Honeymoon at Turks and Caicos

We landed at Providenciales International Airport, where all international flights to the Turks and Caicos Islands arrive. The island of Provo welcomes flights from international cities, including London, New York, Washington D.C., etc. We walked down the airstairs from the plane and proceeded for the immigration process and collect our baggage. There is one departure lounge each for international and domestic flights. The international lounge was crowded with many foreigners. From the exit, we picked a taxi to the hotel which was booked in advance.

We checked in to a popular hotel, The Palms Turks and Caicos located at Grace Bay West. Providenciales is one island in Turks and Caicos filled with many luxurious hotels and resorts. Resorts on Providenciales tend to be on the expensive side but worthwhile. The Palms Turks and Caicos was a perfect choice to enjoy full-service beachfront luxury and pampering. We chose a guest suite with infinite views of the ocean. The room featured king-size bedding and complimentary wifi with a washer and dryer. The bathrooms are beautiful with quality bathing products. This classy Grace Bay resort has everything for a fine honeymoon vacation — including a heavenly spa and delectable dining options.

Of course, nothing is more romantic than a couples massage. Palms Turks and Caicos offered a rejuvenating spa. We got to relax, and sit with a cup of mint tea in a bubbling pond and enjoy the breezes. They offered a comfortable robe and spa slippers to use at the spa. The treatment was exactly rejuvenated in a most pleasant environment. Then, we enjoyed then enjoy the outdoor shower, Jacuzzi, and sauna. All over, it was a perfect start for a romantic vacation.

By late evening we decided to take a romantic walk down the beach. Grace Bay beach northeast coast of the island of Providenciales. We spend a good deal of time on the beach during sunset. Grace Bay beach is the crown jewel of Providenciales. It can be described as the hallmark of the Islands as it was one of the most stunning places for a beach holiday. It is popular for a lot of things, and exploring nature is one of those. We relaxed on the shady comfort of the beach umbrella and sun lounger. It was a perfect place to simply lounging in the water and at the beach. On its east side, Grace Bay Beach continues as Leeward Beach, and on the west end as the Bight Beach. It is possible to walk from Leeward Going Through Point to Turtle Cove Marina and Smith's Reef.

We went to Coyaba Restaurant for dinner. We had their signature dishes crispy Shrimp and Beef Tenderloin. The shrimp was perfectly fried and served in a noodles basket. The taste was excellent and the perfect spot to enjoy a private dinner. The staff was very kind and friendly.

We set the day to visit beautiful cays on the island. Actually, it was the hunt for the Turks and Caicos Rock Iguana, Cyclura carinata. It is the largest non-extinct indigenous land animal found in the country. Cay is referred to as a small sandy reef or barrier island. The top recommended activity on the island is to take a boat cruise or charter to visit beautiful cays. We took a private boat from the Leeward Marina area on Providenciales to Little Water Cay.

The first stop was at Little Water Cay, located at a short distance from the Leeward Marina area on Providenciales. The only attractions are the Turks and Caicos Rock Iguanas on the island. Basically, it is a big lizard, who are classified as endangered. The nature preserve of Little Water Cay is locally known as ' Iguanas Island', as it is the home to the few remaining Rock Iguanas. We could spot some Iguanas greeting us on the boardwalk. We noticed some color tags on the lizards. It was used by scientists to identify them. They are herbivorous, who eat leaves and flowers from different species around the island. We wandered along the boardwalks that loop through the nature reserve and enjoy the beauty of the beach. Next, we headed to Half Moon Bay.

We reached Half Moon Bay, a narrow strip of pristine tropical beach that has formed between two uninhabited cays. It is one of the most scenic places in the Turks and Caicos. It was packed with beach, miniature palm forests, low cliffs, and sheltered lagoon. On the north side, we saw a beautiful beach with turquoise water. The south side was more beautiful with a sheltered and shallow lagoon with crystal clear water and soft sand. There are small limestone cliffs and small sandy coves. We had our packed food on the shore and headed to the next destination.

We arrived at Water Cay, it was an undeveloped island. The ocean was quite calm and the coastline is framed by low white limestone cliffs. We didn't felt comfortable in the place so that we left the beach in a short time.

We stopped at Fort George Cay, another popular island in the chains of cays between Providenciales and North Caicos. It is a tiny scenic island found between Parrot Cay and Dellis Cay. We floated over the water with our snorkeling gear on searching for one of the world’s most treasured gifts – sand dollars. The north-west end of the sand bar featured as a beautiful spot for photography. We utilized some special time on the island, wandering around on the sandy beach.

We turn back to the hotel to grab a quick shower and dressed up. We went to Long Bay Beach to spend our evening. Taking a beach horse ride through the beautiful turquoise waters in Provo Ponies was another activity on the island. Long Bay is a long beach on the southeast side of Providenciales. It was a very calm and quiet beach without any wild waves. Long Bay is a bit more private than Grace Bay beach. Long Bay Beach has one of the three small riding stables in the Providenciales. Horseback riding in the ocean was a fun-filled and unique adventure, we never experienced. We saw Hole, a naturally-formed limestone sinkhole located in the Long Bay Hills. It was located at a short distance from the road but was not advised to visit. It doesn't have any designated paths or safety handrails.

We had dinner from Bay Bistro, a popular beachfront restaurant at the Sibonne Beach Hotel. In terms of food quality and value, it was the perfect spot. The dinner menu is more elegant than lunch. Their lamb chops were our favorite one, it was served along with mixed veggies. The caesar salad was more cheesy. Our day was ended with a classic dinner.

We had breakfast at the hotel and headed to another main attraction in Providenciales. Chalk Sound National Park is a scenic natural lagoon on the southwest side of Provo. It was highly beautiful as well as a romantic place. It was a charming place for hundreds of marine species, birds, and plants. We enjoyed the view from the south side of the land-locked lagoon which was cannot be described through words. Chalk Sound Drive is a thin strip of land that separates Chalk Sound from the Atlantic Ocean. We went for a swim, the water is clean, safe, and shallow. It was a perfect swimming spot for adults as well as kids.

Next stopped at Sapodilla Bay Hill a protected historical site, located on a small steep on the south coast of Provo. It was famous for rock carvings that represent bygone sentiments left by shipwrecked sailors and travelers. Some inscriptions found here include names, dates, symbols, and simple depictions of ships and buildings. The elevations at Sapodilla Hill offers spectacular views of beautiful villas and mansions around the place. We moved to Sapodilla Bay Beach, where the water was very shallow, calm, and clear. We found many luxury vacation villas on the beach. The unique thing about the sea is the presence of white, very fine, silt-like sand.

For lunch, we went to Las Brisas Restaurant. Their combination of fine dining and seafood dishes was excellent. There are some great beaches and sights nearby so that it served as a landmark spot. Sapodilla Bay is found very close to the restaurant. Shrimp in garlic was excellent in taste, tender cooked shrimp sauteed in butter moreover the taste of butter was dominated. They had wide varieties of dishes. The Tapas and Mediterranean cuisine is included in their menu.

Our final destination of the day was at Blue Hills which is a settlement on the northwest coast of Provo. We bought beautiful conch shells that were sold down on the beach. It was lovely to see some handsome pelican perching on the pillars of the beach. We relaxed on the sand watching the calm ocean and some native birds.

We return to grace bay and went to Infinity Restaurant & Raw Bar. It was the best place to enjoy dinner. The menu has a wide variety of dishes. The ambiance was good. The taste of the food was average. South Caicos Lobster Salad was very sweet as they added many pineapple crunches. We felt very disappointed.

We planned for a day trip to North Caicos and Middle Caicos. The Caicos island was divided into small islands such as Providenciales, North Caicos Middle Caicos, East Caicos, South Caicos, and West Caicos to the west. A day trip to North Caicos and Middle Caicos is a topmost activity. It is required to book a rental car in North Caicos before your trip. The major way to travel from Providenciales to North Caicos and Middle Caicos is by passenger ferry. We booked a ferry from Heaving Down Rock Marina, also known as Walkin Marina. Caribbean Cruisin and MV My Girl are two companies offered day trips from Providenciales.

The boat dropped us at Sandy Point Marina located on the northwest end of North Caicos. We took about 45 minutes to travel between the points. The ferry trip was fun filled and enjoyed. Our taxi was waiting at the marina. Due to the limited number of vehicles on the island pre-booking is necessary. Our taxi driver picked up and dropped us at Three Mary Cays.

Three Marys Cays is a scenic and uninhabited area that attracts many tourists all over the world. There are three limestone rocks bordered by the beautiful Hollywood Beach to the east and Sandy Point Beach to the west. We felt a little difficult to find the place but our driver was professional, he guided us to explore. We saw a Cottage pond nearby which is tidal and distantly connected to the ocean. We didn't found anything interesting so that we headed to our next destination.

We had lunch from Silver Palm Restaurant. Due to their limited population, North Caicos and Middle Caicos do not have a large number of restaurants. We had a sandwich and grilled fish. The sandwich was average in taste but the fish was excellent. They grilled soft tender flesh in Lime and Fries.

After lunch, we headed to the Crossing Place Trail-a historical site. It was a historical path that connected the communities on Middle Caicos and North Caicos. The modern trail starts at the coast near Conch Bar Village, but two trailheads paved road into Middle Caicos, and one near the Dragon Cay. We saw at the west of the blowing hole, the trail slowly disappears into the low vegetation. On the way, we witness the famous Flamingo Pond. It is part of the Ramsar Nature Reserve.

Then we moved to Mudjin Harbor, the coastline on the north of Middle Caicos. From a small car parking area, we walked through a concrete walking path that leads down to the beach. There is a large open-faced cave above the beach. Many visitors spend several hours here, but we spend only a short time. It was an excellent place for swimming. We found a smaller hidden cave followed by the stone path along the top of the cliffs.

Then the driver dropped us at Conch Bar Caves which is the largest non-submerged cave system in the Bahamas-Turks and Caicos island chain. We saw 4-species of bats in the cave, along with several endemic species of crustaceans, including some isopods. The visitors to Conch Bar Caves must be accompanied by a guide. There is no developed pathway, stairs, or lightings. We felt a little adventurous walking with our guide. We could check another major cave on the way to Conch Bar Caves. Indian Cave is a large single gallery cave with many openings and skylights. It was worth stopping here as the cave is found close to the main road into Middle Caicos. There was no entry fee. There are many Rosary Pea, a type of poisonous seeds found near the entrance.

The day was so busy and worthwhile. We spend our day effectively, with the help of our driver we could see most of the attractions on the island. We reached our resort by 9 pm. We had dinner from the restaurant and took a deep sleep.

This fine morning, we decided to pack up our bags and left Providenciales for Grand Turk. Next, two days were dedicated to the Turks Islands of Grand Turk and Salt Cay. Grand Turk is the historical center of the Turks and Caicos. It is the second most populated island in the country. Cockburn Town is the capital of the island is part of Grand Turk. We caught a domestic flight from the Providenciales International Airport to the Grand Turk International Airport. There are several flights per day between Providenciales and Grand Turk. GDT airport has a single runway and terminal. We checked in 30 minutes before our domestic flight departure.

We hired a taxi from the airport to the hotel, which we booked online. Turks Head Inne hotel was located at a short distance from the airport. It is located at the heart of Cockburn Town. Cockburn is a small coastal settlement with old colonial British architecture buildings. The rooms are well maintained with a large bed. We booked a garden room, it looks similar to the private cottage. We dropped our bags in the room and started our day.

The first destination was Gibb's Cay. It is a small cay is located a short distance away from Grand Turk. Gibbs Cay, also known as Stingray City, a small cay situated on the eastern coast of Grand Turk. We picked up a tour from the coast to the cay. The cruise guests are requested to depart from the cruise center. We enjoyed the private space on the beach by swimming and snorkeling. They provided all the equipment we needed for a Gibbs Cay snorkeling adventure such as fins, masks, snorkels, and even snorkel vests. Lunch was included in our package so that they cooked on the beach. It was a unique experience.

We returned to the coast and rented a scooter to spend left of the day. Rental vehicles and taxis are the main means of transport for visitors. The first place we visited on the land was Grand Turk Lighthouse. It is the only lighthouse and main historical attraction in the country. We saw a small snack and gift shop in the old light-keepers house.

Next, we drove to a small National Museum, located on the historical Front Street in Cockburn Town. It looks like an old building but a perfect place for history lovers. We are not interested in history so that we just went for a quick visit. The Museum Shop was very interesting one for souvenirs.

We spend our evening in the sand of Cockburn Town Beach. Cockburn Town Beach offers beautiful white sand, clear water set on the backdrop of colonial architecture buildings. We saw many restaurants and hotels close to this beach. We parked our bike in the northern part of the beach. Front Street and Queen’s Street allow for easy access to the beach.

We return to the hotel after returning the rented bike. Turks Head Inne was located within a walk able distance from the beach. Grand Turk offers limited restaurants so that we chose our dinner from the hotel itself. The restaurant within the hotel offered a wide variety of dishes. Coconut Shrimp was excellent in taste, the flavor of coconut perfectly blend with shrimp. There are choices of homemade ice creams with varieties of flavor.

We checked out from the hotel and headed to Salt Cay. It is a small inhabited island in the southeast Turks and Caicos. Salt Cay's name is derived from the island’s long history with sea salt production. We took a domestic flight from GDT airport to Salt Cay Airport. The Salt Cay Airport is a tiny domestic airport. It consists of small single building functioning as the terminal. It welcomes a few flights from Providenciales and Grand Turk.

The little island of Salt Cay offers a surprisingly varied selection of beaches. We saw many donkeys and cattle freely roam around the island. From the east side of South District, we went to South Creek.

After lunch, we headed to South Creek, a small wetlands area on Salt Cay. The water in the area is quite shallow and unsuitable for swimming or snorkeling. On the shore, we could see many native birds such as reddish egrets, American kestrels, mangrove cuckoos, etc. They are very beautiful. We really enjoyed some private space on the island.

Evening, we turn to Providenciales, the most developed and populated island in the Turks and Caicos. We checked in to Amanyara hotel which is located on the remote West coast of Providenciales. It was a luxurious one on the island. We spend a night there. We enjoyed our last night on the island's incredible and secluded Malcolm’s Road Beach resort. The restaurants at Amanyara features the Mediterranean and Asian inspired dishes. They offered indoor, open-air terrace, and beach dining. The rooms are excellent.

We used a day to explore the resort. We booked an evening flight so that after lunch we hired a taxi from the resort to the Providenciales International Airport. The international departure lounge features two levels, and seating is found in both areas. The upper level also offers an outdoor viewing deck and limited amounts of seating, as well as a VIP and first-class lounge. We wandered around the airport and completed all formalities. This was our unforgettable trip in our life. We got many memorable photos as well.