Salt Cay
A tranquil small island south of Grand Turk that preserves windmills and salt pans from the salt-trade era, and is a popular base for whale watching in winter.
Salt Cay covers less than 7 square kilometers and has fewer than 100 permanent residents. Its main settlement, Balfour Town, retains white 19th-century houses, windmill ruins and extensive abandoned salt pans from the island's salt-trade days. Life moves slowly here, and there are almost no cars. From January to April, during the humpback whale migration, the waters around Salt Cay are among the few places in the Caribbean where you can snorkel alongside humpbacks, though only with licensed boat operators. You can reach the island by ferry or small plane from Grand Turk, or join a one-day whale-watching tour. Facilities on the island are very limited, so arrange meals and transport in advance.
Opening hours
Limited ferry service; confirm in advance
Nearby sights
- Grand Turk Cruise Center
- Governor's Beach
- Friendship 7 Capsule Replica
- Grand Turk Wall
- Cockburn Town Historic District
- Gibbs Cay
- Her Majesty's Prison
- Turks & Caicos National Museum