With the festive period behind us and plenty of cold weather still ahead, now is the perfect time to start thinking about where to head on holiday this summer.
According to the Air Transport Action Group, there are well over 100,000 flights which take place every day, meaning that our destination options are broader than ever.
If you love nothing better than a beach holiday, then your options are still massive. However, there are a number of hidden gems around the world which stand apart from the rest.
The Turks and Caicos Islands are one excellent example of this. Turks and Caicos is an archipelago in the Caribbean which sits north of the Dominican Republic and south-east of the Bahamas.
But what makes this collection of islands more attractive than anywhere else? Take a look at these five reasons and you’ll be in no doubt why it should be the destination for your 2017 beach getaway.
The Beaches
We’ve all had bad experiences at the beach when on holiday. You head out in a morning to find almost no sand left, leaving you awkwardly sunbathing shoulder to shoulder with a family of twelve. Not exactly the relaxing break you had in mind.
Thankfully this is something you don’t have to worry about in Turks and Caicos, where the best beach in the world awaits you.
While many of the islands offer beautiful white sandy beaches and crystal clear blue waters, none are quite as special as Grace Bay on the island of Providenciales.
Plenty of Activities
For those who don’t like spending the whole holiday lounging in the sunshine, the islands offer a wide range of actives.
With the obvious surroundings, it will come as little surprise that water sports are very popular across Turks and Caicos. So, whether you fancy a snorkel around the beautiful coral reef surrounding the islands, a speed boat ride or even a water ski, there’s everything on offer.
Brilliant Resorts
Another thing which is held in high regard on the islands is the high quality of the resorts. Across all the islands you will find a number of fantastic hotels, from five-star accommodation to family friendly resorts.
One of the more quintessential Turks and Caicos hotels is Beach House TCI, a boutique hotel on the island of Providenciales. It sits on Grace Bay, giving it one of the best locations possible.
Delicious Food & Drink
No great holiday is complete without some delicious food and drink and that is no exception in Turks and Caicos.
The mix of cultures which have influenced these islands mean that the cuisine on offer is vast. There are plenty of restaurants offering European dishes because Turks and Caicos is a British overseas territory, however, there are also lots of places to enjoy Caribbean food and drink too.
One prime example is the world’s first and only conch farm. The Caicos Conch Farm is where you can find some of the most delicious seafood on the islands. This provides a unique taste of traditional Turks and Caicos cuisine which is something not to be missed.
If you fancy trying the local tipple, then you’re in luck, because there are plenty of brilliant bars offering the most delicious beverages the Caribbean.
Whether you are a rum connoisseur or not, this list of bars in Providenciales from Carib Journal is certainly worth a look.
Local Wildlife
Activities on the islands don’t just include water sports. If you fancy yourself a bit of a David Attenborough, there’s plenty of stuffing wildlife to experience.
You can take boat trips to see humpback whales, get up and close with lots of beautiful fish and scuba dive or meet JoJo the Dolphin, one of the only dolphins in the world which seeks human companionship.
If you’re not keen on taking to the deep blue sea for too long, head on over to Little Water Cay, otherwise known as Iguana Island.
This tiny island is home to an indigenous species of iguana who are the only inhabitants. Just a short trip by boat, you can walk from one end of the island to the other, seeing these fascinating reptiles up close in their natural habitat.
As you can see, Turks and Caicos has a great deal to offer and as one of the lesser known Caribbean destinations, it could well be your next hidden gem of a holiday.