Middle Caicos - A Remote Caribbean Island

Middle Caicos is the largest of the Turks and Caicos Islands. It's also known as Grand Caicos. If you're looking for a Caribbean vacation on a remote Island then this is the place to be!

This is the bridge from North Caicos to Middle Caicos. As you can see it was pretty much destroyed in 2008 by Hurricane Ike. I took this photo in May of 2010. Still hasn't been fixed.

TCI are tropical Islands comprising the British Overseas Territory in the West Indies. Altogether the islands occupy 430 square kilometres and have a population of 36,000. They are an offshoot of the Bahamas but are administered as a separate political entity.

The Islands are broadly divided into the larger Caicos Islands and the smaller Turks Islands, and the majority of the population (about 22,500) live on the Providenciales district of Caicos.

Middle Caicos has an area of 144 square kilometres (48 square miles) and a residential population of less than 300.

This is Mudjin Harbor located in Middle Caicos. It's a place of such natural beauty that we spent most of the day here when we visited.

The history of this Island community dates back to 1842 when survivors of a Spanish slave ship bound for Cuba, the Gambia, washed ashore and settle here. Narrow straits separate Middle Caicos from North Caicos and East Caicos.

Today the three main towns in are Bambarra (derived from the Bamberra people of the Niger River in West Africa), Lorimers and Conch Bar (this is the capital).

In terms of economic potential, the plentiful rainfalls on the lush soils make the island highly suitable for agriculture and the people grow crops such as cassava, sugar apples, okra and tamarind. The key commercial crop is corn.

Middle Caicos is also a holiday destination. The clear seawaters are suitable for snorkelling, kayaking, deep sea fishing, reed fishing and bone fishing.

On the island itself are different tourist activities. The Conch Bar caves are the largest, above ground caves in this part of the West Indies and were created due to erosions of the limestone rock. Guided tours for all ages offer a glimpse into this fascinating natural wonder.

There is concrete evidence of ancient native Indian communities that once inhabited the island before more recent communities settled here.

In particular the Lucayan Indians were once residents here, with settlements dating back to the early 1400s.

Here's another shot of Mudjin Harbor. We were able to walk across a sandbar to get to this tiny islet which had a cave. Felt like we were playing Survivor!

Archaeological explorations have unearthed artefacts and fossils of these ancient peoples. The sites are about a 2 hour hike away into the interior lake area.

It is believed that the Conch Bar caves were used by the Lucayans as shelters from adverse weather but also as places of worship.

During the persecution by the Spanish conquerors, the Lucayans also retreated to the caves, using them as permanent places of residence.

The island has marvellous coastal tracks, some dating back generations. For avid and amateur hikers, the scenic trails will take them through inland bush, up coastal headlands before dropping down to the warm, sandy beaches.

The recently re-opened coastal path traverses the western shores and links to North Caicos through the ‘Crossing Place’. In olden days, it was used by the settlers to travel between the two islands.

For overnight visitors, accommodations are available at mid-range hotels and several beach-front villas. The villas have the option of fully-serviced or self-catering facilities.

All the Islands in Turks and Caicos are wonderous and a joy to visit and Middle Caicos is no exception.