday campground safety is concerned; violent crime on these islands is virtually nonexistent. But petty theft is a possibility. Don t leave valuables lying around holiday campground in hotel rooms, in cars or on the beach.
TELEPHONES: The system on the islands still leaves a lot to be desired, but is improving rapidly. Incoming calls don t seem to be a problem. Outgoing direct dialed calls? holiday campground They re still working on that one. Cell phones? Best leave yours at home.
TIPPING: As with most countries that have been or still are under British influence, tipping is generally taken care of for you. You need to give your taxi driver a tip, about 10%, but almost all hotels and restaurants add a 15% gratuity to your bill. I think that should cover it. Unfortunately, some hotel and restaurant staff members holiday campground seem to think otherwise. So if you think someone deserves holiday campground a little extra, go ahead and give it.
TOURIST INFORMATION: The Turks and Caicos Information Office, Front Street, Cockburn Town, Grand Turk, BWI, is open Monday through Friday from 8 am until 5 pm. 800-241-0824 or 649-946-2322. www.turksandcaicostourism.com.
WATER: Some hotels provide good drinking water (be sure to ask), but it s not a good idea to drink the tap water anywhere else on the islands or brush your teeth with it, nor is it wise to take drinks with ice made from tap water. Bottled water is readily available almost everywhere.
Provo is the most developed of the islands in the group. It lies on the western end of the Turks and Caicos; only West Caicos lies beyond its most westerly Bonefish Point. Provo is where most of the tourists come, which means it has hotels. And it s the only island with an airport capable holiday campground of handling wide-bodied jets. Those traveling onward to the other islands must do so by way of the national airline, Turks and Caicos Airways, 649-946-4255. Provo is basically a peaceful little island some 15 miles long by about eight miles at its widest point. It s a land of gently holiday campground undulating hills where the sea grapes and
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