The eight islands and 40-plus cays of the Turks & Caicos Islands (TCI) lie scattered like jewels in the turquoise ocean at the southeastern end of the Bahamas chain. Providenciales (known as Provo) is the area most developed for tourism.

Provo is protected by a 500-mile reef system offering unlimited and pristine diving opportunities. Its beaches are long, uncrowded, smooth and clean with many of the larger properties lining Grace Bay Beach on the Atlantic side of the island.

Buildings must be three stories or less, so there are no high-rise hotels on the island. If you are looking for excellent diving locations, wonderful beaches and a peaceful destination which is not yet over-developed, then consider TCI.

Where to Stay on the Island
When all-inclusive Allegro Resorts took over the Ramada Hotel, they embarked on an ambitious program of upgrading and updating. Guests to the resort are greeted at the door by energetic dancers and the rhythms of melodic Caribbean music. The dancers are also participants in entertaining nightly shows that change daily.

Unique to the Allegro are the island’s sole casino and a five-star PADI dive facility.

What to do on Provo
Provo is a diver’s paradise with excellent wall diving and both spur and groove coral. Water temperature ranges from 76-84 degrees and the vision is exceptionally clear.

The Provo Golf Club provides 18 challenging holes on a 72 par course.

Unique to Provo and indeed to the world is the Caicos Conch Farm. Conchs mature to the large, pink-lipped shell size in three to four years, when they are ready to be harvested.

In the wild only one conch out of an egg cluster of 500,000 might reach maturity. The Conch Farm is doing its part to save this potentially endangered species to provide delicious protein to the world.