Featured Gay Friendly Hotel in Turks and Caicos Islands

Gay Turks and Caicos

You may have heard of the Turks and Caicos from a recent string of celebrities vacationing and getting married there. Hollywood has discovered the spectacular beauty and relative isolation of this island archipelago, known worldwide for it's incredible diving and snorkeling. In fact, Turks and Caicos has the third largest reef system in the world, and it's also a good spot to see migrating humpback whales. You might even see the famous dolphin JoJo, who is one of only 8 known dolphins to seek out the company of people in his native ocean environment. In 1989, he was declared a “national treasure” of the Turks and Caicos. The islands started gaining tourism prominence, however, in the 1960s when John Glenn happened to come ashore on Grand Turk after being the first man to orbit the earth. This exposure caught the attention of American investors who built an airstrip and gradually, the islands' resort status became full fledged after Club Med built a resort in Grace Bay. 

Being separately ruled at times by Spanish, French, and currently British forces, the islands have a unique cultural history. They were never officially settled by any of these powers, so the culture on the island is its own unique blend based on the locals' own affectations. People who have lived on the islands for generations (and generally have what we'd consider citizen status) are known as “belongers” and aren't subjected to immigration restrictions in relation to the amount of time they may remain in the Turks and Caicos. Many people can trace their belonger ancestry back to an African slave ship that granted their ancestors freedom by virtue of sinking offshore from the slavery-abolished British territory.   

More than half the population of the Turks and Caicos lives on the island of Providenciales, and this is where the main tourism hub is also located. The famous turquoise waters of Grace Bay stretch along a 5 mile long beach, surrounded by uninhabited cays. This beach frequently wins awards for its beauty and worthiness to see and visit. The western half of the island is mostly wilderness and features the locale's best natural attraction, Chalk Sounds National Park. 

The weather of the territory is arid compared to the rest of the Caribbean, in fact, the Turks got their name from a cactus found in the area whose spiny top resembles a Turkish Fez hat. In the Summer months (June to November) the temperature ranges from the high 80s to the low 90s, and they receieve most of their rainfall—about 50 inches a year. In Winter (December to May)  the temperature dips to a chilling 75-85 range. It's typically breezy and sunny though, and the water is a consistently pleasant 80 degrees.   

Turks and Caicos may not exactly be completely gay friendly, but it isn't not-gay-friendly either. It doesn't really seem to concern most people except for the devoutly religious types. You shouldn't have any problems if you're hanging out at the resorts and touristy areas though. As a general rule when traveling in the Caribbean, you should avoid public displays of affection.   All things considered, the Turks Islanders seem to be a fairly friendly and welcoming people.

The Gay Scene in Turks and Caicos Islands

View the Gay Scene in Turks and Caicos Islands

Related Blog Posts

View All Blog Posts in Turks and Caicos Islands

Submit Your Content to be Featured on GayTravel.com

Are you well traveled? Want to contribute content to GayTravel.com, as well as to our widespread readership? From photos to recommendations to travel tips, we would love to see it all! Submit your content to be featured here.