Turks and Caicos

Parrot Cay Beach, Providenciales

The colour of the sea surrounding the Turks and Caicos Islands 40 islands and cays, is an indescribable shade of blue. Located 550 miles southeast of Miami, Florida, just below the Bahamas and  east of Cuba and the island of Hispaniola (Dominican Republic and Haiti.) Technically, the Turks and Caicos are technically located in the Atlantic Ocean, not the Caribbean Sea, but tell that to the crayon makers.

English is the main language, although a lot of the 30,000 full-time residents are from neighboring Caribbean islands, so you’ll often hear an accent or French or Spanish being spoken.  The Turks and Caicos use US dollars as their official currency, and most hotels and restaurants will accept credit cards and traveler’s cheques, and there are ATMs available on the islands.

Turks and Caicos follows Eastern Standard Time, and observes Daylight Savings Time from April to October. The electricity is 110 volt – same as North American usage. British and European visitors may require a converter.

Climate – The average temperature ranges between 85 and 90 degrees (29-32 degrees celsius) from June to October, sometimes reaching the mid 90’s (35 degrees celsius), especially in the late summer months. From November to May the average temperature is 80 to 84 degrees (27-29 degrees celsius). Water temperature in the summer is 82 to 84 degrees (28-29 degrees celsius) and in winter about 74 to 78 degrees (23-26 degrees celsius). A constant trade wind keeps the climate at a very comfortable level.

Grand Turk

The island is mostly inhabited by ex-pats, but Turks & Caicos Islanders are mostly descendants of Africans who were brought in to work the salt pans or the cotton plantations.

The water on the Turks and Caicos Islands is potable but as on many Islands, fresh water is precious, and they depend upon rainfall or desalinated water produced by reverse osmosis for the supply. Please don’t waste water.

TCIs boasts one of the lowest crime rates and highest crime-solved rates in the Caribbean. However that does not mean you shouldn’t use common sense. Do not leave valuables unattended. Lock doors and windows. Use the hotel safe for storage of valuables.

Beautiful, safe, and clean, and with a wide range of accommodation options, Turks and Caicos is a great choice for a Caribbean family vacation. There are a number of condo rentals available, as well as some more modest hotels and self-catering facilities. But what Turks and Caicos is really known for are their luxury resorts, like Beaches and The Gansvoort.

For first-hand trip reports from parents who’ve visited Turks and Caicos with their baby, toddler or young child, please visit our Turks and Caicos Trip Report Page. Have you visited Turks and Caicos with your family? Be sure to tell us about it!