North Caicos
From relaxing on a picturesque Caribbean beach to exploring cave systems, horseback riding on the sand, and traveling back in time by visiting abandoned plantation ruins, the attractions on North Caicos draws in tourists with its diversity and authenticity.
Turks and Caicos Group Tours Pixabay Public Domain
North Caicos is the second largest island after Middle Caicos, though its population doesn’t quite reach 2,000. As a small island, North Caicos is lined with beautiful beaches, all free and open to the general public. Hollywood Beach is a gorgeous and relatively secluded option while Whitby Beach is perhaps the most popular choice and one of the best on the island. The beach is lined in places with shady Casuarina trees and provides excellent diving and snorkeling not far from shore.
Near Whitby Beach, you can find Three Mary Cays, three small rock islands that are both incredibly photogenic and offer perfect snorkeling conditions with clear, calm water and an abundance of wildlife. If you like underwater adventures, a wrecked freighter ship is located off the coast of Pumpkin Bluff Beach, a perfect destination with exotic scenery, history, and wildlife.
Stepping away from the water, head to the Conch Bar Cave, the largest above ground cave system in the Bahamas. Explore the caves on your own or go with a tour guide and learn about archaeological digs that uncovered Indian artifacts. Also visit Indian Cave, a single gallery cave with inspiring skylights and openings where archaeologists found remnants of extinct animals and Native American artifacts.
Like the other islands in Turks & Caicos, North Caicos was an island of industry and the site of several working plantations. The plantations are, today, abandoned and in ruins. Take a day excursion to Wade’s Green Plantation, a cotton and sisal plantation built in 1789, or Haulover Plantation, one of the largest in the archipelago. Though the plantations of yesteryear are no longer working, you can visit the Government Farm where much of the produce used in North and Middle Caicos are grown by government workers.
North Caicos in an intensely scenic island perfect for photo opportunities and beautiful experiences. For more camera-ready vistas, take a day trip to Mudjin Harbor on Middle Caicos, a two-mile-long stretch of limestone cliffs ending in Dragon Cay. Also check out Ocean Hole, a 250-foot deep hole located in the shallow waters of Caicos Banks.
