The Turks and Caicos Islands, located about 600 miles off the coast of south Florida, is made up of eight major islands and many uninhabited cays.  The very name of the islands evokes a history of adventure and romance. 

The name Turks and Caicos reflects the islands’ pirate laced history.  “Turk” is a term meaning pirate. The islands were a hideout for pirates during the 17th and 18th centuries.  Legend has it that these pirates would prey on Spanish treasure ships.

Thus, the Turks and Caicos have become known as the “Pirate Islands.”
Even beyond legend, the Turks and Caicos have a rich history.  Long before being known for sunny vacations and all inclusive honeymoons, the Turks and Caicos Islands were home to the Taino Indians. 

The early history of the islands includes the arrival of the Europeans when ownership of the islands frequently changed hands among the France, Spain and Great Britain.  At the time, the islands were not on a major sailing route and possessed no gold, so interest in the islands and development slowed to a virtual halt for many years.

In 1678, a group of Bermudans settled on the islands.  They began logging trees and extracting salt.  These early efforts at salt extraction led to the development of salinas, salt drying pans that are used to this day on many islands throughout the world. The Bermudas who settled in the Turks and Caicos prospered and were eventually noticed by the Spanish and Bahamian governments. 

In 1766, the Bahamian government extended its jurisdiction and the Turks and Caicos became a part of their rule.  This time saw the Turks and Caicos become a base of operation for the pirates from which they got their name.  It was a time of great unrest and reign of the islands changed hands several times until 1872 when the islands were annexed to Jamaica. The islands briefly became a part of the Bahamas in the mid twentieth century before becoming a Crown Colony of Britain in 1973.

Recent years have brought a calm and peaceful period to the Turks and Caicos.  A series of discoveries and investments eventually led to the vacation paradise we now know the Turks and Caicos to be. In the early sixties, a group of seven millionaires came to know of the islands and built a small airstrip.  At about the same time Count Ferdinand Czernin of the Austro-Hungarian Empire developed a retreat for himself that eventually became the Meridian Club resort.  In 1984, Club Med opened and the true Turks and Caicos boom began.

Contact our travel agents to assist you with your Turks and Caicos Caribbean holiday travel arrangements. Our specialists are knowledgeable with travel requirements, discounts, all inclusive resorts and hotel specials and custom vacation and honeymoon requests. Let us do the work so you can focus on having fun on your Turks Caicos Travel in the Caribbean.