Imagine a breeze blowing at 75 degrees, sand soft as silk, endless blue skies and calm, warm water lapping at your feet. Your rum punch is getting low so you stroll back to the beach chaise and retrieve your handy “service” flag. Before you have time to stick it in the sand, a waiter appears. How did life get so good? That’s what I thought on the first day we arrived at the Grace Bay Club on Providenciales ( Provo) in the Turks and Caicos Islands of the British West Indies . Little did I know it would get better.
Located between the Bahamas and the Dominican Republic, Provo is one of only eight inhabited islands and cays in the 40 island Turks and Caicos chain. Tourists come to dive on the world’s third largest coral reef, fish, sail, eat conch ten ways and just hang out on the islands’ magnificent beaches.
The official capital of Turks and Caicos (TCI) is Grand Turk Island , but the hub of tourism is Provo. Steve and I discovered Provo in the late eighties when we brought our young family for a vacation at Club Med Turkoise. I remember being awed by Grace Bay’s fine white sand and warm water so clear you could snorkel for miles with schools of fish that seemed as curious about us as we were about them. At that time, not much else was happening on the island.
Fast forward to 1993, when Grace Bay Club opened on 11 acres of undisturbed beachfront as the only all-suite hotel. Additions in the last few years include the 5,000 square foot Anani Spa and Fitness Center, on-the-beach pool, 38 all-suite Villas, the worlds longest infinity edge bar, a kids eco- friendly program and The Estate, a collection of twenty-two custom designed owner/rental suites.
Our journey to Provo began in a snowstorm and ended with blue skies and sun. Like a bunch of shipwrecked sailors, we all but kissed the ground when we arrived. Grace Bay’s reception staff greeted us with rum punch and radiant smiles. From that day forward, we were treated as if our every need was theirs. From dining under the stars to beach massages to luxurious suites stocked with fruit, champagne and coffee, we were pampered. Every evening housekeepers surprised us with a treat. One night it was chocolate covered strawberries, another night a bougainvillea filled bubble bath.
The days rushed by. We rented open air jeeps to tour the island and had a near death experience getting used to British driving rules. At the island’s famous Da Conch Shack, we helped clean freshly caught conchs which then became our lunch.
On another day we went with Caicos Dream Tours to snorkel on the reef. Each evening we watched the sun set and wandered to the Infinity Bar to chat with other guests.
One couple from New York told us they had been coming to Provo
for ten years and had tried all of the hotels at least once. This was their second time staying at Grace Bay Club and would be the only place they would come in the future. Their reason? The staff made them feel at home. We couldn’t agree more.
By the time we left, we were on a first name basis with everyone. In all my travels I never came away from a trip with more business cards and promises to “keep in touch.” These are people, and a very special place, that I am truly looking forward to seeing again.
The Basics:
Turks & Caicos Tourist Board: www.turksandcaicostourism.com. 800-241-0824
Providenciales: Stubbs Diamond Plaza
Grand Turk: Front Street
www.provo.net: travel planning.
www.turksandcaisos.tc: Great information for lesser known islands.
www.timespub.tc: A monthly magazine filled with interesting facts.
www.wherewhenhow.com: What is happening on the island and a restaurant guide.
www.gracebayclub.com: My pick for the best of the best.
Currency: U.S. Dollar
Passport Required
Electricity: 120 volts, 60 cycles AC
Language: English
Departure Tax: $39.00
Not To Miss:
Conch Diving, Snorkeling, Fishing, Island tours: www.caicosdreamtours.com. 649-231-7272.
Conch Farm Visit: http://www.caicosconchfarm.com.649-946-5643. Learn how the Caribbean Queen Conch is raised.
Parasailing over Grace Bay
Sailing charters: www.sailprovo.com. 649-946-4783. Design your own day trip adventure to the outlying islands.
Eco Touring: www.bigblue.tc. 649-946-5034. Kayak, snorkel and tour the Caicos Islands
Where To Eat:
Anacaona: www.gracebayclub.com. 649-946-5050. Executive Chef Martin Davies has worked at some of the finest restaurants on both sides of the pond. From The Dorchester to The Savoy and then Asia de Cuba in London Paris New York London
Grill Rouge and the Infinity Bar: www.gracebayclub.com. Beachfront bistro with spectacular views of Grace Bay
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