Provo, Turks & Caicos Islands
Welcomes You and Yours  The Turks and Caicos Islands are located 575 miles southeast of Miami Florida. They are 30 miles south of the Bahamas and 90 miles north of the Dominican Republic. The main islands consist of two groups separated by the Columbus Island Passage: The Turks Group, which includes Grand Turk and Salt Cay, and the Caicos Group, which includes West Caicos, Providenciales, North Caicos, Middle Caicos, East Caicos, and South Caicos.
The Turks and Caicos islands enjoy 350 days of sunshine a year. Only 21 inches a rain falls each year so you are guaranteed plenty of fun in the sun with almost zero risk of bad weather ruining your plans. Providenciales Island, more commonly known as "Provo", where the HAMlet is located, covers an area of 38 square miles. It is the most developed island and has a population of over 6,000. Provo has a large non-native population made up of Germans, Americans, Haitians, Dominicans, French and, Canadians. Provo offers all modern conveniences including plenty of Scuba and snorkeling shops, car rentals, numerous dining opportunities, a casino, a golf course, and modern full-service grocery and hardware stores. The people are accommodating; welcoming tourist with open friendly smiles. The HAMlet is located on the north shore of Providenciales aboveTurtle Cove and only a short drive from the airport.  As recently as 1964, Providenciales (usually called Provo) did not have a single wheeled vehicle. Following in the footsteps of Club Med, the island's first large hotel and casino complex opened in 1990 and touched off a development boom. Provo is now the most tourist-oriented and developed of the islands, boasting many resort hotels and an 18-hole golf course. The island has recently become popular with retirees from around the world, kindling a boom of residential development. Given its recent evolution, the atmosphere is more reminiscent of the Florida Keys than Nassau, with little of the character of other Caribbean isles.
The resorts are centered on five mile-long (8km) Grace Bay, with its brilliant white sand and shimmering turquoise waters. Apart from the beaches, Provo's charm lies in its rugged hills and ridges, which are carpeted with prickly pear cactus and scrub. The trump card, however, remains the diving: miles and miles of coral reefs are temptingly close to shore. Provo is also surrounded by uninhabited cays that are easily reached by chartered boat or excursion. The only town, sprawling, soulless namesake Providenciales, sits in the middle of the island. Most of the island's services are here, including snazzy shopping malls. There are also pockets of makeshift shacks - the homes of Haitians - interspersed among the more upscale residences. Opportunities for sightseeing are slim, though history buffs might check out the ruins of Cheshire Hall, a 1790s plantation house constructed by British loyalists. The western half of Provo is mostly barren wilderness, home to the island's best natural attraction, Chalk Sound National Park. The park is a three-mile-long (5km) bay a few miles southwest of downtown Providenciales. The color of the water is a uniform turquoise and studded with countless mushroom-like tiny islets. Also on the western part of the island is Northwest Point Marine National Park, which extends to nearby reefs and several saline lakes that attract breeding and migrant waterfowl. You'll have to hike to get there. Additional Links: |
