Turks & Caicos

Just south of the Bahamas, Turks & Caicos Islands, a British Crown Colony, is an archipelago of 41 low-lying islands that feature rural, undeveloped lands covered in cactus and acacia trees and some of the world's most spectacular beaches. But it's what happens underwater that draws most visitors to these islands. Most visitors fly into Providenciales, called "Provo," a gem of a place where tourism is booming with ever more seaside resorts, game fishing tour operators and dive shops. Provo is also home to Chalk Sound National Park, on a sliver of peninsula surrounded by decadent blue sea. On Grand Turk is the sleepy capital Cockburn Town, ...

Just south of the Bahamas, Turks & Caicos Islands, a British Crown Colony, is an archipelago of 41 low-lying islands that feature rural, undeveloped lands covered in cactus and acacia trees and some of the world's most spectacular beaches. But it's what happens underwater that draws most visitors to these islands. Most visitors fly into Providenciales, called "Provo," a gem of a place where tourism is booming with ever more seaside resorts, game fishing tour operators and dive shops. Provo is also home to Chalk Sound National Park, on a sliver of peninsula surrounded by decadent blue sea. On Grand Turk is the sleepy capital Cockburn Town, but the island is used more as a launch pad for exploration of the incredible offshore cays. Salt Cay has great diving and snorkeling but is also one of the world's best places to see humpback whales, which use these waters as breeding grounds in winter.

About the Expert

Debra Landau has written eight Lonely Planet guidebooks, including books on the USA, Caribbean, and the South.