Last week I finally went on vacation! I had the opportunity to disconnect from my entrepreneurial life for 4 days and let me tell you how hard it was for me not to pack the laptop. After several mini anxiety attacks, I was able to convince myself that on this trip, work was forbidden.
Although I am from the Caribbean I still have a lot to explore in the area, so we decided to go to the Turks & Caicos islands. These belong to the UK and are composed of 40 islands and cays, of which only 8 are inhabited.
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Being a native of the Dominican Republic, it hurts to admit publicly that these islands, so far, have been the most beautiful beaches I have seen. The clarity of the water and the different shades of blue in the sea will definitely make you reflect on the grandeur and beauty of our natural resources.
Point Grace was the perfect place to stay
In Turks & Caicos you can find accommodations for all kinds of tastes and price points. We stayed at the Point Grace, a colonial – style boutique hotel that only houses 28 rooms. This is located in Grace Bay, considered one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. If you are looking for a place to relax and unwind for several days, this is a perfect place. It includes continental breakfast, has free WiFi around its facilities and roundtrip transportation from/to the airport.
Land and Sea cuisine
It is good to keep in mind that in these islands the food is a little expensive (both in the supermarket and in restaurants), but still, it is delicious. Obviously, I recommend you try the seafood. The conch in all its versions and the whole fish snapper and grouper are very popular, both fried and grilled. But also, because of its Caribbean roots, the island serves chicken and pork both jerk and bbq style, accompanied by rice with peas, plantains, macaroni and cheese and coleslaw. All delicious!
Visit Little Water Cay and book a snorkeling tour
At the hotel, we booked a 3-hour tour with Island Vibes Tours, which included snorkeling at the coral reef – one of the largest in the world – and a visit to Little Water Cay, where they have the Iguana Sanctuary called Iguanas Island. To be honest, having been in Laguna de Oviedo (Barahona, Dominican Republic) before, the iguanas on the island did not surprise me. Now, if you cross from one end to the other on the north side of the island (around 5 minutes walking), you will find one of the most breathtaking beaches I have ever seen. Simply beautiful!
Don’t miss the Fish Fry!
Every Thursday is a party in Turks and Caicos. Locals and tourists gather from 5:30 p.m. in Bight (Children’s) Park to watch the sunset and enjoy the food stalls, as well as listen and dance with the best live bands from the island.
Watch out for the Rum Punch!
Like many of the Caribbean islands, Turks & Caicos also has its own homemade rum, called Bambarra. Upon arrival at the hotel, on the snorkeling excursion or anywhere else, you will be welcomed with their signature cocktail, the Rum Punch. I have to tell you to be careful! The first one will be delicious, the second even better … and at the end of the third, you will barely know where you are. And the next morning… you could wake up feeling like someone literally punched you. As I drink less and less alcohol, I decided to swap the Rum Punch for the Chocolate Rum Cake, which was delicious. These you can get at any tourist shop, liquor or grocery store.
An interesting fact: Although many classify these islands as part of the Caribbean, technically these belong to the Atlantic Ocean and not to the Caribbean Sea.
Turks & Caicos is located 550 miles southeast of Miami, Florida and just below the Bahamas. East of Cuba and northeast of Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
The islands are home to around 30,000 residents and welcome more than 200,000 tourists every year.
Have you visited Turks & Caicos before? Share your impressions with me in the comments!
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