Rapid growth comes to Turks and Caicos Islands

Richard Green
The Post and Courier

The Post and Courier

PROVIDENCIALES, TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS — Where?

That's what people want to know when you tell them where you've been. Even if they've heard of the place, they probably don't know where it is.

That's because this cluster of islands between the Bahamas and Hispaniola is one of the last in the British West Indies to be developed for tourism, but it's catching up fast, especially on its rapidly developing island of Providenciales (nicknamed "Provo").

Undeniably one of the most beautiful beaches in the world, Provo's Grace Bay had been a well-kept secret of those who found it while sailing, fishing, diving or otherwise bouncing around the islands. The striking shades of turquoise water and the sugar-white sand kept drawing folks back or persuading them to stay.

But the first car didn't arrive on Provo until 1967, followed a few years later by the first hotel. A handful of houses sprang up along the magnificent and pristine north-facing beach, but for years, the major activities were diving, fishing and drug smuggling.

Rapid growth

The country's eight islands and 40 small cays (pronounced "keys") were among smugglers' favorite waypoints between Colombia and the United States, just as they were hideouts for pirates of old.

With the 1980s came offshore banking, cable television, an international airport and the conviction of the country's chief minister on cocaine smuggling-related charges in the United States.

The 1990s saw gradual hotel development on Provo, mostly small, casual places that blended in with the low-slung native bush and invasive casuarina trees along Grace Bay. But the top blew off after the turn of the century — literally.

The local government repeatedly upped the three-story height limit until finally allowing construction of the just-opened Seven Stars Resort, aptly named for its three seven-story buildings that tower above the rest of the relatively flat island. Calling itself a "pearl" in "the Caribbean as it was meant to be," the massive resort ringed its roof with blue neon lights that would look more at home on Miami's South Beach.

That's not the way I thought the Caribbean was meant to be. Heck, the Turks and Caicos Islands aren't really in the Caribbean (the southern North Atlantic, to be precise). But Seven Stars certainly fits right in with the wall of multistory resort hotels and condominiums now on Grace Bay.

Provo's new upscale lodging, spas, casinos, restaurants and stores target the wealthy from all over the world, leaving only a handful of places on Grace Bay where rooms aren't at least $500 a night in low season. But it's considered the place to go for first-class accommodations, service, dining and a view that's even better than the Photoshop-enhanced pictures in travel magazines.

Every water sport you can imagine can be found on Grace Bay or not far away: diving, snorkeling, sailing, parasailing, kite surfing, kayaking, wake boarding, water skiing, whale watching and wind surfing.

If you're looking for something more affordable and less crowded, it's best to find a hotel away from Grace Bay, or you can rent a house or villa. There are many public accesses to Grace Bay beach, and several other nearly deserted beaches are just a short drive away.

"Beautiful by nature" is the country's slogan, and it certainly is. That beauty has drawn massive tourism and real estate investment, fueling one of the fastest-growing economies in the world. It's even more attractive because it has no taxes — so far. Currently, the government levies hefty duties on everything that comes into the country, making it as expensive to live there as it is to visit.

Cost of development

Most of Provo seems to be under construction or for sale these days. Contractors even set up temporary camps for Chinese and Filipino laborers brought "down island" to meet the demand for cheap legal labor. And thousands of illegal workers have risked the 100-mile journey by boat from Haiti to slip into the labor force.

Some residents and visitors are beginning to wonder how long the nearly pristine environment will last. The United Kingdom, which includes the Turks and Caicos as one of its overseas territories, says Provo's wetlands "have suffered severe environmental degradation, the result of rapid development for real estate and tourism, although areas of value remain through the protected area and national parks system. An even greater threat to the natural environment is posed by proposals for major developments on the uninhabited islands, prime habitats for unique species, such as rock iguana and the remaining breeding sites for turtles."

But the United Kingdom is taking a hands-off attitude on development and environmental matters, leaving that up to the elected government and the country's 30,000 residents. About one-third are native "belongers," descendants of slaves brought by Loyalists from the Carolinas and Georgia, and slaves brought from Bermuda and nearby island nations to work in the now-defunct salt trade. The other two-thirds are nonvoting expatriates, mostly from North America and Europe.

A group of water sports operators on Provo recently took legal action to stop construction of man-made Star Island on conch nursery grounds in a nature reserve in the Leeward Channel. They also think that silt stirred up while dredging sand to build Star Island and to provide mega-yacht access is damaging nearby reefs, mangroves and sea grass beds that are prime breeding grounds for conch, lobster and other marine life.

Parts of other once-untouched islands, parks and reserves are quickly being snapped up by developers for resorts, marinas, golf courses and ultra-exclusive homes. But the government maintains that it is fostering sustainable development and regularly hosts "green" conferences, including a visit by Al Gore last November.

Island way of life

Despite rapid growth, the country is still a great destination that is easy to get to and relatively safe. Expect friendly people, a slow island pace and plenty of gorgeous beaches. But it's not cheap.

If living the high life on Grace Bay isn't your bag, you can wander over to Blue Hills, where any of several tiny local restaurants will serve up fresh conch, lobster and fish at the water's edge. Over in Long Bay, you can ride horses on a quiet, uncrowded beach. Or for ultimate seclusion, visit West Harbour in the Pigeon Pond and Frenchman's Creek Nature Reserve, another target for development.

You can take a day trip on one of many charter boats to remote beaches and empty cays for lunch, snorkeling and beach walks. If you're a diver, you'll be in heaven with the wide choices of world-class reefs and crystal clear water.

Better yet, leave Provo altogether for a trip back in time. Take a $25, 20-minute ferry to North Caicos and rent a car. A recently opened causeway connects North and Middle Caicos, two large, sparsely developed islands where people still live the way they have for decades.

Lowcountry visitors will notice similarities between local sweetgrass baskets and those made by the women of Middle Caicos. If you can't make the trip, the Middle Caicos Co-op has a store in the Blue Hills area of Provo featuring indigenous handcrafts.

You can hop a quick flight to most other islands, including the country's capital of Grand Turk. It's just the opposite of modern Provo.

A walk or bike ride through Cockburn (pronounced Co-burn) Town takes you past Bermudian-influenced architecture from the 17th and 18th centuries when the Turks Islands were the center of the Bermudian salt trade.

Dive right in

Some of the country's best reefs featuring deep wall dives are just a few minutes from shore. The only thing really "touristy" about the island is the new cruise ship terminal and Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville.

Also considered a Turks Island, nearby Salt Cay is another divers' paradise with a similar low-key atmosphere, billing itself as "the island that time forgot." But time's almost up: A major five-star hotel and 18-hole golf course are on the way.

Dellis Cay and Ambergris Cay are private islands being developed for millionaires, perhaps topping even Parrot Cay, where Paul McCartney, Bruce Willis and Keith Richards have residences.

And formerly uninhabited West Caicos, which has great dive sites and whale-watching opportunities, is now home to a high-end Ritz-Carlton resort and marina.

If you can't find something you like in the Turks and Caicos Islands, you're just not looking — even motor sports fans. On Provo, you can race go-carts at the newly opened Fun World on Leeward Highway, or you can head out to Blue Hills to watch a real Indy car race.

The government announced in February that a new track is scheduled to be built in time for the Indy Racing League's opening race in February 2009.

Yes, these islands are truly on the fast track.

Turks & Caicos Information

AIRLINES: American, Delta, US Airways to Providenciales; Sky King and Air Turks & Caicos between islands and cays.

COMMUNICATIONS: Internet, telephone and GSM cellular service by Cable & Wireless, Digicel.

CURRENCY: U.S. dollars.

DINING: Good choice of excellent, expensive restaurants of every type.

DIVING: World-class, vibrant reefs, walls, wrecks, great visibility, good dive operators.

DRIVING: On the LEFT with a valid driver's license from your country.

HIKING: Crossing Place Trail on Middle Caicos takes you on a journey through history along pristine beaches.

LANGUAGE: English.

PASSPORT: Required.

TIME ZONE: Eastern Standard (including daylight saving time).

WATER: Pure and drinkable.

WEATHER: Usually perfect, 80s day and night with a constant cooling trade breeze. A little cooler in January and February, a little hotter in August and September.

LODGING PICKS

Affordably island

BLUE HORIZON RESORT: bhresort.com for seclusion in unspoiled beauty of Middle Caicos on historic Crossing Place Trail.

OSPREY BEACH HOTEL: ospreybeachhotel.com for water's edge rooms, pool and dining within minutes of world-class diving on reefs and walls off Grand Turk.

PELICAN BEACH HOTEL: pelicanbeach.tc for a basic island hotel with great home cookin' on a lonely beach on North Caicos.

SIBONNÉ BEACH HOTEL: sibonne.com for a small hotel and good restaurant right on Grace Bay.

All-inclusive

BEACHES: beaches.com/main/tc/tc-home.cfm for the Green Globe certified resort for the entire family.

CLUB MED: clubmed.com for the adult-only resort for singles and couples.

Pricey but perfect

AMANYARA: amanyaravillas.com for one of the world's top-notch Amanresorts hidden on the west coast of Providenciales.

GRACE BAY CLUB: gracebayclub.com for the first luxury all-suite hotel on Grace Bay and rated one of the best in the Caribbean.

MERIDIAN CLUB: pinecay.biz for the country's very first resort (1970s) that has changed very little over the years — spartan, no crowds, no cars, no television on the private island of Pine Cay.

PARROT CAY: parrotcay.como.bz for what claims to be "the world's most exclusive resort."

REGENT PALMS: www.regenthotels.com/thepalms for an elegant five-star hotel and 25,000-square-foot spa on Grace Bay.

Coming soon

MOLASSES REEF: molassesreef.com for a Ritz-Carlton resort and marina nearly opening late this year on once uninhabited West Caicos.

MANDARIN ORIENTAL: delliscay.com for 60 private villas, a small luxury hotel and 30,000-square-foot spa on the private, formerly uninhabited Dellis Cay.

Reach Richard Green Jr. at rgreen@postandcourier.com or 937-5544.