Turks and Caicos History

Before Christopher Columbus set foot on Grand Turk in 1492,Turks and Caicos was inhabited by Taino and Lucayan Indians. Their heritage including seafaring, salt raking and farming still lingers today. For almost 700 years they were the only residents on the islands, mainly in Middle Caicos and Grand Turk. They were skilled in farming, fishing and gardening, cultivating almost 50 types of plants some still found in undeveloped areas. After Columbus’ arrival, the Lucayan civilization disappeared and the islands were sparsely populated for about 30 years. During that time, a salt making industry developed and Bermudians came to Turks and Caicos to rake salt and take it back to Bermuda.
In 1706 the French and Spanish briefly captured Turks and Caicos from the Bermudians. By the end of the century, Britain retained the islands as part of the Treaty of Versailles. In 1766, it became part of the Bahamas colony and in 1874 Turks and Caicos became dependent to the British Crown Colony of Jamaica. When Jamaica won independence from Britain in 1962, Turks and Caicos became a Bristish Crown colony on its own and is still one today. By the 1980s, Turks and Caicos along with Providenciales where the Seven Stars Grace Bay Resort is located, became the ultimate tourist destination.

Travel Tips for Turks and Caicos

Before you come to visit us at Seven Stars Grace Bay Resort, there are a few traveling tips that can help you make the journey here a little smoother. For example, did you know that all US citizens traveling by air, and even cruise ships, to Turks and Caicos Islands must have a valid US passport. From Canada, visitors may enter without a passport but they will need an original birth certificate or a notarized copy, a photo id such as a driver’s license. Also also visitors must have a roundtrip ticket and are allowed to stay for 30 days. This is renewable only once. As far as packing goes, casual, comfortable clothes as well as resort wear is advisable since the climate averages in the 70s in the winter and 90s in the summer. Don’t forget a sunscreen, a hat, and sunglasses. Note that there are no rules about tipping, but it’s customary to add 15% for good service. Some restaurants will add 10% service charge to your bill, so remember to verify before you tip. We hope this advice helps you with your travels to sunny Turks and Caicos and wish to see you soon at Seven Stars Grace Bay Resort.

Getting To Seven Stars

The island of Providenciales in Turks and Caicos is really close to major states in the U.S. and most major airlines fly to our beautiful island every day. American Airlines for example had three daily flights from Miami just this past Winter season. New York’s JFK airport had one flight every day and Boston had direct flight on Saturdays. Delta offered flights to the sunny island six times a week from Atlanta. US Airways and Air Canada also had plenty of flights available. Turks and Caicos has two full-service international airports, one in Providenciales where the luxury Seven Stars Grace Bay Resort is and one in Grand Turk. The other islands have domestic airports except for East and West Caicos because they’re uninhabited. Flying time is short from many U.S. states. For example, from Boston, Providenciales is a 3 hours and 15 minutes flight. From New York, it’s three hours away, from Philadelphia, it’s two hours and forty five minutes away and from Atlanta, it’s two hours away. So if you’re interested in warming up your toes in our beautiful sandy beaches and staying in our five star Seven Stars resort, remember you’re closer than you think.

Providenciales Awaits You

Turks and Caicos is home to some of the best beaches around the world with amazing diving and snorkeling, not to mention fishing and other water activities available among the numerous islands. It’s the perfect environment to encourage you to try new things such as a beach picnic, hunting for shells, playing golf, sailing and much more. Each island offers its own particular mix of fun and there are many to choose from including Grand Turk, Salt Cay, and Pine Cay. For example, in Providenciales, home to our luxury hotel Seven Stars Grace Bay Resort, you can try a scenic boat tour. Go for a ride from Providenciales to Sandy Point North Caicos. You’ll visit the Plantations of Wade’s Green in North Caicos, the Caves in Middle Caicos and finish your journey with a stroll on Mudjin Harbor Beach. If you’re a looking for a more adventurous time, you can try waterskiing or wakeboarding. Of course, after all the activity, come back to our beautiful Grace Bay Beach Resort where you’re guaranteed to have a delicious dinner and the best sleep you’ve had in months no matter which Seven Stars accommodations you chose.