Late Fall Deals to Turks & Caicos

The pristine Turks and Caicos Islands lie less than 600 miles southeast of Miami but seem like a world away with some of the most spectacular coral reefs, turquoise waters and white sand beaches in the world.

By Charis Atlas Heelan

There are eight inhabited islands: Grand Turk, Middle Caicos, North Caicos, Parrot Cay, Pine Cay, Providenciales, Salt Cay and South Caicos. There are also several deserted islands which make for exceptional day trips, picnic stops and havens to dock your yacht. This is a small-scale destination (the population is a mere 25,000) but it has some world class resorts and hotels, many of them directly on the beach.

There's a good chance that you will end up on the main tourist island of Providenciales as this is where most of the hotels and guest houses are located, but hopefully you will venture further afield and take in the beauty of the island nation.

Beach Destinations (tel. 877/433-4378; www.beachdestinations.com) currently has a few Turks and Caicos specials on offer. Book now and complete travel by November 30 to enjoy 30 per cent off their Sibonne on the Beach package. It includes round-trip airfare from New York, four nights' accommodations at the three-star Sibonne on the Beach boutique hotel located in Grace Bay, breakfast daily and hotel taxes. The trip is priced from $577 per person based on double occupancy. A similar four-night air-inclusive package (but without breakfast) staying at the four-star Ocean Club Resort, also situated in Grace Bay is priced from $612. Taxes are additional.

Caribbean Way (tel. 877/953-7400; www.turks-caicos.caribbeanway.com) specializes in rental villas and features a wide variety of property types. Ranging from "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous" to actually affordable, you can search by number of bedrooms or the name of the villa. Got a huge group of friends planning a trip together or maybe you're thinking of a family reunion somewhere tropical? The seven-bedroom, seven-bathroom Villa Vieux Caribe may be just what you are after. The villa, located a two-minute walk from the beach on Taylor Bay overlooking Chalk Sound National Park and Caicos Banks is priced from $1,229 a night for travel between now and December 14, 2006. The rate goes up $1,697 per night for stays from December 15, 2006 to April 28, 2007. Divide that by 14 people ($88 per person in low season and $121 in high season) and you have a pretty reasonable party house with lots of perks including a private pool, a full-time maid, security, gardener, concierge and maintenance person.

The stunning six-bedroom, six-bathroom Three Dolphins Villa is priced from $1,143 per night (or $95 per person based on double occupancy in each room) for stays between now and December 14, 2006. From January 6 to April 15, 2007, the rate goes up to $1,429 per night (or $119 per person) for the peak season and then it dips back down to $1,243 ($104 per person) from April 16 to December 14, 2007.

Five Little Cays House is a luxury beachfront villa in Providenciales with four bedrooms, five bathrooms, a freshwater pool, a private beach and stunning views of the Caribbean Sea and Juba Salina inlet. Stay here before December 1, 2006 and get the seventh night free. Rates start at $799 per night ($100 per person) in low season (until November 30, 2006) and go up to $971 per night ($121 per person) during peak season from December, 2006 to April, 2007. A seven-night minimum stay applies for all villa rentals.

Ever-reliable Travelocity (www.travelocity.com) has some decent prices on Turks and Caicos vacation packages in early December, 2006. Plus, there is the added benefit of the $100 discount as part of their Gigantinormous sale (enter promotional code "giantsale" when purchasing by November 16, 2006 and traveling by January 7, 2007). For $733 per person (including all taxes and taking into account $50 off per person), you can enjoy a six-night trip departing from Chicago in early December flying American Airlines staying at the two-star Caribbean Paradise Hotel in Providenciales with breakfast daily. From Los Angeles, the same deal is priced from $975 per person or $745 from New York. Stay at the four-star Royal West Indies Resort instead and pay only $844 from Chicago, $1,085 from L.A. or $896 from New York. All taxes, including airline and airport fees, are included in these prices.

Cheap Caribbean (tel. 800/915-2322; www.cheapcaribbean.com) has two special deals on T&C vacations this week with purchase by dates of November 8, 2006 (although it is possible that this date may be extended). Their 2006 super sale includes a five-night package staying in a garden view studio at the five and a half-sun rated Somerset on Grace Bay Hotel with breakfast daily, hotel taxes and round-trip airfare from Miami for $909. Travel from now until December 19, 2006. Other departure cities include Orlando or New York from $959, $1,059 from Atlanta, Chicago or Boston and $1,159 from San Francisco based on double occupancy. Additional adults sharing the same room are priced from $349 and children from $299.

You could also stay at in a deluxe garden room at the Coral Gardens Beach Resort for five nights with round-trip airfare starting at $1,039 from Miami. Travel dates are now until December 21, 2006. Pay $1,089 from New York, $1,189 from Washington DC and $1,289 from L.A., all based on double occupancy. Additional adults start from $399 and children from $349.

American Airlines, US Airways, America West and Delta Airlines fly non-stop and direct routes to Providenciales from Miami, New York, Boston, Charlotte, Philadelphia and Atlanta. In late November and early December, 2006 plus January, 2007, sample midweek round-trip airfares on US Airways (which are currently the cheapest) include: