So you’ve decided to come and stay at our Caribbean luxury resort. If you’re very lucky, you may get a chance to swim with a friendly dolphin.
The British Overseas Territory of the Turks and Caicos is spread out across nearly 200 different islands and cays in the Caribbean Sea, of which only 8 are inhabited. Long expanses of deserted white sand, such as Long Bay Beach, offer the most romantic honeymoon or special vacation in a private villa.
Providenciales, also known as Provo by its residents, is the most developed of Turks and Caicos islands, and features shopping and fine dining opportunities, as well as an international airport near Grace Bay that offers easy access to Miami. The convenience and sophistication of Provo is a perfect contrast to the isolated wildness of the territory – 80 percent of the Turk and Caicos are uninhabited and is home to wildlife that can be found in few other parts of the world. For example, dolphins have long been linked Grace Bay, and one dolphin in particular has prompted the government of the Turks and Caicos to establish 27 national parks and protected areas, in an effort to safeguard the country’s pristine shores and coral reefs.
The dolphin’s name is JoJo, an Atlantic Bottlenose who has visited the crystal clear waters of the Turks and Caicos Islands for thirty years, one of a rare handful of dolphins around the world who voluntarily interacts with human beings in the wild. These types of dolphins are known as lone, sociable or ambassador dolphins.
Loved by the islanders and visitors alike, the government has recognized JoJo as a National Treasure, and has appointed a warden to protect him. There is even talk of providing him with a luxury Caribbean villa with a saltwater swimming pool.
The friendly dolphin has become a symbol for the natural beauty of the Turks and Caicos Islands. Sparsely populated and so far unspoiled, the islands offer a special experience to all those who travel or live there.
This article was written by Charles Edwards for the Sands at Grace Bay, a Caribbean luxury resort on the island of Providenciales in the Turks and Caicos.