Dolphins frolic in sapphire waters, one of the world’s longest coral reefs is just a short swim from the soft white sands, and sublime luxury hotels are hidden amongst fragrant bougainvillea and hibiscus. This is the Turks and Caicos, a place to live out all your castaway fantasies.
Our selected resorts are on and around Providenciales, affectionately known as Provo, one of only eight inhabited islands amongst the hundreds of deserted cays that make up the Turks and Caicos. Although tiny, Provo is the tourist centre, home to Grace Bay’s miles of white sand beach, often voted the best in the world. The tranquil waters are ideal for watersports, so dive right in with snorkelling, sailing, kayaking and windsurfing all on offer, plus some of the best diving in the Caribbean within the marine reserve of the Princess Alexandra National Park. Spot reef and nurse sharks, sea turtles and the occasional bottlenose dolphin, including the much loved JoJo, a local legend who has been visiting the area since the 1980s and can often be spotted playing with divers.
Families will love the shallow waters and pony rides at Long Bay, while the more adventurous can charter a boat to verdant North Caicos to see pink flamingos and ruined plantations once owned by the Loyalists who fled here after the American War of Independence. If you're looking for an isolated spot for sunbathing, the beach at private island resort Parrot Cay is blissfully deserted. At Little Water Cay rock iguanas lounge in the sun, and between January and March humpback whales can be seen migrating around Grand Turk and Salt Cay. Back on Provo you can test out your swing on the Karl Litten designed golf course, visit the ruins of the Cheshire Hall plantation and take a trip to the world's only commercial conch farm, where you can learn all about this famous Caribbean delicacy. On the subject of dining, we can thoroughly recommend oceanfront Anacaona at Grace Bay Club for seafood and drinks at the open fire pit, the Wednesday night fish fry at Smokey’s on the Beach and fine dining at Grace's Cottage at the Point Grace Hotel.
