Grand Turk

The noun has one meaning:

Meaning #1: the ruler of a Muslim country (especially of the former Ottoman Empire)
  Synonym: sultan

Grand Turk is where the government of the tiny island group has its headquarters. It's also the location of the capitol city, Cockburn Town. Cockburn, by the way, is pronounced "Coburn." This town of 3,500 is a happening place. Grand Turk is not top of the list as far as tourism is concerned, but it is a little less expensive than its more popular neighbor, Providenciales. The island itself has little going for it. It does have some fine beaches and the snorkeling is good, but it lacks aesthetic appeal. There is no lush tropical vegetation here, few colorful plants and flowers, and the prevailing breezes that blow constantly across the landscape give the island a somewhat windswept look. Still, there are bargains to be found on Grand Turk, so you might want to consider the island when making your plans.

Getting Around

There's not too much to getting around on Grand Turk. Taxis are available – check with your hotel. The fare from the airport to all hotels in and around Provo is $15. There's also a bus service, which is a bit of an adventure: will it or won't it? If you want to rent a car, you can do that too for about $50 per day. Contact Dutchie's Car Rental, tel. 649-946-2244. You can also rent bicycles at some of the hotels for about $10; cheaper if you rent by the week. Then, if all else fails, you can reach most places of note on foot.

Banking

Banks are always the best places to cash traveler's checks. The exchange rates are better. Most are on Front Street. Bank of Nova Scotia, Front Street, tel. 649-946-2831. Barclays Bank (great for visitors from the UK), Front Street, tel. 649-946-2506.

Information

Turks and Caicos Information Office, Front Street, Cockburn Town, Grand Turk, BWI, tel. 800-241-0824; local 649-946-2322.

Cockburn Town

The biggest little town south of Nassau, Cockburn Town is the Capitol of Turks and Caicos, though it's difficult to believe, when you stand on one of its two dusty main streets. It's an old world town with white painted colonial style buildings reminiscent of those you find on the island of Bermuda. One gets a feeling that Humphrey Bogart will, any minute, walk around the next corner with Lauren Bacall on his arm. This intriguing place is well worth a visit if you have time.

Sightseeing

Turks & Caicos National Museum. Housed in an historic building constructed out of old ships' timbers from shipwrecks, this could be considered the highlight of a visit to Grand Turk. It's a catalog of the history of the tiny island group, and you'll find many unique and interesting artifacts on display. For instance, some 50% of the museum's displays are centered around the remains of the wreck of Molasses Reef. That's where the Spanish caravel, name unknown, was found. It sank off Grand Turk sometime prior to 1513, making it the oldest known shipwreck in the Americas. When the wreck was first discovered, it was thought to be the wreck of one of Christopher Columbus' ships, the Pinta, but this was not the case. It seems there's no evidence that the Pinta ever returned to Grand Turk. Today, little is left of the hull of the wreck, but what remains is on display, along with artifacts from the wreck. There are also some pre-Columbian artifacts, including a whole room dedicated to the Taino culture, with a Taino paddle dated to around 1100 AD. Open 9 am until 4 pm weekdays, and 9 am until 1 pm on Saturdays. Tours of the museum are conducted weekdays at 2 pm. Admission is $5 for adults, 50¢ for students. It's located in Guinep House, Front Street, Cockburn Town. tel. 649-946-2160.

Adventures

Snorkeling & Diving

Diving around Grand Turk is exceptional, ranging from shallow reef tops to tunnels. Listed below you'll find several dive operators. Single-tank dives range upward from $35.

Blue Water Divers, at the Salt Raker Inn, Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos, BWI, tel. 649-946-2260.

Oasis Divers, Duke Street, Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos, BWI, tel. 800-892-3995.

Whale Watching

One of the more spectacular opportunities offered on Grand Turk is whale watching. Every year, from January through April, more than 2,500 humpback whales come to breed in the warm waters to the south and east of Salt Cay. They pass through the 22-mile-wide passage between the islands. Here, for more than three months, the great mammals gather to mate and give birth. Humpbacks grow to more than 40 feet long. You can see the great beasts breaching from the shores of Grand Turk and Salt Cay. Better yet, take a trip with Oasis Divers, for $45. Be sure to take along a camera and plenty of film.

Dining

$$ Calico Jack's, on Duke Street, is the oldest and busiest inn on Grand Turk. The cuisine claims to be international and, for the most part, it is, with grilled steaks, chicken, fresh fish, and all served in generous portions. There's also a busy bar open from early afternoon until after midnight. The restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner from 7 am until 10 pm. It's best to make a reservation for dinner. tel. 649-946-2466.

$ to $$ The Secret Garden, at the Salt Raker Inn, is open most of the day and early evening for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Breakfast (the full English heart attack with eggs, bacon, sausage, fried tomato, and fried bread) and lunch are casual affairs, except for a couple of nights a week when the dinner menu includes lobster, steaks, and fresh fish cooked in a variety of ways. Dessert (apple or cherry pie with ice cream) is also worth a mention. Open from 7:15 am until 9 pm. Reservations for dinner a must. tel. 649-946-2260.

$ to $$ The Water's Edge, on Duke Street, is all character and atmosphere. The menu is basically Bahamian, but the offerings cover a much wider spectrum. There is, of course, the inevitable conch (good job, too) cooked and served a variety of ways, including curried, along with an assortment of steaks, fresh fish and chicken dishes. You can even get an order of buffalo wings, a pizza, all-you-can-eat pasta, and, believe it or not Tex-Mex. Open from noon until 11 pm for lunch and dinner. No need to make a reservation. tel. 649-946-1680.

Accommodations

Accommodations on Grand Turk, even though the island is the seat of government, are not as modern as they are on Provo, nor are the amenities as extensive. Many hotels and guest houses are not air-conditioned, few have in-room TVs or telephones, and the plumbing can often be a thing mystery and magic. Still, most place are clean and well run, if a little run-down. Those that follow can be relied upon to fulfill most needs, and provide a little old-world charm as well; just don't expect too much. All prices shown are per unit, unless otherwise indicated.

The Arches is a small, modern hotel set on a ridge where you can enjoy some spectacular ocean views. There are just 24 guest units, all air-conditioned, with cable TV and kitchenettes. It's a bit expensive, but nice. Lighthouse Road, PO Box 226, Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos, BWI, tel. 649-946-2941. EP from $150.

Arawak Inn and Beach Club is two miles south of town. This little resort has 16 suites, all with kitchens. Suites are air-conditioned and can sleep up to four people. There's a nice freshwater pool and a beach bar were you can enjoy a meal. Dive packages and horseback riding are available too. PO Box 190, Cockburn Town, Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos, BWI, tel. 649-946-2277. Weekly per person from $580.

Osprey Beach Hotel is pretty basic. All of the 16 guest units overlook the ocean. It's a bit run-down, but passable, if you don't mind roughing it a little. Clean, inexpensive. Duke Street, PO Box 42, Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos, BWI, tel. 649-946-1453. EP from $95.

Salt Raker Inn is a real charmer. There are just 13 guest units, all of them air-conditioned, and all individually decorated. Some have ocean views, some overlook the gardens. Some have TVs and telephones, all have ceiling fans and refrigerators. Upstairs units have balconies with hammocks: nice. There's even a restaurant. Inexpensive. Duke Street, PO Box 1, Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos, BWI, tel. 649-946-2260. EP from $75.

Turks Head Inn. This old inn, circa 1869, oozes atmosphere. There are just eight guest rooms, all recently renovated and furnished with antique reproductions. Satellite TV is a bonus, as are the telephones, if you consider such luxuries an essential. Some of the downstairs rooms have their own gardens, and the upstairs rooms have balconies. Best of all, it's inexpensive. Duke Street, PO Box 58, Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos, BWI, tel. 649-946-2466. From $65.

Grand Turk

A view of the southwestern beach at Grand Turk. This is currently the beach next to cruise ship dock, which is crowded when the ships are in; all of the other beaches are serene and very unpopulated
Geography
Location	Caribbean
Coordinates	21°28′20″N 71°08′20″W / 21.47222°N 71.13889°W / 21.47222; -71.13889
Archipelago	Turks Islands
Area	18 square kilometres (6.9 sq mi)
Country
United Kingdom
British Overseas Territory	Turks and Caicos Islands
Largest city	Cockburn Town (pop. 3,700)
Demographics
Population	3720
Density	206.67 /km2 (535.3 /sq mi)

Grand Turk Island is an island in the Turks and Caicos Islands. It is the largest island in the Turks Islands (not the Caicos) with 18 square kilometres. It contains the territory's capital, Cockburn Town and the JAGS McCartney International Airport. The island is the administrative, historic, cultural and financial centre of the territory, and has the second largest population of the islands at approximately 3,720 people.

Replica of the Friendship 7

Grand Turk gained international attention in 1962 when John Glenn's Friendship 7 Mercury spacecraft landed in the vicinity of Grand Turk Island off the southeast shoreline. A replica of the Friendship 7 is on display in Grand Turk at the entrance to the Grand Turk Island airport^[1].

The name comes from a species of cactus on the island, the Turk's Cap Cactus (Melocactus intortus), which has a distinctive cap, reminiscent of a Turkish fez.

It is said to be possibly the landfall island of Christopher Columbus during his discovery of the New World in 1492.^{[citation needed]} San Salvador Island or Samana Cay in the Bahamas is traditionally considered the site of Columbus' first landfall, but some believe that studies of Columbus' journals show that his descriptions of Guanahani much more closely fit Grand Turk than they do other candidates.

In 1966 at least 5 sounding rockets were launched from Grand Turk Island [1]

References

1. ^ Turks and Caicos History - VisitProvidenciales

External links

• Grandturk.tc
• Grand Turk Chamber of Commerce
• Visit Grand Turk

Coordinates: 21°28′20″N 71°08′20″W / 21.47222°N 71.13889°W / 21.47222; -71.13889

This Turks and Caicos Islands location article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v • d • e

This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)