“The sun looks good on you,” a Facebook friend commented under a glowing photo of me taken at Grace Bay Beach in the Turks and Caicos.
It’s not surprising that the beautiful backdrop of white sand and turquoise-blue waters was a highlight of my post-holiday season Caribbean getaway.
This was my second trip to Providenciales, the most developed and populated island in the Turks and Caicos, a group of islands south of the Bahamas. From interactions with some of the friendly staff members at the upscale Seven Stars Resort & Spa, where I stayed for three nights, I got a better sense of the people and the culture. That was an unexpected highlight.
First I met Jessica, a petite and perky young woman who escorted my husband and me to our sun-filled junior suite. Her dream is to live in New York City and pursue writing. The next morning, at breakfast, I met Chana, a hostess with a twinkle in her eye and a flower in her hair. And James, a young man with a confident smile and hip hop aspirations helped me find my poolside cabana. “I’m not gonna lie. I have a voice,” he said.
History and culture attractions
The first enslaved Africans were brought to Turks and Caicos by British Bermudians to work in the salt ponds. The second influx of enslaved Africans came when Loyalists fled the United States after the American Revolutionary War against British rule and set up plantations in the Turks and Caicos.
For more history, in Provo, visit Cheshire Hall Plantation, a ruined, late-1700s cotton plantation ($15, cash only), and the Turks & Caicos National Museum at The Village at Grace Bay ($5, open Tuesday and Thursday, 10 a.m.–2 p.m.) to tour a recreation of a typical 1800s Caicos dwelling.
Get a taste of local flavor at the weekly Island Fish Fry at Stubbs Diamond Plaza, steps from Grace Bay Beach. Hosted by the Turks and Caicos Tourist Board, the popular Thursday evening event features live music and restaurant and souvenir vendors. The night culminates with Junkanoo, a traditional procession of masqueraders in costume dancing to drums, cowbells, and other native instruments.
Peruse the colorful strip of shops near the beach, including Mama’s Gift Shop, for island keepsakes. And pick up a duty-free bottle of Bambarra rum, the first rum to be blended and bottled in the Turks and Caicos, named after African settlers who were shipwrecked on the Spanish slave ship “Trouvadore” in 1841.
Sample more local grub at the casual food truck eatery Crackpot Kitchen, known for crack conch and signature cocktails. For exotic seafood dishes served in a tropical garden setting, head to Coyaba Restaurant.
Where to stay
Respite and relaxation are at the top of the itinerary at Seven Stars Resort & Spa (https://www.sevenstarsgracebay.com/), an expansive oceanfront resort with 167 spacious suites accented with island-inspired décor. From junior to three-bedroom suites, each room has a terrace, kitchenette or full kitchen, and marble bathroom with a soaking tub. Perks include L’Occitaine toiletries and housekeeping’s attention to detail, like leaving cleaning cloths for eyewear and reusable ties for phone chargers.
The resort’s delectable dining options are plentiful, including a daily complimentary breakfast buffet at Seven Restaurant, surf and turf options at the beachfront the Deck, and farm-to-table fare at the trendy, open-air the Farm (there’s even a mini Moet & Chandon vending machine).
The Farm is a creative collaboration between the resort’s award-winning executive chef Edwin R. Gallardo and celebrity chef Amanda Freitag. The inventive, vegetable-forward brunch and dinner menus use herbs, leafy greens, and micro-greens hand-cultivated in the onsite hydroponic container farm and rooftop garden.
For a night to remember, splurge and savor a gourmet, six-course food and wine pairing at the Tasting Room at Seven Restaurant.
During your stay, take a dip in your choice of two heated saltwater pools (there’s also a kids’ pool), and enjoy complimentary activities like non-motorized water sports, bikes on loan, pickleball courts, and daily morning yoga classes. Other fitness classes are available for an additional fee, like Yin yoga, a slow-paced and restorative style that includes specific passive poses that are held for an extended time.
At the resort’s spa, soothe your muscles and your mind with a hot stone massage and mini facial. Ask for Yna, a thoughtful and skilled esthetician from the Philippines, who has worked at the resort for 20 years.
Currently, there’s a winter savings promotion for 15 percent off all rooms through mid-April 2024. And if you can stand the heat, in August, rates start at $600 per night for a junior suite—ideal for a solo retreat, honeymoon, babymoon, or girlfriend getaway.