The Turks and Caicos Islands are a British Overseas Territory and overseas territory of the European Union consisting of two groups of tropical islands in the Caribbean, the larger Caicos Islands and the smaller Turks Islands, known for tourism and as an offshore financial centre.
The Turks and Caicos Islands lie southeast of Mayaguana in the Bahamas island chain and north of the island of Hispaniola. Cockburn Town, the capital since 1766, is situated on Grand Turk Island about 1,042 kilometres (647 mi) east-southeast of Miami in the United States. The islands have a total land area of 430 square kilometres (170 sq mi). The islands are geographically contiguous to the Bahamas, but are politically a separate entity. The total population is about 45,000, of whom approximately 22,500 live on Providenciales in the Caicos Islands.
Many of the visitors who visit the island arrive by boat. This is because many cruise lines are now adding the island to their route. All cruise lines arrive at the terminal in Grand Turk.
If you choose to take a personal or smaller vessel, a number of facilities are available in Providenciales. However, you must call ahead before docking. Their are also marinas in Provo, where you can dock. On the South Side, Sappodilla Bay, is the anchorage location for sail boats.It is easy to sail to the Turks and Caicos from the Dominican Republic, the Bahamas or Cuba; so long as you have an ocean-going vessel. A small boat will do well simply cruising around the island chain, but to cross the open ocean, something about 36 feet or larger is best.
If you are using a private vessel or sailboat, customs and immigrations must be cleared. When using a sailboat, customs have to be arranged in advanced, while South Caicos and Grand Turk have government buildings on location.
