Grace Bay Beach – our first glimpse of paradise
A few months ago Johnny and I had the good fortune of being selected as winners of a contest run by Turks & Caicos Vacation Planning. We received a 7-night stay at the Le Vele Resort on Grace Bay Beach in Providenciales (Provo). We couldn’t be more excited to leave behind Atlanta’s frigid weather and exchange it with the warm breeze of the Caribbean. This was actually our second time in Provo, as we visited for the first time in October 2012 to celebrate our fourth wedding anniversary. During our week-long stay in 2012, the weather did not cooperate due to hurricane Sandy making her way through the Caribbean. On the contrary, on our most recent trip there was not a single rainy day (although it did get windy some of the time and the water was quite rough). Our days consisted of island-hopping, lounging around on various beaches, snorkeling, and eating as much fresh seafood as our stomachs could handle.
Day 1
The excitement began when we flew over Chalk Sound.
We arrived on a Thursday, and we were in and out of the airport in a matter of minutes. Once again, we rented a car from Grace Bay Car Rentals, and it was already waiting in the parking lot. They now have a small office on top of the hill and we did not have to pay any parking fee upon exiting the lot.
Mango Reef at the Alexandra Resort
We headed straight to Mango Reef at the Alexandra Resort for some much needed lunch. When we left Atlanta that morning the temperature was 11F, but now we found ourselves basking in the sun while sipping Pina Coladas.
Next, we stopped by Graceway Gourmet to stock up on a few grocery items, and popped in at Fresh Catch to pick up some appetizers for later that evening. We couldn’t wait to check-in to our hotel and see what our home for the week looked like. We were met by Le Vele‘s General Manager, Mr. Clayton Thomas, and he walked us to our ocean-front one bedroom suite. Wow! The unit had a super spacious patio, and we could see and hear the ocean from every single room. Talk about being spoiled…
Le Vele Grace Bay Beach
Day 2
We would love to trade places with this little guy any time.
We started our first full day in Turks and Caicos with a one-hour excursion to Little Water Cay (locally known as Iguana Island). We booked our tour the day before with Caribbean Cruisin’. The total price for 2 people was $130.80, and it included all taxes and admission fee to the nature reserve. Once we got to the island, the first 20 minutes were spent following and listening to a park ranger, and the last 40 minutes we were free to roam around the island on our own. We walked all the way to the north side of the cay, and were rewarded with beautiful views of the Atlantic Ocean and a beach that’s dotted with driftwood.
Beach on the north coast of Little Water Cay (Iguana Island)
Feeling thirsty and a bit hot after our short adventure on Iguana Island, we decided to get a fresh smoothie from Lemon2Go. Afterwards, we walked across the street to Salt Mills Plaza to enjoy some rolls at Yoshi’s Sushi Bar.
Lemon2Go
Our shrimp tempura and spicy tuna rolls from Yoshi’s
Later on that evening, we met up with Val and Susan Kalliecharan of Turks & Caicos Vacation Planning at Hemingway’s Restaurant. It was a pleasure meeting them in person, as they are such gracious and generous people. We talked about their children’s upbringing in the small island nation and how they got their business started. We also learned that Val and I have a common interest in music. I am a pianist, while Val regularly plays the steel drums at local venues.
Johnny, Nanette, Susan, and Val at Hemingway’s
Day 3
The first half of the day was spent on Sapodilla Bay, Johnny’s favorite beach in Provo. He couldn’t stop talking and reminiscing about Sapodilla Bay ever since we got back from our first trip 2 years ago. Unfortunately with so many new homes being built in the area, we noticed that the trees that we took pictures with during our last visit were gone…
Sapodilla Bay is gorgeous as usual
Johnny doing a bit of snorkeling at Sapodilla
Taken with our underwater camera, which decided to retire after that day. So sad…
Staying on the south side of the island, we decided to satisfy our curiosity and try out the much talked-about Bugaloo’s Conch Crawl. We also had never been to the Five Cays Settlement, so this gave us a good excuse to explore more of Provo. Bugaloo’s definitely had a nice vibe, and we really liked their Coconut Cracked Conch. I ordered a lobster dish, which they later told me they were out of, so I ended up with a plate of fried shrimp.
Bugaloo’s Conch Crawl
Five Cays
To put our hotel suite’s gourmet kitchen and outdoor grill to good use, Johnny volunteered to cook dinner of surf and turf for two. We purchased lobster and steak from Graceway Gourmet, then marinated them with cilantro lime butter. It was well worth the effort, as it was one of the most delicious meals I had while on vacation (hope Johnny reads this and will continue to cook for me).
Dinner prepared by “Chef” Johnny. The baked potatoes were made by Graceway Gourmet.
Day 4
It was an easy and lazy Sunday as we drove to Blue Hills to enjoy some beach time and take a few pictures at the pier.
Blue Hills pier
Somehow I also ended up swinging at the playground right next to the pier.
I just couldn’t resist…
Pretty Blue Hills
I read that there’s a newly opened restaurant in Blue Hills called Kalooki’s, located where Horse-Eye Jack’s used to be. We love authentic Caribbean food, so we chose this local eatery as our lunch spot for the day. Fortunately it turned out to be a great pick because we absolutely loved their dishes, and felt so welcome by the warmth and hospitality of their staff members. Johnny’s BBQ ribs had a distinctive tamarind flavor, and I became a fan of the Lobster Bruschetta and Steamed Fish. Too bad I already devoured half the fish before I realized I had not taken a picture of it. For dessert, we took home a slice of bread pudding with a scoop of ice cream.
You won’t regret dining at Kalooki’s
We returned to our hotel early and got plenty of rest because we were very much looking forward to the next day…
Day 5
Finally, we got the chance to take a ferry ride to North Caicos and had an awesome time getting to know North and Middle Caicos. We hopped into a Land Rover that we got from Al’s Rent-a-Car ($75 for the day), and off we went venturing on these two islands.
Walking down to the beach on Mudjin Harbour
Cliffs on Mudjin Harbour
Our first stop was Mudjin Harbour on Middle Caicos. Dragon Cay looked amazing, but we couldn’t reach it with the high tide and crazy waves. Hiking Crossing Place Trail was fun (even more so in flip-flops), and one of the highlights was squeezing into a cave to reach the Secret Beach.
Dragon Cay
Nice view of Mudjin Harbour and Dragon Cay from Crossing Place Trail
We went “click happy” (a.k.a. took too many pictures), and soon realized that it was time for a break at Mudjin Bar & Grill.
At Mudjin Bar & Grill with the one and only Miss Dorothy Garvey
We headed back to North Caicos and spent the rest of the afternoon checking out a couple of sites such as the Flamingo Pond, Horsestable Beach, and Pumpkin Bluff Beach. We accidentally found ourselves on Pumpkin Bluff Beach as we were (unsuccessfully) trying to locate Three Mary Cays.
Flamingo Pond on North Caicos
Horsestable Beach
Pumpkin Bluff Beach
North and Middle Caicos, we shall return to admire and see more of your natural beauty…
Day 6
Johnny woke up early to get himself ready for an activity that he had really been looking forward to: SNUBA Turks & Caicos! SNUBA is a great opportunity to have a diving experience without being certified. Jodi, the owner and a very talented SNUBA guide, led our group of four to see the wonders under the pristine waters at the Bight Reef. The SNUBA dive took us 20 ft below the surface and lasted for approximately 40 minutes.
SNUBA was so much fun! Photo was taken by Jodi of SNUBA Turks & Caicos
The next destination on our itinerary was Cooper Jack Beach. Cooper Jack on south Provo is not a place that a lot of tourists come to visit. However, Johnny and I really enjoyed the change of scenery, being surrounded by green hills and rock outcrops.
Idyllic Cooper Jack Beach
Come to Cooper Jack Beach for some quiet time
Another local dining establishment we would like to try was Mr. Grouper’s. I had been craving for lobster spring rolls for a while, and luckily they had that on their menu. We also ordered grilled shrimp on the skewer and grilled wahoo.
Mr. Grouper’s
After lunch, we planned on relaxing on Long Bay Beach. On the way there, we stopped by what I would consider to be Provo’s roadside attraction: The Hole. Well, what should I say about The Hole? We found it while driving along a neighborhood in the Long Bay Hills area. It’s a natural sinkhole that’s about 60 ft deep, and we could see water at the base.
Johnny standing at the edge of The Hole. Way in the distance on the upper right hand corner you can see Long Bay Beach.
While Johnny had previously been on Long Bay Beach with Provo Ponies, this was my first time going to this beach. We did spot one kite surfer and had some fun with our (conch) shell phones.
Conch shells on Long Bay Beach
Can you hear us?
Day 7
I started to get cranky upon realizing that it was our last day in Turks and Caicos. For the first time during the week we actually used our hotel’s beach chairs and umbrellas. We tried to soak up as much sunshine as we could on Grace Bay Beach.
Last dip on Grace Bay Beach
I couldn’t leave Provo without eating Kalooki’s Lobster Bruschetta one more time. So we went back to Blue Hills, sat on Kalooki’s deck surrounded by coconut trees, and watched what our server called the “big screen TV” of aquamarine water with programming “only available on the local channel.”
Lobster curry was Kalooki’s special dish of the day
Oh, how I will miss this place when I’m back in Atlanta
Just like on our first trip to Provo, we concluded the day with a walk along Leeward Beach. So long Turks and Caicos, we will be back soon! Very, very soon…
Beautiful memories that will last forever
Check out our Flickr page to view pictures from our trips to Turks and Caicos.
Other blog posts I have written on Turks and Caicos:
Whoa. Great photos and story. I especially enjoyed day 5 on your trip to North and Middle Caicos. Looks so beautiful.
Thanks for the tip on Kalooki’s!
Posted by Joe | January 29, 2015, 3:54 pmThanks, Joe! The Turks and Caicos Islands are naturally beautiful, so I think the pictures turned out well without much of an effort. I definitely recommend Kalooki’s for some good Caribbean food.
Posted by fallequinox2006 | January 29, 2015, 9:45 pmNot being able to see Three Mary Cays gives you a good excuse to go back to North Caicos. It’s truly breath taking. And Miss Dorothy is awesome. Beautiful photos. Thanks for sharing.
Posted by Carol Wood | February 8, 2015, 12:58 amThanks, Carol! We’ll be back to North and Middle Caicos for sure!
Posted by fallequinox2006 | February 8, 2015, 1:14 amIt looks you had lovely time there …and plenty of food and cocktails :)))
Posted by Elena | February 12, 2015, 10:50 pmThanks for stopping by, Elena! Yes, it was one of the most enjoyable and relaxing time we’ve ever had.
Posted by fallequinox2006 | February 12, 2015, 11:01 pmWow, I can’t believe how nice the view is from your hotel! Lucky you, winning a 7-night stay there. 🙂 The diving sounds amazing too.
Posted by Jessica (Barcelona Blonde) | February 13, 2015, 11:12 amWe absolutely felt so lucky to be able to stay in Turks and Caicos for a week.
Posted by fallequinox2006 | February 13, 2015, 8:52 pmLucky you! What is SNUBA like? In practical terms, does it feel any different than just diving?
Posted by SLioy | February 13, 2015, 11:43 amSnuba is an awesome experience if you have never been diving. I like to think of it as a “baby step” toward diving. You only go down 20-ft, but the views in Providenciales are amazing!
Posted by fallequinox2006 | February 14, 2015, 3:09 amI’d love to explore that Iguana Island and also Sapodilla Bay! Looks so fun and beautiful 😉
Posted by Alli Blair | February 13, 2015, 2:50 pmBoth places are some of my favorite spots in Turks and Caicos.
Posted by fallequinox2006 | February 13, 2015, 8:54 pmIncredible photos! It is currently -26 in Toronto, and this has inspired some serious wanderlust!
Posted by lesvoyagesdumonde | February 13, 2015, 7:13 pmI know the feeling! It felt so good to escape the winter weather, even for just one week.
Posted by fallequinox2006 | February 13, 2015, 8:55 pmAmazing pics. I’ve heard of the beauty of Turks and Caicos (never having been there), and you captured it!
Posted by venturists | February 14, 2015, 4:18 amThanks for stopping by! After two trips to Turks and Caicos I can definitely say that my husband and I are absolutely in love with this island nation.
Posted by fallequinox2006 | February 14, 2015, 4:23 amLucky you! Looks like you had a great time there :))
Posted by Jowita Łukaczyńska | February 14, 2015, 12:00 pmWe had a wonderful week there, and hated to leave.
Posted by fallequinox2006 | February 14, 2015, 11:01 pmWow, this is exactly what I could do with right now! Looks completely perfect, like paradise! Lovely photos, you two looked so happy 🙂
Posted by The Roaming Renegades.com | February 14, 2015, 2:43 pmThank you! We always enjoyed our visits in Turks and Caicos.
Posted by fallequinox2006 | February 14, 2015, 11:00 pmLobster spring rolls and snuba, what more could you want? And the scenery doesn’t look too shabby either 🙂
Posted by heather843 | February 14, 2015, 3:03 pmHahaha… yes, Turks and Caicos has everything that I love in life.
Posted by fallequinox2006 | February 14, 2015, 10:59 pmWow – what an awesome competition to win. And it looks like you guys made the most of every single day. Love the pictures, hope we get to visit one day….
Posted by Megsy@5DT | February 14, 2015, 4:02 pmWe always enjoyed exploring the islands, and would recommend Turks and Caicos to everyone.
Posted by fallequinox2006 | February 14, 2015, 10:58 pmWe once almost moved to the Turks and Caicos. I was all for it but D wasn’t so keen. Great fun to see your photos and take a trip down memory lane.
Posted by Lyn (aka) The Travelling Lindfields | February 15, 2015, 9:33 amOh, we definitely know the feeling. Every time we’re in Turks and Caicos we thought to ourselves: This is Paradise! How can we stay here longer? For the time being we just have to visit Turks and Caicos as often as we can.
Posted by fallequinox2006 | February 15, 2015, 9:51 amHow lucky! I went to Provo last year and absolutely loved it, I can’t wait to go back! I’m jealous you got to see flamingos, they were nowhere to be found when I was there!
Posted by Evanne | February 15, 2015, 12:29 pmI only saw one flamingo when I was in Provo two years ago. Most flamingos I spotted were on North Caicos. I hope you get to return to Turks and Caicos again, it’s definitely one of our favorite places.
Posted by fallequinox2006 | February 15, 2015, 10:58 pmParadise! I have only been to Grand Cayman and am dying to explore more of the beautiful Caribbean. Looks like Turks and Caicos should be on top of my list!
Posted by sarahsarah | February 15, 2015, 1:17 pmWe would love to visit Grand Cayman too one day. If you love beaches and the outdoors, I would put Turks and Caicos high on the list.
Posted by fallequinox2006 | February 15, 2015, 10:59 pmOh my! That looks like paradise. Great photos!
Posted by thebravedame | February 15, 2015, 3:55 pmThank you! We always love visiting Turks and Caicos because of its beauty and friendly people.
Posted by fallequinox2006 | February 15, 2015, 11:05 pmBeautiful. Just the colours of the sky and the water is enough of a prize!
Posted by Revati Victor (Different Doors) | February 15, 2015, 6:54 pmI couldn’t agree more. The colors of Turks and Caicos are just so captivating. Thanks for stopping by our blog!
Posted by fallequinox2006 | February 15, 2015, 11:06 pmWow, how lucky were you guys to win such an amzing adventure. That water! It’s so mesmerising. Thanks for joining Sunday Traveler.
Posted by SJ @ Chasing the Donkey | February 15, 2015, 9:12 pmWe felt so grateful to be able to spend one week on such gorgeous islands. Thanks for stopping by the blog!
Posted by fallequinox2006 | February 15, 2015, 11:08 pmI think I have never heard of those island but I have to admit, it looks amazing! Thank you for sharing this, I learn all the time!
Posted by Adventurous Journeys | February 16, 2015, 10:21 pmWhat a stellar contest to win! Looks like a very relaxing, romantic vacation; you’ve got me longing for the beach now! 🙂
Posted by Em | February 17, 2015, 8:08 pmSo beautiful! The water is just stunning. The food looks so good too. Especially that surf and turf that Johnny made 🙂 Tell him to keep on cooking.
Posted by Adelina // PackMeTo | February 17, 2015, 9:00 pmWow! The food looks delicious, I could have the rolls for breakfast right now 😉
Posted by RomeNYLondonWorld (@RomeNyLondWorld) | March 13, 2015, 10:56 amTurks and Caicos is one of the few islands that I haven’t been too. The lobster meal looks mouthwatering. Thanks for sharing and linking up to #WeekendWanderlust this week.
Posted by Carmen | Carmen's Luxury Travel | March 15, 2015, 3:19 pm