5 Best Sights in Turks and Caicos Islands

These limestone caves make up one of the largest cave systems in the Caribbean, with good examples of stalactites and stalagmites, as well as small—and slightly eerie—underground bodies of water. Archaeologists have discovered Lucayan artifacts in the caves and the surrounding area; these natives to the island would have used the caves to weather the storm season. Currently, the caves are inhabited by five species of bats—some of which are endangered and bring scientists here annually to study them—but they don't bother visitors. Half-hour tours are available through TCI's National Trust. Guides provide flashlights and a sense of humor. It's best to wear sturdy shoes, as the ground is rocky and damp in places. If you don’t have much time, Indian Cave is a smaller version that's worth exploring. Watch for the sign on your left after leaving the causeway. It’s only a few steps off the road, parallel with Dragon Cay Resort.

In one of the island's oldest stone buildings, the National Museum houses several interactive exhibits, as well as a super little gift shop with books and local handicrafts. The complete collection of preserved artifacts raised from the noteworthy Molasses Reef Wreck is here. Dating back to the early 1500s, it's the earliest European shipwreck yet excavated in the New World. There is also a natural-history exhibit including artifacts left by the Taíno (or Lucayans), the earliest migrants to settle in the Turks and Caicos Islands. The museum also has a 3D coral reef exhibit that complements its presentation on the history of diving. Another gallery is dedicated to Grand Turk's involvement in the Space Race. John Glenn made landfall here after being the first American to orbit Earth. Locals are quite put out that the movie Hidden Figures inaccurately portrayed the landing as having taken place in the Bahamas just north of Turks and Caicos. A fascinating display is a collection of “messages in a bottle” that have washed ashore from all over the world. This is the perfect spot to start your walking tour of the historic waterfront.

You wander down the shaded laneway, bordered by walls made from the rocks once found in the fields of this cotton plantation established by Loyalist Wade Stubbs in 1789. The walls of the great house still stand, albeit with foliage now growing on the inside. Giant iron cauldrons, once used to prepare meals for enslaved people, rest in the yard. There are also partial remains of the kitchen, the overseer’s house, slave quarters, and several storage buildings. A lookout tower provides views for miles. TCI National Trust offers visits and 30-minute tours from Monday to Saturday, 10:30–3:30.

On this hilltop overlooking the beauty of Sapodilla Bay, you might find what is left of several rock carvings. It is thought that sailors carved the names and dates into the rocks while they watched over their ships from a high vantage point, perhaps while the hulls were being cleaned or repairs were being made. The details are uncertain, but they have been dated back to the mid-1700s to mid-1800s. You will see replicas displayed at Provo’s International Airport.

Perfect for familes, Taylor Bay is shallow for hundreds of feet. The beach also offers gorgeous views of the villas that hang over the shoreline on one side of the bay with natural coastline on the other. As it has had many amazing reviews over the years, don’t expect to have this one all to yourself. There is even the odd tour that pulls up. Amenities: none. Best for: sunbathing; wading.