This trip is right up there as one of my best trips ever!!! A friend of mine who lives on the island has been inviting me to visit her for years and I truly wish I had accepted her invite sooner!
Turks & Caicos is a British Overseas Territory southeast of the Bahamas, consisting of the larger Caicos Islands and smaller Turks Islands. The gateway island of Providenciales, known as Provo, is home to expansive Grace Bay Beach, with luxury resorts, shops and restaurants. It is known for the turquoise waters and beautiful beaches. It is said to be the best kept secret in the Caribbean.
Once I decided to go on this trip, I pitched it to a few girlfriends, some who are mutual friends of the hostess and all the five signed up! Once we agreed on dates that worked for all parties, it was time to plan; you would have thought it was an Apollo mission to the moon! The authorities are super-strict about enforcing Covid-19 protocols. You have to get approval from their government agency that oversees this process before you can check in for your flight.
Authorization to visit Turks & Caicos can be obtained here: https://travelauthorisation.turksandcaicostourism.com
They require;
- Covid test within 72 hours
- Proof of vaccination and
- Proof of travel insurance that covers Covid medical expenses.
This has to be uploaded to a portal and you then receive approval that you need to submit to the airline.; which also has a set of procedures to follow. I flew American Airlines, who require registration via Verifly, which also requires you to upload negative Covid test results, proof of vaccination and the approval from the government agency!!! Sigh! You’ll definitely need a stiff drink at the end of all that! But once you are done jumping through all these hoops, Joy Awaits!
The Island is just under two hours of flight, from Miami to Providenciales (PLS). I flew on a red eye from Los Angeles and had a layover in Miami where I checked out the Amex Centurion Lounge. Upon landing, airport screening was the last hoop to jump through, after which we were finally ready to enjoy ourselves!
Our accommodations were split between a penthouse Airbnb and the Ritz Carlton. Both were equally amazing. The best part of the Airbnb for me was the balcony overlooking the beach and the ocean. Sitting our there with my coffee in the morning or my drink at whatever time – it was 5 o’clock somewhere afterall! – was priceless. I highly recommend this Airbnb and you can check it out here: Book ParadiseNest Penthouse: Million Dollar OceanViews
After checking in to the Airbnb, we decided to check out the Grace Bay Resort for their Friday entertainment. This turned out to be the best kick off to our time on the Island. There was a live DJ and drinks were flowing! Our Black girl magic had everyone dancing in no time. Music ended at 10 pm and we continued the party at Shisha lounge in Providenciales. Here we enjoyed table service champagne, outdoor seating and great music! And that was just day 1!!
Day 2: Enjoyed our beautiful Airbnb then returned to Grace Bay for live music. This was quite a treat. The singer had an amazing voice. This was to be the theme of the day because our next stop was The Shore Club which also had a wonderful singer serenading the diners. The Shore club was once voted the most instagrammable place and I could see why..It was so picturesque and oozed luxury and opulence.
Day 3: Headed out to The Ritz Carlton, the newest property on the Island and it’s simply beautiful. Very pristine with impeccable customer service. We had reserved poolside cabanas so it was time to indulge in some rest and relaxation
Day 4: Beach Day! It was time to enjoy the turquoise water. We were not disappointed. The water was warm and so clean and quite calm. Afterwards we had a late lunch at a seaside café called Sharkbite! We had the conch fritters and jerk chicken salad with the most amazing pineapple and mango dressing. Since it was Monday, we wanted to check out Monday Night Football (yes girls like MNF too!) So we went to the main sportsbar on the Island Danny Buoys. Fun times!!
Day 5: Scheduled a drone photography session with www.thelookingglass.tc You sit in a clear Kayak and a drone hovers over you and takes the most amazing pictures. I highly recommend this company! They were super professional and easy to work with. Later that day, we went on our other scheduled excursion. A Sunset cruise on Lady Grace Catamaran. This included delicious food and an open bar and the most gorgeous sunset to close out our magical visit to Turks and Caicos.
To get back into the US, we needed a negative Covid test within 24 hours of our flight. We got one at the Ritz Carlton for $35. Sadly it was time to head back to reality. This is one destination I can go back to over and over again. And I plan to.
Book A 2 Hour Champagne Sunset Cruise from Grace Bay, Providenciales
