Get Lost in Turks and Caicos… and Find Yourself
It's summer again, and we needed a short break from the hustle and bustle. Due to uncertainty with my work software project deadlines, we delayed booking a place ahead of time this year. Fortunately, we found a nice spot on another island. Having enjoyed our trip to the Maldives last year, we wanted to try another waterfront location. Although I don't swim, I love being near the water. There's something about it that allows me to spend days with my Kindle, leaving behind my routine life. Someday, I hope to own a place by the ocean.
Initially, we considered visiting a Hawaiian island again, but our close relatives invited us to celebrate a few milestone events in Philadelphia. The weekend events were refreshing, as we spent time with family and connected with their friends. After a short stay in Philly, we flew to the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI). We landed in Providenciales, the most populated island in TCI. Despite it being hurricane season and category 5 hurricane Beryl heading towards Jamaica, TCI was not in its path. After landing at the small airport, we took a shuttle to Windsong Resort on Grace Bay Beach, just 15 minutes away. The hotel staff welcomed us with drinks, and we quickly settled into our oceanfront one-bedroom suite with a kitchen and a living room overlooking the ocean.
The resort offered a daily discounted shuttle service at 4 pm to visit nearby grocers. On the first day, I went to get basics like water and snacks for a few days. In hindsight, I should have bought more, as food choices were limited and generally expensive. Food on an island is typically pricey due to imports, but the prices here were particularly high. Based on our past experience, I highly recommend booking an all-inclusive resort to avoid the extra work of finding suitable restaurants. TCI is a British territory, so driving is on the left side, and I chose not to rent a car. The island is desolate and challenging to navigate without a vehicle. The breakfast at the resort was good, but there weren't many walkable options nearby. The Dune restaurant provided a memorable outdoor dining experience. We dined at tables set directly on the sand dunes, offering a panoramic view of the beach.
The resort is close to a reef and offers many water activities. Reefs act as natural barriers that absorb wave energy, reducing the intensity and destructive power of storm surges and waves, thus mitigating the impact of hurricanes. The beaches with white powdery sand and turquoise waters were breathtaking and reminded us of the Maldives. The kids spent a lot of time at the pool and beach. I managed to get on a floating ring set up in the water a few feet away, which was relaxing in the middle of the day. The Beaches resort next to ours had water rides that we could use with a day pass. It was an all-inclusive resort but crowded. We dropped our kids at the water park for a day while we spent time at the beach. They had a blast, and we enjoyed a small sailboat ride, an experience I'd long wanted to have.
Nearby reefs, comparable to those near Belize and the Great Barrier Reef, though much smaller, were available for snorkeling tours. We took a tour to snorkel around these reefs and visit Iguana Island. The island, a thin strip separating the Caribbean Sea, had a few iguanas. We crossed the land to dip in water supposedly 10 degrees warmer. The crew was very nice and served us rolls and fruits on our way back. Unlike some places we've visited, TCI is a long stretch, around 37 miles, and a group of islands. One would need to take a boat to Middle Caicos and Grand Turk, their capital. I highly recommend taking the half-day excursion to the reefs and Iguana Island. Exhausted from the hot and humid day, we dined at Jojo's Cafe on the property.
The resort had other water sports as well, and we had a blast as our trip came to an end. We went on a longer sailboat ride, this time for 3 to 4 miles, and got to sail. We then went kayaking for an hour before my family went snorkeling at the nearby reef. To top it off, we had dinner at Mango Reef Cafe, which offered great food and service.
Windsong Resort was a great place, and I recommend checking it out if you plan to visit TCI. The hotel staff, including Mark and Larry, made our stay memorable. A taxi driver, one of many Jamaicans living on the island, mentioned that they have around 91 different nationalities. By the way, I bragged about India winning the T20 Cricket World Cup with all the Jamaicans and also with the Lyft driver from Afghanistan on my way home. The service on the island was great, and the location spectacular. They should have more food options, and they plan to open another restaurant in a new building. I want to visit as many islands as possible in my lifetime, though my dream of owning a beachfront property will take time. This was an unforgettable adventure in the Turks and Caicos Islands, and I can now strike it off my list.
As I was about to end this post, Adam Grant’s latest article popped into my inbox. He highlights that the best place to relax on holidays and weekends is near water, not green spaces. Experiments show that just 2 minutes of viewing water can lower blood pressure and heart rate, making lakes, pools, and streams more calming than parks or forests. While he prefers lakes coming from Michigan, I prefer the ocean for finding inner peace. Where do you find your inner peace? Reading my blog posts? 😂