Have you ever wondered what all the fuss about Turks & Caicos is? Well see below….This post comes from my newly married friend Elizabeth who just returned from her relaxing honeymoon in Turks & Caicos….Thanks Elizabeth!
____________________________________________
We flew out of Laguardia Sunday morning and arrived in Turks & Caicos about three hours later.
We picked up a rental car at Hertz, paying in USD for a British-wheeled car. (TCI is a British territory, so the road rules are British, but the American dollar is its currency). We drove without a hitch to our hotel, the Windsong, in Provo (maybe 15 minutes from the airport). The resort is smaller than the TCI mainstays (Gansevoort, Club Med, Beaches) but has wonderful grounds and pool and direct beach access. The restaurant, JoJo’s Cafe, is nothing to write home about, but it does make the drinks that are brought to you pool- or ocean-side.
The first room we booked into was part of a set of two rooms that shared a common locked entrance that could be adapted for a family with children. Unfortunately, that meant the bed we got was not a king mattress but instead two smaller mattresses put together. The crack in the middle was not ideal for the first night of nuptial bliss, so we’d recommend specifically requesting a king mattress before you arrive. We requested a move, and after a couple of follow-ups were moved to a room with a solid mattress, where we stayed happily the remainder of the week.
The rooms have mini-kitchens with a microwave and a refrigerator, so we went grocery shopping on the first day to stock up.
We spent the rest of the week reading on the beach and by the pool and trying the various restaurants around. The staff set up the beach chairs and umbrellas every morning and remove them in the evening, so all we had to do was roll out of bed and walk a few steps and lie back down. *Bliss*. White sands, turquoise and clear waters, coral reefs to scuba right in front of the hotel (although they are still recovering and serious scuba enthusiasts will prefer a boat trip out to more healthy reefs). Our hotel was happily rather sleepy, with a few young couples, a couple of older couples and a couple of families. We brought some dressier clothes just in case but didn’t need them, even for the nicest dinners.
The Somewhere Cafe next door was a favorite, as was Horseye Jack’s (which requires a car). [Hole in the Wall was also good; the pizza place was fine but outdoors and buggy. The Saltmills Cafe & Diner was pleasant.] The French bakery was good but a little disappointing (selling a key lime tart that tasted more like lemon merengue), despite the obvious French-ness of its baker. Despite being surrounded by water, it seemed that the only local fish in Provo was grouper and (during the season which starts late summer) lobster. The Gansevoort (a ten minute walk up the beach from Windsong) served good breakfast and the late night scene felt like the Meatpacking District transported to the beach.
We took a day trip to Middle and North Caicos – walked around one of the old abandoned sugar plantations, took a look at the artisan’s coop and attached cafe, and were impressed by the contrast of the rural feel compared to Provo, but were overall somewhat disappointed with the excursion. The ferry ride may have been the best part. Perhaps it would have been better had we hired a guide?
All in all, wholeheartedly recommended as a place to lie by the beach or pool with a book for a long weekend, up to a week. Beautiful and peaceful. Do bring your suntan lotion and your bug spray if you are going during bug season.
_____________
editor’s note
for some more info check out http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2007/pf/0703/gallery.honeymoon_hotspots.moneymag/2.html
Followtheleader Blog 