Even after several visits, this is the joy that I feel when arriving in Providenciales, Turks & Caicos! It is a special place that feels like our home in the Caribbean, a place that may no longer be an adventure to us, but still draws us back year after year…while there are so many options of where to stay and what to do, here are the details of what we have experienced and a few tips along the way…

Where we stay:

As a couple who prefers 5-star hotels, we have always stayed at one of the luxury hotels on Grace Bay Beach: The Grace Bay Club, Seven Stars, The Ritz, and The Palms…ALL of them are great, all are pricey, and all of them are on the same gorgeous beach…if I had to pick a favorite, it would be The Grace Bay Club, primarily for the ambience…it has more of an island decor, and more colorful landscaping. The Palms is more formal/elegant, The Ritz is more modern/contemporary…you really can’t go wrong with any of these hotels…and for those of you looking for a place to take the family, there is a Beaches on Grace Bay Beach with non-stop activities for children of all ages (we have not been).

What we do:

To no surprise, all activities are beach and ocean focused…once on the island, we hardly sit still, and never use the lounge chairs except for a place to park our stuff….we walk on the beach, throw a football, play paddleball, and excitedly wait for the bar to open, when the fun really begins! This year we took a sunset cruise on Lady Grace (thumbs up!) and every day we took out the Seven Stars Hobie Cat…Peter did all the sailing while I enjoyed the ride and posed for pictures, haha…

Because we like to explore the island, we always rent a car – even though driving is on the ‘wrong’ side of the road – this year we used Grace Bay Rentals, other years we have used Hertz – both have been fine, never had an issue…if you make your reservation well in advance you have better chances of getting a fun car… a Jeep convertible is a blast!

Aside from not needing a taxi to take you to dinner, having a car gives you the option to check out other hotels and have lunch at various beach bars…here are some that we recently visited…

The Cave Bar at The Rock House – super exclusive boutique hotel for people that like to be in a more private setting (too remote for us)…nice bar, but the beach is TINY…still was fun to see!

Da Conch Shack – rum punch on the beach, friendly people, and the best jerk chicken!!! They also have scheduled live music events that are very popular, but we never made it to one…

Next stop….BUGALOOS!

Bugaloos Beach Bar – we have been coming to Bugaloos for years…it’s a place where you make new friends, a place where you never want to leave! The menu offers a wide range of seafood dishes, burgers, jerk chicken, and lots of great drinks…if the weather is questionable, there’s a bar and seating area indoors…outside there are local ladies on the beach selling their island wares and we always leave with a bracelet or two…this year we were disappointed that there was no live music which we have always enjoyed in the past…it just wasn’t the same to listen to piped in ‘Who let the dogs out’…:-0

Next stop: Noah’s Ark!

Noah’s Ark – this is not your average beach bar, since it is not on the beach, but out in the middle of the ocean, only accessible by boat…we took a ferry which was a 10 minute ride, and that is definitely part of the fun! On one side of the bar the water is waist-high, and there are floats for you to hang out on, and tables to pose on – or dance on..hahaha…there is a DJ who plays loud music, plenty of cocktail options, and even food service…definitely a PARTY scene…this place may not be for everyone, but fun to explore with adventurous friends…

Last but not least…

Just Tacos – my favorite beach bar on the island! It’s part of The Grace Bay Club, an easy walk on the beach from many hotels…the menu is simply what it says, and they are DELICIOUS! The lamb taco is my personal fave…but there’s more! What else is great about it? GARTH – a great bartender, a great guy, and a great singer! Country music all the way! Regardless of whether the sun is shining or not, the tequila flows, Garth is smiling, and the country music is playing! Fun, fun, fun!

When the sun goes down, it’s time to pick a spot for dinner, and there are so many great choices on this ‘foodie’ island…we have a few favorites, yet there are still many more to try in the future…some faves:

Coyaba – elegant, delicious, romantic!

Seven – at the Seven Stars hotel, delicious food, beautiful ambience, great bartenders!

Infiniti Bar – at The Grace Bay Club; gorgeous atmosphere, live music (most nights), great sushi, yummy pasta, perfect espresso martinis!

Magnolia – very romantic setting, perfect at sunset, great food…

Have I got you itching to book your trip yet? 🙂 A few more details before I close…

Caicos Bakery is a French pastry shop that is a short walk or bike ride from the hotels on Grace Bay Beach…delicious jelly doughnuts and chocolate croissants…gotta splurge at least once!

And what about SHOPPING, you ask? This is not at all an island to spend a day of shopping…there are no commercial brand-name shops at all, no malls to speak of, and very few ‘nice’ boutiques…with that said, I have found some fabulous swim and resort wear in hotel gift shops, especially at The Grace Bay Club (the best!)…

This unique shop, Rumeurs, is next door to Caicos bakery…very interesting home decor items, jewelry, and beach wear…just wish that they opened earlier!

If you have made it this far through this post, your next step will be figuring out when to book your visit to Turks! And while I am smiling in this pic, it’s always a bittersweet moment when it’s time to go home…BUT ALAS! There’s a place to keep the party going – a place to catch a few more rays and one more drink: at the OUTSIDE BAR, upstairs at the Providenciales airport! 🙂

Hope you enjoyed this ride and will subscribe to future blog posts!

Work hard. Play hard. Enjoy every day.