Turks and Caicos Holidays: Public and Religious Observances

You may find yourself visiting the best kept secret in the Caribbean during a national or Christian holiday, so take a look at these Turks and Caicos holidays.

Commonwealth Day: Second Monday of March. The second Monday of March marks Commonwealth Day, a holiday celebrated in the United Kingdom and its sovereign territories. In Turks and Caicos, festivities include several patriotic events throughout the islands, including flag-raising and reading the Commonwealth message from the Queen.

Good Friday and Easter: Late March to Early April. Since many citizens are Christians, predominantly Baptists, Methodists, Anglicans, Church of God congregants, and Catholics, most people celebrate Good Friday, when Jesus Christ was crucified, and Easter, when according to Christian scriptures he was raised from the dead.

National Heroes' Day: Last Monday of May. This day marks "National Heroes' Day" on which citizens celebrate the patriots of Turks and Caicos, both known and unknown. Falling on the last Monday of every May, the holiday corresponds to the United States' Memorial Day.

The nation's capitol, Grand Turks, houses two ceremonies for the holiday, one at JAGS McCartney Mausoleum and the other at Lester Williams Park. The ceremonies include a wreath-laying in honor of first Chief Minister of Turks and Caicos, James Alexander George Smith McCartney, along with special rites and speeches to honor unsung heroes of the islands.

The Birthday of the Queen: June 13, 2010. As subjects of the British Commonwealth, citizens of Turks and Caicos follow the law and celebrate the Queen's birthday as a national holiday. Though the Queen's actual birthday is April 21, the holiday is on June 13.

Emancipation Day: August 1, 2010. On August 1, 1834, the English Parliament passed the Slavery Abolishment Act of 1833, outlawing serfdom and servitude in the British Empire. As a result, Turks and Caicos recognizes the first day of August as "Emancipation Day."

National Youth Day: Last Friday of September. On the last Friday of September, the islands honor of the nation's youth. Commonly called "National Youth Day," the holiday includes parades, festivals, and special events across the islands to stir up patriotism, appreciation for cultural ancestry, and hope for the nation's future.

Columbus Day: Monday Closest to October 10. On the Monday that falls closest to October 10, the Turks and Caicos citizens celebrate Columbus Day. Although some argue that Ponce de Leon found the islands first, tradition holds that Columbus landed on the islands in 1492.

International Human Rights Day: October 24. In light of the events of World War II, the United Nations General Assembly adopted and proclaimed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on December 10, 1948. The declaration outlines the basic human rights to which all humans around the globe are entitled. In 1950, the United Nations encouraged the nations of the world to recognize this holiday. The Turks and Caicos Islands chose to move it to the earlier date.

Christmas: December 25. Because of the strong Christian presence in Turks and Caicos, the nation recognizes Christmas, and like most other countries in the world, the citizens celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ on December 25.

Boxing Day: December 26. Boxing Day is a banking holiday celebrated in the Commonwealth nations. This secular holiday means a day off work for bank employees.

Many debate the origin of the holiday. Some people think it is related to the "alms boxes" the Church puts out on the Feast of St. Stephen, also on December 26, to provide for the poor. Others claim that it began during the Victorian era when tradesmen were given "Christmas boxes" or gifts for exceptional services throughout the year. A third contingent attributes the holiday to an Old English tradition, in which wealthy landowners would give their servants the 26th off to visit their families. The servants would receive supplies, food, and other items for the trip.

New Year's Day: January 1. Many restaurants, resorts, and bars will throw parties and shoot fireworks on December 31, 2010, in anticipation for the New Year. If you manage to stay awake, you can catch the Junkanoo rush in Providenciales, a street parade with Caribbean music. Junkanoo festivals also occur on Boxing Day.

Now that you know the major Turks and Caicos holidays, you can better plan your vacation.

Just fifteen minutes from Providenciales International Airport, the Tuscany, http://www.thetuscanyresort.com, sits a secluded stretch of Grace Bay Beach on the northeastern coast of Providenciales. Come visit the Tuscany and celebrate the holidays at a luxurious, beachfront retreat.

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The Best Places to Visit in the Caribbean

Fine beach, turquoise waters, sultry warm breeze, iridescent sands, palms, exotic foods, tropical wildlife and underwater wonderland are just a few of the many reasons why the Caribbean is a favorite destination all-year round. Another is the worthwhile experience many visitors love about particular destinations in the islands like these great places. So get on the place or have a journey on a cruise and stay at these remarkable Caribbean destinations. Better yet, grab a map, take some notes and let us have a tour preview of these best places to visit.

First stop, Aruba. Located north of the Venezuelan coast, Aruba is an island where many tourists enjoy visiting for the friendliness and the hospitality its natives show. Even though this island is riverless, it is rich with the bountiful Caribbean waters surrounding it and powdery white sands that stretch from the west to south coasts of the island. So you can enjoy the pleasure of swimming, scuba diving and even windsurfing in its tepid waters. Nightlife in Aruba is as well vibrant. With many casinos, discotheques and themed parties lined in the evening, you will never get bored even until dawn. Just bring your dress-up clothes so you'll be all set when you're up for a night out.

Second stop, Jamaica. Going leftward on the map, you will notice that Jamaica is another small island that lies in the Caribbean Sea. Like many islands in this region, it is a prime spot for tropical adventure; but of course it has wonderful rivers that no other island nearby can beat. Jamaica's gushing waters over the rock terraces is such scenery that the place is most popular with. It has both the splendors of river falls and beaches, a haven for water lovers and naturalists. So live a life full of nature's water wonderland as you get to Jamaica. Indulge in favorite activities like deep-sea fishing, swimming, scuba diving and much more.

Third stop, Cayman Islands. There is nothing more thrilling than the experience that you can get in the Cayman Islands. For, this is the place where you can have the best of your undersea adventures. Emerging as part of the Caribbean abyssal plains, Cayman is rich with carpets of coral reefs and marine life that many divers love. It offers deep-sea escapades at the Cayman Brac waters where a sunken Soviet vessel can be explored. Plus, swimming its waters in the Stingray City is most delightful as marine rays swim with visitors unthreatened. So buy a diving gear and head on to the Cayman Islands. It is your ticket to your undersea adventure.

Lastly, hop over Cuba and stay afoot in Bahamas for days. You may not have just a single destination in Bahamas for it is an archipelago of many islands; but the sultry Caribbean experience waits as you learn both its rich culture and magnificent scenery. Do not forget to chat with the natives and to indulge into series of storytelling about pirates and sea monsters. Plus, this once pirate-led place is known not only for its colorful history but for the natural beauty it has. It has underwater parks, thousands of miles of shorelines, sanctuaries for wildlife and endangered species and a lot more.
So don't forget to mark Caribbean on your map in your next travel destination. It's beautiful, unsullied islands should truly be one of your choices.

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Dream Caribbean Wedding Destination

The beautiful windward island of St Lucia boasts some of the most stunning natural sites the Caribbean has to offer. So if a paradise island wedding is your dream then St Lucia is the perfect holiday destination for you.

Pigeon Island is a protected area on St Lucia and for good reason. This little island, which is connected to the mainland by a causeway, is the site of historical and cultural importance as well as being an area of outstanding natural beauty. Throughout St Lucia's history Pigeon Island has been used as a base for pirates, and the forts were used by the British and French during their colonial skirmishes over ownership St Lucia. It's also a major venue for the world famous Jazz Festival.

The 40 acres of parkland that is Pigeon Island National Park contains many meandering trails through the luscious rainforest. From the site of Fort Rodney there are breath taking sea views. Where the island meets the warm sea you'll find two silky soft beaches fringed with sea almond trees. It's plain to see that Pigeon Island would make a dream wedding location. Just take a moment to imagine it ;exclusive access to a soft sand beach; a fabulously decorated gazebo; tropical flowers strewn around and delicious food awaiting after the "I do's". It almost sounds to go to be true. The good news is this dream wedding is quite simple to achieve. The St Lucia National Trust happily offers wedding day packages like this and they'll help you with all the paperwork.

One of the benefits of a wedding abroad in St Lucia is you do not have to travel to your honeymoon. Of course you're going to want to do something special during your time in this Caribbean paradise. How does a romantic sunset cruise around an unique World Heritage Site sound? The Pitons are two towering volcanic plugs that sit in a bay in the southwest coast of St Lucia. With coral reefs below the crystal sea and these two spires are covered with moist tropical plants. Gros Piton and Petit Piton are home to both rare and totally unique plants and trees. So special and beautiful are the flowering plants of the Pitons that Superman travelled here from Metropolis to find the perfect flower for Louis Lane. Admittedly that's a fictional tale from the film Superman II, but it does encapsulate the romance of this area.

It can be easy to be distracted by the wonders of St Lucia. As this is your honeymoon you're going to want to spend some time enjoying candle lit dinners and relaxing by the pool. Once again St Lucia offers everything you need. There are plenty of luxury hotels, resorts and spas. As you would expect places like Cotton Bay Village, East Winds Inn and Rendezvous are brimming with top of the line facilities so you can relax in the indulgent surroundings after a day exploring the island.

As you can see St Lucia is a dream Caribbean wedding destination. If you've already tied the knot why not consider a romantic second honeymoon.

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