By Scott Bateman
© Caribeez.com
Summary
Forty islands and cays make up the Turks & Caicos Islands, which lie 660 miles to the southeast of the Bahamas. TCI is a British overseas territory like the British Virgin Islands. Their convenient location near the Bahamas have made them a mainstay of eastern Caribbean cruises.  | | Historic Grand Turk; © BigStockPhoto.com |
The current population of more than 20,000 receives more than 500,000 tourists visitors a year, the majority of which are from cruise ships. Numbers don't lie. The fast-rising tourism statistics for Turks & Caicos Islands show that this formerly quiet Caribbean destination is becoming one of the most popular places to visit, especially among cruises. Stopover visits increased 71 percent to 265,000 people between 2002 and 2007, while cruise passengers skyrocketed from 2,400 in 2002 to nearly 380,000 in 2007, according to the Turks & Caicos Tourist Board and Statistics Office. Attractions
Unique excursions on a Turks & Caicos vacation include opportunities for visitors to spot a herd of 2,500 migrating humpback whales from late January through early April; the Grand Turk Lighthouse, which was brought in pieces from England in 1852 and reconstructed on the island; the 200-year-old ruins of the cotton plantation at Cheshire Hall; the Caicos Conch Farm, where conchs are raised to adulthood and visitors can learn about the process; and the Middle Caicos Caves, a series of limestone caverns, which are the largest in the Caribbean. Tourism / When to Go
All U.S. visitors arriving by air are required to have a passport, while cruise visitors will be required to have a passport beginning June 1, 2009. All other visitors are required to have a passport. Visitors from all nations are required to have a round-trip ticket as well. Weather
Temperatures range from the low 80s Fahrenheit from November through May and the high 80s from June through October. The average annual rainfall is 21 inches, and the islands have 350 days of sunshine each year. Currency / Tipping
The U.S. Dollar is the official currency of Turks & Caicos. Most hotels, taxis and restaurants accept both credit cards and travelers' checks. Tipping is recommended at 15 percent for waiters, porters, maids and taxi drivers. Culture / Geography
The Turks and Caicos economy is based on tourism, offshore financial services, and fishing. The official language is English, and the capital is Grand Turk. Eight of the 40 islands are inhabited, and they receive frequent hurricanes during the Caribbean hurricane season of June through November. Sources / More information
U.S. State Department: http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1048.html
CIA Factbook: https://www.odci.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/tk.html
Caribbean Tourism Organization: http://www.onecaribbean.org
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