With all the elements of a perfect Caribbean destination and then some, a favorite of
jet-setting urban dwellers and one of the most popular getaways for the well-to-do, the
white powdery sands, Windex-blue waters, unparalleled water sports and marine life,
along with a burgeoning sophisticated food scene make Provo an exceptional place to
unwind.
The Turks and Caicos Islands or TCI for short, are a British Overseas
Territory consisting of the larger Caicos Islands and smaller Turks Islands. They are
known primarily for tourism and as an offshore financial center. The resident population
is about 49,000 of whom about 33,000 live on Providenciales in the Caicos Islands.
Providenciales (often referred to as “Provo”, locally) is an island in the northwest Caicos
Islands, part of the Turks and Caicos Islands. The island has an area of 38 sq miles,
Providenciales is the largest island in population, the third largest in area, and is home
to a large majority of the population of the Turks and Caicos Islands. The island is
served by the Providenciales International Airport. Grace Bay in Providenciales is
consistently ranked one of the best beach destinations in the world by TripAdvisor and
others.
Geography
The two island groups are in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of the Bahamas,
northwest of Puerto Rico, north of Hispaniola, and about 575 miles from Miami. The
eight main islands and more than 299 smaller islands have a total land area of 238
square miles, consisting primarily of low, flat limestone with extensive
marshes and mangrove swamps and 128 sq miles of beach front. The islands have
limited natural fresh water resources; private cisterns collect rainwater for drinking and
public water that’s desalinated sea water. The primary natural resources are spiny
lobster, conch, and other shellfish.
Climate
The Turks and Caicos Islands feature a relatively dry and sunny marine tropical
climate with relatively consistent temperatures throughout the course of the year.
The weather is usually sunny (it is generally regarded that the islands receive 350 days of
sun each year) and relatively dry. In the wintertime it’s in the low 70’s at night and low
80’s in the day and in the summertime it’s in the mid to upper 80’s in the day and mid to
upper 70’s at night.
