Turks & Caicos

Beaches. Miles and miles of gleaming white sands fronting turquoise shallows. That’s what lures most travelers to the islands of the Turks and Caicos. The 12-mile arc of Grace Bay – the archipelago’s best-known swath of ivory-white sand – boasts a trophy case full of “world’s best” awards from travel publications, tourism councils and online reviews. But it is just one of many strands that line the shores of an island chain perched on the edges of an expansive limestone plateau.

The underwater cliffs rising from deep ocean waters create 1,700 square miles of coral reefs and seagrass meadows that become a vast aquatic playground for anglers and scuba divers. Ashore, the islands offer a range of vacation experiences, from the upscale beach resorts of Provo to the intimate guest houses of North and South Caicos and the back-in-time vibe of Grand Turk.