Grand Turk is the second-most populated island in the Turks and Caicos and is home to the country's only cruise port. As with the main tourism island of Providenciales, it has excellent beaches and great diving, but is overall more relaxed and laid-back.
Cockburn Town, located on the western side of the island, has been the capital of Turks and Caicos since 1766. Take a stroll down Front Street and discover old-school Caribbean character, colonial buildings, and historical charm.
Grand Turk is located two-thirds of the way between Florida and Puerto Rico, making it a popular cruise stop. The Cruise Center has shopping options, a few restaurants, and is the launching point for shore excursions such as island tours, snorkeling cruises, and 4x4 expeditions.
For those just looking to relax, a beach fronts the Cruise Center. Governor's Beach, the best beach on the island, is a short ride away.
While no regular international flights land at Grand Turk, several daily flights are offered from the main island of Providenciales (where nearly all international flights to the Turks and Caicos land).
Flights from Providenciales are only 20 minutes, making it an easy choice for those looking to do a day trip.
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Islands of the Turks & Caicos
Grand Turk is located on the eastern end of the Turks and Caicos archipelago. Most visitors arrive via cruise ship, and daily domestic flights connect the island to Providenciales, where all international flights land. Getting to Grand Turk
Providenciales
Often simply called Provo, Providenciales is the most populated island in the Turks and Caicos. Here, you’ll find beautiful hotels and resorts, luxury villas, fine dining, shopping, and the famous Grace Bay Beach. There's also a wide array of water sports, from snorkeling and scuba diving to sailing, jet skiing, paddleboarding, and more.
It's easy to get to Providenciales, as nearly all international flights to the country land on this island. There are direct flights from many cities in the US, as well as a few from Canada and the UK.
North & Middle Caicos
The verdant North Caicos and Middle Caicos are connected by a road causeway, and function as one island. Found in the center of the Caicos Islands archipelago, they offer limited development, a quiet atmosphere, outstanding natural attractions, and secluded beaches.
Regular passenger ferries and flights via small aircraft operate between Providenciales and North Caicos.
South Caicos
Teeming with old-school Caribbean charm, South Caicos is a quiet island with incredible beaches, a bountiful marine environment, and historical remnants of the sea salt industry. The island is an outstanding destination for fishing, especially for flats and bonefishing.
American Airlines offers a direct international flight from Miami to South Caicos (XSC) twice per week, and regular domestic flights are offered daily between Providenciales and South Caicos.
Grand Turk
Grand Turk has the capital city of Cockburn Town and the country’s only cruise ship port. Formerly a major sea salt producing island, this quiet retreat offers interesting historical sites, Bermudian architecture, and exceptional scuba diving.
Island Highlights
Great beaches and scuba diving
The country's only cruise port
Interesting historical sites and exhibits
Getting Here
Most visitors to Grand Turk are day visitors arriving via cruise ship. Overnight visitors typically fly to Providenciales before boarding a domestic flight to Grand Turk.
Salt Cay
Salt Cay is the smallest of the main inhabited islands in the Turks and Caicos. You won’t find all-inclusives, nightlife, or spas on Salt Cay—but it’s the perfect destination for travelers seeking tranquility, secluded beaches, rich history, and a place where everyone knows one another by name.
There is no international airport on Salt Cay. Domestic flights connect Salt Cay to Providenciales and Grand Turk.
East Caicos
The largest uninhabited island in the Turks and Caicos, remote and wild East Caicos was once the site of guano mining, sisal plantations, and cattle ranches circa the late 1800s and very early 1900s. Today, the island is a thriving sanctuary for flora and fauna, particularly endemic Turks and Caicos plants and regional birds.
East Caicos is quite difficult to access, so very few make the journey to visit. A custom charter with one of the few guides knowledgeable about the island is the only way to visit.
West Caicos
Formerly known as Belle Island, West Caicos boasts a stunning marine environment and treasures from times past. This uninhabited island was once home to a Victorian-era town, an airstrip, and even a small railway. West Caicos offers some of the best scuba diving and snorkeling in the country.
There are no scheduled flights or ferries to West Caicos. The only way to visit the island is via a private boat charter.
Discover Great Beaches
You'll discover a comparatively slower pace of life on Grand Turk than on Providenciales. Idyllic beaches, without the large resorts or expansive villas, line the west coast. These beaches are typically sheltered from the constant trade winds, resulting in calm and turquoise water that's perfect for swimming.
Grand Turk is a wonderful destination for discovering history and nature, as well as a selection of water sports.
On land, explore the coasts by ATV or stroll Cockburn Town's waterfront promenade to admire old colonial buildings. Offshore, incredible scuba diving sites are just minutes from shore by boat.
There are more than 500 years of history to unearth on this small island. First inhabited by the indigenous Lucayan people, Grand Turk's shores have welcomed shipwrecked sailors, salt traders, and even an astronaut. Some historians believe Grand Turk to be the first island Christopher Columbus spotted on his journey to the New World.
Historical sights and attractions can be found throughout the island. Offshore are the glimmering waters where American astronaut John Glenn's Friendship 7 Mercury space capsule landed after orbiting Earth in 1962. Wild donkeys, once the only means of transportation from the salt industry days, roam freely.
The sea salt industry was the main economy of the Turks and Caicos for nearly 300 years. Several salt salinas are found throughout the island, including Red Salina bordering Cockburn Town and Hawkes Nest Salina near the Cruise Center.
Salt from the islands was held in high regard, and during the American Revolutionary War, George Washington himself personally requested salt from the islands for his troops.
The Grand Turk Lighthouse is the most recognizable structure in the Turks and Caicos, and has lit the path for ships navigating the island's treacherous North Reef since 1852.
Visit the Lighthouse on your own, with an organized tour, or by ATV. The grounds of this historical structure are situated on a cliff that provides great vistas over the ocean and opportunities to photograph friendly wild donkeys grazing on the grounds.
The Turks and Caicos National Museum was established in 1991 after the discovery of the Molasses Reef Wreck—the oldest excavated European shipwreck in the Americas—near French Cay. Today, the museum houses artifacts and exhibits from the wreck, as well as those from the Lucayan era, sea salt days, and age of discovery.
Housed in the historical Guinep House building on Front Street, it's typically included in tours of the island and is an interesting stop.
While you won't find the large hotels or all-inclusive resorts of Providenciales on this island, Grand Turk offers several quaint inns and affordable hotels that keep with the laid-back Caribbean atmosphere it's known for.
Oceanfront vacation rentals, including several refurbished colonial homes, make up the majority of accommodations.
Grand Turk is rather small at only 6.9 square miles (18 km²), making it quick and easy to explore the island by car, scooter, or taxi. Taxis are readily available at the cruise center, airport, and in Cockburn Town.
There is no public transportation in Grand Turk or the Turks and Caicos Islands. If you're up for driving, hiring a rental car is the best way to see what the island has to offer.
Some of the best scuba diving that the Turks and Caicos Islands has to offer can be found off Grand Turk, where a colossal coral wall abruptly drops from 50 feet (15 m) into the thousands.
Caribbean reef sharks, sea turtles, and manta rays are just a few of the creatures you can spot along this fascinating site, just a two-minute boat ride from shore.
Trying the staple foods of Turks and Caicos cuisine, from cracked conch to pan-poached grouper, is a must on Grand Turk. Several restaurants across Cockburn Town and near the Grand Turk Cruise Center serve lunch and dinner at tranquil oceanfront locations.
Most of the island's authentic cuisine is located in and near Cockburn Town. Several of the island's top dining options are housed within the charming hotels and inns on Front Street and Duke Street.
The Cruise Center has much of the tourist shopping on Grand Turk, with a variety of duty-free souvenir and luxury products shops on site.
Beyond the cruise grounds, the national museum, small boutiques, and a handful of art galleries sell authentic souvenirs and gifts such as local books, woven baskets, vintage stamps, and more.
