After months of deadlines, demands and digital noise, I needed more than a break. I needed a total system reboot. I needed The Turks & Caicos Islands.
This is not a typical wellness retreat – all too often a rigid pursuit of detox or discipline. It’s landing in a place that can gently guide you back to your centre. The Turks and Caicos Islands sit like scattered pearls in the Lucayan Archipelago, a chain of some forty islands and cays, only a handful of them inhabited.
The third-largest British Overseas Territory by population, Turks and Caicos might surprise you because of how personal it feels. There’s a warmth here that extends beyond hospitality. The islanders greet you not like tourists, but like returning cousins. There’s a pride in their stories and a fierce, generous spirit that wraps around you like tropical air.
The Palms: A Sanctuary of Restoration
After an effortless flight from London to Nassau, followed by a short hop to Providenciales, we arrived ready to surrender ourselves to the pace of island time.
Providenciale, or “Provo”, is the largest island in the Turks and Caicos chain, yet it’s still only 80 square kilometres. What it lacks in scale, it makes up for in stillness, beauty and clarity. We checked into The Palms, an elegant and serene resort nestled along Grace Bay Beach, where the sand is so white it shimmers and the sea rolls in like turquoise silk.
At the Thursday night Fish Fry at Grace Bay Village, the concept of wellbeing takes on a different tone: joy as medicine, connection as nourishment. The air is thick with the scent of just-caught fish sizzling on charcoal grills, and bowls of fresh conch salad, citrusy and bright, are handed out with pride. As the night deepens, the spirit of the islands is heralded by the unmistakable beat of a Junkanoo band. Dressed in wild colours and drumming like their lives depend on it, they pull locals and visitors alike into the swell of rhythm. Everyone dances.
The following morning brought a hunger for stillness. Behind soft palms, The Palm Spa opens like a secret garden dedicated to calm. Linen billows in the breeze. With 17 treatment rooms, the spa blends local wisdom with ancient Indian philosophies and works closely with Ayurvedic doctors to introduce more naturopathic programmes. Their product range includes Ling, a holistic celebrity-favoured facial line, Meadow and Bark, and Wild Flowers, a local wellbeing company harnessing island-grown ingredients. We surrendered to tailored treatments that left our muscles relaxed, skin glowing and our minds curiously still.
South Caicos & Salterra: Immersion in Nature
A short flight delivered us to South Caicos, the original fishing capital of the islands. With just 2,000 residents and – charmingly – just two policemen, it feels untouched and profoundly safe.
If Providenciales is the pulse of the Turks & Caicos Islands, South Caicos is the pause. The serenity here feels almost surreal: no rush, no tension, no intrusion. The air carries the scent of salt and conch shells, and the soundtrack is mostly wind and water. Donkeys roam freely while flamingos gather in flocks, feasting on rare algae that thrive in the saline shallows. It’s a delicate ecosystem that feels untouched and sacred.
We stayed at the newly opened Salterra, part of Marriott’s Luxury Collection. One of only two resorts on the entire island, the vision of owner Michael Tibbetts is poetic yet precise: to root the property in the land’s narrative, not overwrite it. The result is a masterclass in conscious luxury. Salterra doesn’t just reflect the beauty of South Caicos; it extends it. From spa treatments informed by salt and sea to a visual design language drawn from coral tones and native woods, it’s a space that invites not performance but presence.
At the heart of Salterra’s ethos is the inspiring duo of Joey and Anna, who head up the first-ever Adventure Centre across the entire Marriott portfolio. With a dedicated team, they offer everything from reef snorkelling and scuba diving to fishing expeditions on a catch-and-release basis, airboat safaris, kite surfing and paddle excursions to Northern Cay. This is more than positive tourism; it’s ecological storytelling in motion. The team is involved in conservation initiatives like Sustainable Soujourns and with partnership organisations such as The Turks & Caicos Reef Fund, The School for Field Studies, and The Reef Institute in Florida, pioneering efforts in coral micro-fragmenting, turtle monitoring and whale research.
A moment of pure magic for me: standing in Starfish Alley, waist deep in turquoise waters palm open as a Red Cushion Sea Star, potentially 40 years old, explored my skin with delicate suctioned limbs. A starfish cuddle. 
Wellness at Salterra is woven into the fabric of every stay. Dedicated Pilates and yoga classes are led by Vishnu, an Ayurvedic-trained practitioner who shared insights into my dosha type before expertly leading us through an intense sunrise yoga session outdoors, moving in harmony with the island’s waking breath. The Salterra Spa, shaped by the archipelago’s Bahamian roots, offers guests a full menu of body and facial treatments thoughtfully curated, with many incorporating the island’s local salts incorporated into rituals via scrubs, salt caves or mineral soaks. Every granular detail has been artfully considered letting you carry your serenity as casually as you carry your sunhat.
Salterra and its remarkable team don’t just show you the island, they immerse you in its rhythm, with a vision for conscious luxury that is deliberate, thoughtful and rooted in integrity.
COMO Parrot Cay: Barefoot Elegance
From Providenciales, we set off to the iconic COMO Parrot Cay, via a private boat lounge and pontoon. The short 20-minute transfer felt like slipping into another world, a quiet passage from one island sanctuary to the next. COMO Parrot Cay is nestled amid the crystal-clear waters of Little Cay, Big Water Cay, and Great Water Cay; natural water parks that create a private sanctuary like no other. Legend has it that the island was once known as Pirate Cay, a name earned through its turbulent past. Evidence remains in the form of submerged cannons, silent sentinels that once protected the waters from marauding pirates.
Today, the renamed Parrot Cay is better known as the coveted retreat of A-list icons. Donna Karan, Christie Brinkley, Bruce Willis and Keith Richards (among others) are drawn to its seclusion and sophistication. Part of the globally renowned COMO Group, founded and led by Singaporean visionary Christina Ong, the resort embodies a philosophy deeply rooted in the art of living well, where luxury and wellbeing merge effortlessly with the island’s pristine environment.
Before we even set foot on the island, we received a magical VIP welcome from Jojo the Dolphin, a local celebrity who delights COMO Parrot Cay guests with his cheeky antics, chasing the boat and playing in its wake. We were then warmly met by the attentive team and whisked along pathways dappled with bougainvillaea trees by our butler, Restu. Our destination was a stunning 2-bedroom beachfront villa, complete with a private pool and an exclusive stretch of pristine white sand. Inside, the interiors struck a perfect blend between vintage Caribbean charm and Maldivian vibe, with a magnificent four-poster bed draped in delicate nets and dressed with the crispest cotton linens.
The 1000-acre resort offers just 50 hotel-style rooms, each with a private terrace or balcony, alongside 15 private houses ranging from one to three bedrooms that are scattered across this exquisite island, ensuring an intimate and exclusive experience for every guest. Wellness is seamlessly integrated into every stay, with a dedicated Pilates and yoga studio, a fully equipped gym, and the signature COMO Shambhala Spa.
The COMO Signature Relaxing Spa treatment was expertly delivered by an exceptional Thai therapist whose use of hot towels and intuitive touch gently unravelled the remaining knots left by travel. The spa’s panoramic views stretch across the channel to North Caicos and beyond, offering a breathtaking connection to this untouched, raw landscape.
Sustainability and connection to the land are also key here, with coconut and banana plantations and a thriving vegetable garden that supplies the island’s kitchens. Whilst the logistics are challenging, there are clear efforts to leave a lighter footprint on the earth, from recycling food waste, glass and aluminium to the creation of an NGO that supports local marine conservation programmes, including tagging the critically endangered white tip sharks.
For active adventurers, kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding and tennis lessons from a pro are on offer. When the day winds down, guests can snuggle up in the resort’s beautiful cinema, enjoying movie nights on sumptuous sofas. For me, the standout experience was a kayaking trip across a narrow channel to the mangroves of North Caicos, a serene journey where turtles, stingrays, snapper, jellyfish and conch can all be spotted in their natural habitat.
COMO Parrot Cay strikes the perfect balance between manicured luxury and effortless freedom. While drenched in puntouched nature, the attentive butler service and intuitive virtual concierge add the ultimate personal touch, making every guest feel as though they have their very own private island.
Ambergris Cay: The Ultimate Private Island
Our final stop was the four-bedroom Aurora Villa on Ambergris Cay; an off-the-beaten-track private island that is the epitome of a stealth wealth location.
At just 1100 acres and inhabited by over 10,000 iguanas, Ambergris Cay was originally developed as a private villa community. It evolved in 2019 under the guidance of Lord Ashcroft into a full ultra-luxury all-inclusive resort, yet it retains the intimacy and privacy of its roots. Each villa comes with your private butler, and with only 122 guests at maximum occupancy and a resort staff of over 150, you are assured of the utmost personal service.
This island nods to its showpiece annual whale migration event with its whaletail monogram subtly woven into the fabric of the resort. Owners and guests flock to Ambergris to witness this spectacular event in mid January to mid-April.
Dining at the stunning Calico restaurant was a delight with a fresh signature salad topped with freshly caught grouper, washed down with Whispering Angel. Whilst lunch was a more relaxed meal, at The Club House that offered a wonderfully healthy selection. Wellbeing treatments are offered at Elevate Spa and there is a fully equipped gym and yoga pavilion overlooking the Atlantic, and boasting the most magnificent panoramic views.
Whilst our short stay didn’t allow us to experience it all, there are so many wonderful highlights to this resort island if you can tear yourself away from your beautiful cocoon of your villa. Dark sky stargazing, visits to the floating Tiki Bar, snorkeling, spa treatments, unforgettable sunset boat trips, bone fishing in the crystal clear inlet waters of the islands or private bonfire suppers, mixology masterclasses and chefs’ table suppers… the list goes on and on, in a place ideal for those seeking a place to disappear and reconnect with nature.
The Gentle Gear Shift
Travelling in the fast lane of life can feel like positive progress, and it can be hard to navigate to a slower lane. But this quick handbrake turn to Turks & Caicos was the perfect gear shift for me.
While I’ll miss the turquoise waters, warm sunshine, and radiant smiles, I’ll take a piece of this place with me to remind me each day to slow down, breathe and simply be. I have a renewed belief that well-being isn’t a luxury. It’s a way of being – and one I’m committed to carrying with me.
How to Get There
Fly from London Heathrow to Nassau, Bahamas with British Airways, then connect with a short one-hour flight to Providenciales International Airport (PLS).
Private and inter-island charters are also available to South Caicos and other outlying islands.
Best Time to Visit
For whale watching and cooler breezes, travel from November to April. For fewer crowds and warm waters, May to October still offers idyllic conditions.
Top Spots
- Top Spas: The Palms Spa, COMO Shambhala, Salterra Wellness Centre
- Exclusive Villas: Ambergris Cay, COMO Parrot Cay, Wymara Villas
- Nature & Conservation: Salterra Adventure Centre,
- Culinary treats
○ Fish Fry for pure authenticity
○ Land & Sea at Wymara Villas for sunset dining
○ Su Rein at The Shore Club a rare fusion of Peruvian and Japanese delicacies
Currency: USD
Language: English
Getting around: Taxis
