Cuddle starfish, snooze next to warm waters, explore the history of salt or plunge deep into the ocean. Turks and Caicos is a jewelled archipelago of islands and cays each with a character of their own, as Jane Wilson found.
The starfish looked like rust-coloured terracotta tagines sitting on the seabed. I could see them clearly next to my feet as I stood, shin deep in the warm turquoise waters in the late afternoon sun. This was quite a different vibe to the evening before when I joined the cacophony of instruments from the Junkaloo band at Fish Fry, the weekly social event which brings tourists and locals together. Shimmery vivid colours, feathered headdresses, hip-jigging dancing and wide smiles joined a beat and rhythm no one could ignore – the sound of Ripsaw Music, which is embedded in the ancestral lineage of this land of Turks & Caicos.
The Turks and Caicos Islands have been a British Overseas Territory since 1783. However, due to the proximity of their neighbours, they are effectively Caribbean. Turks and Caicos is an archipelago of 40 islands and offshore cays, of which eight islands are inhabited, sitting like a necklace in the Atlantic Ocean. The Turks Islands consist of Grand Turk and Salt Cay; the Caicos Islands include West Caicos, Providenciales, North Caicos, Middle Caicos, East Caicos and South Caicos, Parrot Cay, Pine Cay, Ambergris Cay, Dellis Cay, Water Cay and Little Water Cay.
The Islands
Providenciales is the most populous island and the main hub for tourism, where the main international airport, ferry and boat terminals for travelling to other areas are situated. Known locally as Provo, activities here include an 18-hole championship golf course, white beaches. and boutique shopping at the charming Grace Bay Village. There are a wide variety of resorts such as The Palms, a classic style of 72 stylish suites in the heart of Grace Bay Beach with a destination spa which uses organic local flowers and oils. Its sister property, The Shore Club, sits on Long Bay Beach, a secluded beach near the town. The Wymara Resort and Villas has a stylish and contemporary restaurant, (Land & Sea), at the water’s edge and worth savouring. And if you were a fan of the late Prince, you can pass his 17-bedroom mansion, Emara Estate, complete with a purple driveway located on the peninsula in the Turtle Tail region of the island.
Included on many Caribbean cruise itineraries is Grand Turk, the capital of Turks and Caicos, which offers plenty to do and see from exploring Cockburn Town and its streets lined with restored 18th and 19th century Bermudian style architecture, the Caicos Museum, the 1852 Lighthouse perched in the north, looking out to more beckoning beaches and spotting wild horses and donkeys.
South Caicos is a different story. Quiet, solitary and rugged, this island has maintained its salt of the earth heritage. Where once it exported the world’s finest sea salt, it is now dotted with ruins and the haunting remains of its salt heyday which ended in 1962. Yet it offers a barefoot luxury feel and is opening up to tourism. This year an international airport opened to welcome direct flights from Miami while, at the same, the second luxury resort, the 100-room Salterra Resort & Spa, swung open its doors to an interior that weaves in the narrative of the island and has a sustainable edge to its furnishings, from rope art to tapestries. Nature begs exploration through hiking trails, sleepy harbours hide along the shore, and barely-visited beaches lean against limestone cliffs which contour the island. Jeep tours bump around the 8.2 square-mile island, past ocean views peeping between the cacti and plants that have adapted to this island’s environment. If you’re lucky, a vision of pink flamingos on the salt plains may appear – otherwise expect the territorial stare from the wandering wild donkeys. In the town of Cockburn, harbour life runs at a slow pace: fishing by day, a game of dominoes by night. It’s a place which remembers the late Queen Elizabeth’s visit in 1966 to attend the Regatta Festival, an event which still takes place today.
The Cays
Salt Cay is the smallest inhabited island. Wandering through the quiet streets, it’s as though time has stood still, with colonial-era buildings and rustic charm. The island’s salt flats and mangroves attract a variety of bird species, including flamingos, egrets, and pelicans, making it a great spot for birdwatching. swimming, shell collecting and solitude. And from January to April, it becomes one of the best spots in the Caribbean for humpback whale watching.
A number of cays are private island resorts offering a unique character and experience with access by plane or boat.
Ambergris Cay is a luxury island resort with a range of bungalows and villas positioned amidst 1100 acres of open space. Complete with your own golf buggy for travelling around, you may need to dodge the many iguanas who live here. Being set in rugged nature lends itself to nature walks, paddle boarding and bone fishing in the shallow waters. There’s a yoga deck offering stunning ocean views, and the sanctuary of the Elevate Spa. Ambergris Cay is an 18- minute flight from Providenciales.
COMO Parrot Cay is a boat ride of 25 mins from Providenciales, where, if you are fortunate, you will be escorted to its shores by Jojo, the friendly dolphin. Here it’s calm and serene, offering mangrove kayaking in the calm waters, yoga with views and a jacuzzi garden. The Como Shambhala Spa at Parrot Cay covers 6,000 sq feet and focuses on the balance of spiritual and physical renewal with a wide menu of therapies in treatment pavilions overlooking the North Caicos Channel.
Next steps
Interested in visiting Turks and Caicos? To plan and book your holiday to this jewelled archipelago, call Silver Travel Advisor on 0800 412 5678.
