Travel From CLT: The Strand in Turks & Caicos

You pass through The Strand’s security gate and pull up to an open-air reception where you’re greeted, White Lotus-style, by friendly staff with a cold towel and a drink. I could get used to this, you think. And you will, for as long as you’re here.

The Strand opened in November on Providenciales, or “Provo,” as the locals call it. Provo’s the third-largest of the 40 islands, eight inhabited, that make up the British Overseas Territory of the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI), about 400 miles southeast of the Bahamas. TCI, and Provo in particular, is also a favorite destination for celebrities: the Kardashians, Drake, DJ Khaled, Oprah, and Keith Richards are all regular visitors, and the driveway to the late Prince’s villa is still painted a rich purple.

It’s not difficult to see the appeal for folks who can afford to vacation anywhere. Turks and Caicos offers the pristine waters and Caribbean culture that draws hordes of visitors to its neighboring Bahamas. But it follows a strategy for developing tourism in areas with low population density, which provides visitors with a feeling of seclusion and exclusivity as it respects locals’ privacy. Its white-sand beaches are considered some of the best in the world. It’s home to the third-largest barrier reef and regularly listed as a top destination for diving, snorkeling, and fishing. (In 2017, Scuba Diving Magazine named it No. 2 in the world for diving with large sea life like stingrays, hawksbill sea turtles, grouper, Caribbean reef sharks, and even humpback whales.) There are also plentiful opportunities for water sports, like Jet Skiing, kayaking, kiteboarding, parasailing, paddleboarding, and surfing. TCI has one of the Caribbean’s largest above-ground cave systems, and Provo has an award-winning golf course. Its location makes TCI far less prone to hurricanes and other inclement weather than the Bahamas, and it has one of the lowest crime rates in the Caribbean.

Provo is a three-hour direct flight from Charlotte, and The Strand is only a 15-minute drive from Providenciales International Airport. (Take a taxi or ask The Strand to send a private car.) From the time you enter The Strand’s gates, you’ll be treated like a celebrity. Bask in it. Sip coladas on the resort’s 2,230-square-foot secluded beach. Swim in the remarkably calm, clear, and quiet Cooper Jack Bay and the heated infinity pool that overlooks it. Let the staff cater to your every whim. Post Instagram photos of your suite that looks straight out of Architectural Digest with its limestone walls and floors, natural woodwork, and fine-linen furniture.

Strand Suite Ground Floor Living Room And Pool, Courtesy

STAY

The resort offers a mix of rentable suites and villas and privately owned vacation homes. Suites and villas come with one, two, or three king bedrooms, and each is equipped with an oceanfront view; a kitchen or wet bar; a Nespresso machine; outdoor lounge seating; and two walls of floor-to-ceiling doors between the indoor and outdoor living spaces that slide open to merge them. Patios come with some combination of wading pools, showers, tubs, and TVs. Larger families or groups can combine multiple adjoining villas or suites. Rates for a one-bedroom suite begin at $880 per night with a three-night minimum.

The DelMar Restaurant & Bar serves wood-fired pizzas, cocktails, and fresh seafood. Courtesy

EAT 

Open all day, The Strand’s on-site restaurant, The DelMar Restaurant & Beach Club, uses fruits and vegetables from the resort’s garden and trees and serves fresh seafood caught by The Strand’s own Captain JD. (If you take The Strand’s boat out or want to fish yourself, Captain JD’s your guy for that, too. And he’s got personality for days.) Start your day with a fresh-fruit smoothie or Rancheros Eggs. The wood-fired pizzas—with crusts you’d be content to eat plain—taste especially delightful poolside with cocktails. Dinner highlights include Captain JD’s Catch of the Day; Grilled Spanish Octopus with paprika, gremolata, olive oil, and lemon; and the Freekah Salad, with local cucumbers, pomegranate, roasted pistachios, and lemon oil. The DelMar also has an extensive and varied wine menu compiled by The Strand’s level-3 sommelier, Kofi Broughton.

The Strand offers several options for staying in: par-baked dishes to pop in the oven yourself; prepared food brought in and plated for you; or a private-chef service.

The island’s Fish Fry, held every Thursday from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. in Provo’s Bight Park, is a favorite experience for locals and tourists alike. Sample local dishes and drinks alongside live music and craft vendors. 

For a dramatic dinner experience off-resort, visit Coco Bistro, set in the largest palm grove on the island, or Cave Bar, chiseled into natural rock walls overlooking Sunset Beach. If you prefer homey island cuisine and chill hangs, hit up Omar’s Beach Hut, Hideaway Grill and Chill, or Mary’s Kitchen.

Omar’s Beach Hut offers laid-back dining with a view. Courtesy Visittci.com

DRINK

You won’t be hurting for fun bevvies in Turks and Caicos. Turk’s Head Brewery is just two miles from both The Strand and Providenciales International Airport. Don’t go because it’s Turks and Caicos’ only brewery—go because the beer is excellent (even by the high Charlotte standards). You can get a flight and brewery tour for just $15. The brewery also distills spirits, including coconut rum and Caicos Cream, made from golden-aged whiskey, fresh cream, and organic cacao. (Note: You do have to ring a bell to pass through a security gate to get inside. Don’t let it deter you.)

Turks and Caicos also has two floating bars: Noah’s Ark Beach Club and Captain Oak’s Floating Tiki Bar. Both are just a short and gorgeous boat ride from Provo, and The Strand will happily chauffer you on theirs. Noah’s Ark is for the party animals; play on deck or the water trampolines, slides, and swings beside it. Captain Oak’s, named last year by AFAR as one of the top seven floating bars in the world, is far more laid-back and surrounded by the island’s trademark shallow, clear waters.

Go eFoiling at The Strand, Courtesy Visittci.com

PLAY

The Strand offers plenty of activities, including: the beach; pool; boat tours; paddleboarding; kayaking; bonefishing; deep-sea fishing; sailing; eFoiling; kiteboarding; tennis; pickleball; cooking classes; and wine tastings. The Strand also has a kids club and babysitters available, and it plans to open a full-service spa in early 2026. The activities manager, JP Nazira, has so much positive energy that he may just convince you to get up early for sunrise beach yoga. (For some of us, that’s saying a lot.) Something else you desire that isn’t on the resort’s activity list? Just ask JP or Hospitality Manager Jenny Hannenberg-Feig. The Strand also has drivers and tour guides—and, of course, Captain JD—ready for any time you want to adventure off-resort by road or sea.

Courtesy

Eco-Resort

The Strand is so luxurious, you’d probably never guess that it’s also one of the most sustainable resorts in the Caribbean. Some of its green features: 

• Seventy-five percent of The Strand’s power comes from solar.
• The resort does not use single-use plastics.
• It’s the first designated pollinator sanctuary for bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and dragonflies in the Caribbean.
• It uses native landscaping and rainwater and gray water systems.
• The light-colored stone-and-plaster walls and floors throughout the resort have low heat conductivity to conserve energy.