Turks & Caicos Islands Vacation Guide

Turks and Caicos Islands Vacation Guide | The Meridian Club 1

Contents

Introduction: turquoise waters, sugary white beaches ............................................... 2

Discover the perfect holiday in the Turks and Caicos Islands ................................ 3

Where are the Turks and Caicos Islands? ..................................................................... 4

Sundrenched, turquoise waters .................................................................................. 4

Weather in the Turks and Caicos Islands ....................................................................... 5

Trade winds keep things cool ...................................................................................... 5

Warm water temperatures, perfect for swimming ................................................... 5

350 days of sunshine each year .................................................................................. 6

The Caribbean’s best beaches ...................................................................................... 7

Pine Cay, a superlative Caribbean hideaway ......................................................... 7

Key Turks and Caicos Islands facts: ............................................................................ 8

Exploring the Turks and Caicos Islands .......................................................................... 9

Providenciales ................................................................................................................ 9

Pine Cay ........................................................................................................................ 10

Middle Caicos .............................................................................................................. 10

North Caicos ................................................................................................................. 11

Caicos Bank .................................................................................................................. 11

Activities near Pine Cay ................................................................................................. 12

Snorkeling and Diving in the Turks and Caicos Islands .......................................... 12

Dive sites close to Pine Cay ....................................................................................... 12

The Turks and Caicos Islands flight information .......................................................... 13

For more information… .................................................................................................. 14

Turks and Caicos Islands Vacation Guide | The Meridian Club 2

Introduction: turquoise waters, sugary white beaches

Beautiful, private Pine Cay is part of the Turks and Caicos Islands, a small British Overseas Territory located just east of the Bahamas, about an hour by air from Miami.

The archipelago is famous for its white-sand beaches, and is surrounded by shallow turquoise waters frequented by dolphins, while humpback whales migrate close to one of the longest barrier reefs in the world, close to Pine Cay.

Turks and Caicos Islands Vacation Guide | The Meridian Club 3

Discover the perfect holiday in the Turks and Caicos Islands

While many visitors travel to the Turks and Caicos Islands to enjoy snorkeling, diving, deep sea fishing and paddling, others are looking for an unspoiled, private retreat and a glimpse of the Caribbean of the days gone by.

With that in mind, we've prepared this basic Turks and Caicos Islands information guide that includes:

• geography • weather • things to do • information about Pine Cay, our private Caribbean island

We’ve also included some hints about where to find the perfect secluded private island getaway in the Caribbean.

For more information, please contact us at: reservations@meridianclub.com

Turks and Caicos Islands Vacation Guide | The Meridian Club 4

Where are the Turks and Caicos Islands?

The Turks and Caicos Islands are located just east of the Bahamas, about an hour by air from Miami. The area consist of 40 islands or ”cays” that are the remnants of an ancient coral reef - all that remains is soft, sugary sand.

Providenciales (aka “Provo”) and Grand Turk are home to the majority of the territory’s population. There are also many sparsely populated islands like Pine Cay that feature secluded, pristine beaches surrounded by turquoise water - it's a glimpse of Caribbean ecology and a traditional way of life.

Sundrenched, turquoise waters

To the south of the archipelago stretches the Caicos Bank, a shallow sun-drenched body of water that is perfect for fishing, sailing or paddling.

To the north, on the leeward side of the islands, lies deeper water and one of the longest barrier reefs in the world.

Turks and Caicos Islands Vacation Guide | The Meridian Club 5

Weather in the Turks and Caicos Islands

The Turks and Caicos Islands are warm year round. If you’re coming from the frigid interior of North America, this is the perfect place to plan a winter vacation in the sun.

Trade winds keep things cool

The average temperature ranges between 85 and 90 degrees (29-32 degrees Celsius) from June to October, and constant trade winds keeps the climate at a very comfortable level.

From November to May the average temperature is 80 to 84 degrees (27-29 degrees Celsius).

Warm water temperatures, perfect for swimming

The water temperature ranges from 82 to 84 degrees (28-29 degrees Celsius) in summer, to 74 to 78 degrees (23-26 degrees Celsius) in winter - perfect for swimming, splashing and paddling.

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350 days of sunshine each year

Each year the Turks and Caicos Islands averages 350 days of sunshine, while there is an annual rainfall of 21 inches, falling mostly during hurricane season, from the start of June to the end of November.

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The Caribbean’s best beaches

The Turks and Caicos Islands are regularly recognized as one of the top vacation destinations in the world, rivaling other Caribbean islands.

Beaches on Turks and Caicos Islands boast some of the world's most pristine white sand beaches and coral reefs within wading distance from shore.

Pine Cay, a superlative Caribbean hideaway

Pine Cay in the Turks and Caicos has quietly gained recognition as a private destination for those seeking a unique experience. Andrew Harper, author of the Hideway Report, gave The Meridian Club and its "superlative two-mile beach" his 2013 Grand Award.

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Key Turks and Caicos Islands facts:

• The Turks and Caicos Islands consist of 40 islands and cays (pronounced keys)

• The territory is 575 miles southeast of Miami (about an hour by plane)

• English spoken, American currency accepted

• 350 days of sunshine each year

• #1 Beach in the Caribbean and #2 Beach in the world (TripAdvisor)

• US arrivals are required to display a passport, as do visitors from other countries; visas are usually not needed

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Exploring the Turks and Caicos Islands

Providenciales

Acting as the gateway to the Turks and Caicos Islands, Providenciales is the location of an international airport as well as services for the western reaches of the territory.

Dozens of other cays offer a more private Caribbean vacation:

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Pine Cay

The location of The Meridian Club, Pine Cay is an 800-acre private island to the east of Provo with two miles of pristine white sand beach, and is home to a boutique 13-room hotel.

With just a few homeowners, and limited access to telephone and internet, Pine Cay is one of the only places in the Caribbean where you can get completely away from the pressures of modern life.

Middle Caicos

Lying to the west of Providenciales and Pine Cay, Middle Caicos is a sparsely populated cay famous for the largest above-ground network of limestone caves in the Caribbean.

The cay is also known for the Middle Caicos Crossing Place Trail, a path that passes through native terrain with great views of white sand beaches, and which has served as a transport route for nearly two hundred years.

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North Caicos

North Caicos is the second-largest island in the Turks and Caicos Islands, and is the lushest of all the islands due to the abundant rainfall. Vibrant tidal flats are home to the largest flock of West Indian Flamingos in the Turks & Caicos Islands.

Whitby Beach, 7 miles of white sand, spans much of the northern coast. Popular for snorkeling, the Three Mary's Cays are also located on this side.

Caicos Bank

The Caicos Bank is a shallow turquoise body of water that stretches out, seemingly forever, south of Provo and the cays to the east.

The tidal flats and swamps are perfect habitat for conch and lobsters and, at the southern edge of the bank, a steep drop-off makes for a perfect dive spot.

The Caicos Bank is also a perfect place to go fishing for bonefish, wahoo, or Mahi Mahi.

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Activities near Pine Cay

Snorkeling and Diving in the Turks and Caicos Islands

Grace Bay, Northwest Point, the Channel, West Caicos, French Cay and Pine Cay all offer fantastic diving in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

In addition to swimming with brilliantly-colored tropical fish, divers and snorkelers sometimes encounter sea turtles, eagle rays, and even dolphins and Humpback whales.

Dive sites close to Pine Cay

Dive sites close to Pine Cay include the Football Field, the 50 Yard Line (a mini wall dropping to 150 feet with soft corals and sponges and many different types of schooling fish), and Eagle Ray Pass, a more challenging site known for rays and sharks, plus boulder, star and brain corals.

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The Turks and Caicos Islands flight information

Provo's international airport has frequent connections and daily direct flights from many North American and European airport hubs:

Air Transat Charter flights from Montreal (YUL) to Provo (PLS), Turks and Caicos

American Airlines Daily service from Miami to Provo

Air Canada Daily flights from Toronto (YYZ) to Provo

Bahamas Air Flights from Nassau (NAS) to Provo

United Regular daily flights

British Air Weekly flights from Heathrow (LHR) to Provo

Delta Airlines Daily flights from Atlanta (ATL) to Provo

JetBlue Regular daily flights

Turks & Caicos Air Frequent trips between Provo and other Caribbean destinations

United Airlines Regular service to Provo from Newark, Philadelphia

US Airways Service from Charlotte (CLT) to Provo

WestJet Regular flights from Toronto to Provo

Pine Cay also features its own private airport - some guests fly their own planes to the resort.

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This ebook was sponsored by The Meridian Club, a private island resort in the Caribbean, in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

For more information…

For more information on how to enjoy this Caribbean paradise, see:

http://www.meridianclub.com/contact/