Grand Turk: An island that really lets you get away from it all

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The best part of Grand Turk is the water and diving. Just a few hundred feet from the shore, the ocean floor drops precipitously to 7,000 feet, creating an amazing wall to explore. There you are likely to see turtles, rays, plenty of groupers, wrasse and other colourful delights. In addition there is a wide array of coral, among the healthiest in the hemisphere. Even if you are not ready to strap on an air tank, there is plenty to see just by snorkeling on the surface above. There are three dive shops - each of which has a full complement of scuba or snorkeling gear for rent.

There are two delightful day trips to be had. One is to the uninhabited Gibbs Cay. Just a mile from Grand Turk, here the primary residents are families of stingrays, who will happily swim beside you and even more happily take fish straight from your palm. Some of the local dive shops offer afternoon picnic excursions to Gibbs Cay, including fresh ceviche made from conch that the guides and any willing tourists dive for themselves. The other excursion is a short 25 minute boat ride (or less by plane) to Salt Cay - yet another underdeveloped wonder. On this tiny outback (resident population around 50), mules outnumber people and golf carts are the primary means of transportation.

Grand Turk is also known for its whale watching. The main season runs from late January through March, when you are likely spot a humpback whale from your beach blanket as they take part in an annual migration from the North Atlantic to the Silver Banks.

If you are lucky, you may even get an opportunity to swim and snorkel with the whales - just be sure to give them a lot of room. These creatures are beautiful but enormous and a stray flick of a whale's tail is not a comfortable way to end a vacation.

On Grand Turk, there are smattering of additional activities, just enough to avoid restlessness. The Turks and Caicos National Museum provides background on the islands history. There is a lighthouse on one end of the island with breathtaking views. And of course, there are the Salinas.

Once home to a slavery era salt trade, the numerous Salinas, also known as salt ponds, dominate the town centre. Though no longer in use, they are testament to the rich, if painful, history that first brought development to the area.