Port of call
Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos, British Overseas Territories
Description — Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos, British Overseas Territories
Grand Turk is an island that forms the peak of an underwater mountain within the Turks and Caicos archipelago (and country), washed by the waters of the southwestern part of the Sargasso Sea. The island stretches from north to south for about 10 kilometers; its average width is 1.6–2.7 kilometers, and the island’s area is 18 km². The western part of the island is gently sloping, while the eastern part is steep and cliffy, although the height of the steepest cliffs does not exceed 20 meters. The island’s population is 5,567, and the vast majority of residents live in the island’s only settlement, which also serves as the country’s capital-Cockburn Town.
From the north, a bay “cuts into” the island by 3 kilometers, with the width of its “neck” being only 20 meters. In the center of the island there is a shallow salt lake covering approximately 0.8 km²; a similar lake, but twice smaller, is located in the southern part of the island. Several other comparable, though very small, lakes are scattered across the island.
The island is named after the cactus of the genus Melocactus, which grows here abundantly-the “twisted Turk’s Cap” (Engl. Turk's Cap intortus), whose top resembles a fez.
Grand Turk was colonized in 1681 by settlers from Bermuda, who began mining salt here: this business was the leading industry on the island for two centuries. In 1766, it became the country’s capital.
Tourism on the island began to develop only from the 1960s, and at first only a few people came here-very wealthy individuals who effectively financed and organized an airfield for private aircraft and a marina for their yachts. Today, mass tourism is very well developed on the island. One of the island’s main attractions is the coral reef located less than 200 meters from the shore, from the foot of which the seafloor drops steeply to a depth of about 2,400 meters. The underwater world of the local reef is noticeably different from neighboring islands because the reef’s outer wall opens almost directly into the open ocean. Here you can see a manta ray (mostly in summer), sea turtles, whale sharks, and inhabitants of the deep. Accordingly, the island has many dive centers and snorkeling schools that make it possible to go diving for both experienced divers and beginners. In winter (from December to April), seasonal migrations of humpback whales can be observed directly from the shore.
ClimateThe climate is tropical marine, mostly dry. From June to October, air temperatures range from +29–32° C, and from November to May they are +27–29° C. In summer, water temperatures reach +28–29° C, while in winter the water warms up to +23–26° C. Sunny weather is typical for the islands, as well as pleasant sea breezes. The best time to visit the country is from mid-December to mid-July.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Location on the map
Cruises calling at this port
La Romana, Dominican Republic, Caribbean Sea, Castries, St. Lucia, Pointe-A-Pitre, Guadalupe, Gudalupa Bay, Gudalupa Bay, Антигуа (Ливардовские Острова), Basseterre, Saint Kitts, Nevis, Tortola, La Romana, Dominican Republic, Остров Каталина (Доминиканская Республика), Catalina Bay, Cabo Rojo, Dominican Republic, Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, Гранд-Терк (Острова Теркс), Archipelago Turks & Caicos, Arroyo Barril (Samana), La Romana, Dominican Republic
Press "Details" button to see an actual price. Price per cabin.
Details
Pointe-A-Pitre, Guadalupe, Gudalupa Bay, Gudalupa Bay, Антигуа (Ливардовские Острова), Basseterre, Saint Kitts, Nevis, Tortola, La Romana, Dominican Republic, Остров Каталина (Доминиканская Республика), Catalina Bay, Cabo Rojo, Dominican Republic, Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, Гранд-Терк (Острова Теркс), Archipelago Turks & Caicos, Arroyo Barril (Samana), La Romana, Dominican Republic, Caribbean Sea, Castries, St. Lucia, Bridgetown, Barbados, Pointe-A-Pitre, Guadalupe
Press "Details" button to see an actual price. Price per cabin.
Details
La Romana, Dominican Republic, Остров Каталина (Доминиканская Республика), Catalina Bay, Cabo Rojo, Dominican Republic, Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, Гранд-Терк (Острова Теркс), Archipelago Turks & Caicos, Arroyo Barril (Samana), La Romana, Dominican Republic, Caribbean Sea, Castries, St. Lucia, Bridgetown, Barbados, Pointe-A-Pitre, Guadalupe, Gudalupa Bay, Gudalupa Bay, Basseterre, Saint Kitts, Nevis, Tortola, La Romana, Dominican Republic
Press "Details" button to see an actual price. Price per cabin.
Details
La Romana, Dominican Republic, Остров Каталина (Доминиканская Республика), Catalina Bay, Cabo Rojo, Dominican Republic, Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, Гранд-Терк (Острова Теркс), Archipelago Turks & Caicos, Arroyo Barril (Samana), La Romana, Dominican Republic
Press "Details" button to see an actual price. Price per cabin.
Details
La Romana, Dominican Republic, Caribbean Sea, Castries, St. Lucia, Bridgetown, Barbados, Pointe-A-Pitre, Guadalupe, Gudalupa Bay, Gudalupa Bay, Basseterre, Saint Kitts, Nevis, Tortola, La Romana, Dominican Republic, Остров Каталина (Доминиканская Республика), Catalina Bay, Arroyo Barril (Samana), Гранд-Терк (Острова Теркс), Archipelago Turks & Caicos, Amber Cove, Dominican Republic, Cabo Rojo, Dominican Republic, La Romana, Dominican Republic
Press "Details" button to see an actual price. Price per cabin.
Details
Pointe-A-Pitre, Guadalupe, Gudalupa Bay, Gudalupa Bay, Basseterre, Saint Kitts, Nevis, Tortola, La Romana, Dominican Republic, Остров Каталина (Доминиканская Республика), Catalina Bay, Arroyo Barril (Samana), Гранд-Терк (Острова Теркс), Archipelago Turks & Caicos, Amber Cove, Dominican Republic, Cabo Rojo, Dominican Republic, La Romana, Dominican Republic, Caribbean Sea, Fort de France, Martinique, Bridgetown, Barbados, Pointe-A-Pitre, Guadalupe
Press "Details" button to see an actual price. Price per cabin.
Details
La Romana, Dominican Republic, Остров Каталина (Доминиканская Республика), Catalina Bay, Arroyo Barril (Samana), Гранд-Терк (Острова Теркс), Archipelago Turks & Caicos, Amber Cove, Dominican Republic, Cabo Rojo, Dominican Republic, La Romana, Dominican Republic
Press "Details" button to see an actual price. Price per cabin.
Details
La Romana, Dominican Republic, Остров Каталина (Доминиканская Республика), Catalina Bay, Arroyo Barril (Samana), Гранд-Терк (Острова Теркс), Archipelago Turks & Caicos, Amber Cove, Dominican Republic, Cabo Rojo, Dominican Republic, La Romana, Dominican Republic, Caribbean Sea, Fort de France, Martinique, Bridgetown, Barbados, Pointe-A-Pitre, Guadalupe, Gudalupa Bay, Gudalupa Bay, Basseterre, Saint Kitts, Nevis, Tortola, La Romana, Dominican Republic
Press "Details" button to see an actual price. Price per cabin.
Details