Sportfishermen, scuba divers, and beach aficionados have long known about the Turks and Caicos (pronounced kay-kos). To them this British Crown colony of more than 40 islands and small cays (only ten of which are inhabited) is a gem that offers dazzling turquoise seas, priceless stretches of fine ivory sand, and reefs rich in marine life. Whether you're swimming with the fishes or attempting to catch them from the surface, the Turks and Caicos won't disappoint. In an archipelago 575 mi (927 km) southeast of Miami and 90 mi (145 km) north of Haiti, the total landmass of these two groups of islands is 193 square mi (500 square km); the total population less than 25,000.
The Turks Islands include Grand Turk, which is the capital and seat of government, and Salt Cay. It's claimed that Columbus's first landfall was at Guanahani Beach on Grand Turk. Legend also has it that these islands were named by early settlers who thought the scarlet blossoms on the local cactus resembled the Turkish fez.
Approximately 22 mi (35½ km) west of Grand Turk, across the 7,000-ft-deep (2,141-m-deep) Columbus Passage, is the Caicos group: South, East, West, Middle, and North Caicos and Providenciales (nicknamed Provo). All but East Caicos are now inhabited, along with Pine, Parrot, and Ambergris Cays. "Caicos" is derived from cayos, the Spanish word for "cay" and is believed to mean, appropriately, "string of islands."
In the mid-1600s, Bermudians began to rake salt from the salinas on the Turks Islands, returning to Bermuda to sell their crop. Despite French and Spanish attacks and pirate raids, the Bermudians persisted and established a trade that became the bedrock of the islands' economy. In 1766 Andrew Symmers settled here to hold the islands for England. The American Declaration of Independence left British loyalists from South Carolina and Georgia without a country, causing many to take advantage of British Crown land grants in the Turks and Caicos. Cotton plantations were established and prospered for nearly 25 years until the boll weevil, soil exhaustion, and a terrible hurricane in 1813 devastated the land. Left behind to make their living off the land and sea were the former slaves, who remained to shape the islands' culture.
Today the Turks and Caicos are known as a reputable offshore tax haven whose company formation, banking, trusts, and insurance institutions lure investors from North America and beyond. Provo, in particular, is becoming a popular Caribbean tourist destination, and real-estate sales -- especially for luxury beachfront condominiums -- are booming. Mass tourism, however, shouldn't be in the cards; government guidelines promote a quality, not quantity policy, including conservation awareness. However, for the first time, regular cruise ship stops were scheduled to begin in Grand Turk in mid-2003. If proposed plans come to fruition, Grand Turk's quaint, quiet atmosphere is likely to change drastically.
