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enRoute’s Favourite HideawayS1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Itinerary | Home
PROVIDENCIALES, TURKS and CAICOS Decked out in a wetsuit and framed by a horizon of blue, I feel a sense of glamour normally reserved for action heroes. “Am I totally Charlie’s Angels?” I ask my friend Dave, stumbling under the weight of my oxygen tank. “Sure,” he responds. “But less Angel, more Charlie.” We’re moored off West Caicos, once the domain of a very different set of travellers: pirates. This is the former lair of Captain Jean Thomas Dulaien and the cutthroat crew of the Sans Pitié. But any treasures are now the dominion of manta rays, reef sharks and the bejewelled fish that sparkle even 12 metres under water. With the third largest reef in the world, the Turks and Caicos now draw not pirates but divers from all over. Dave, however, doesn’t count himself among these enthusiasts. Through his mask, his face has a slightly magnified expression of abject terror – like a man facing a walk down the plank. Later, safely back at one of the pavilions at the new Amanyara resort on Providenciales, we spend hours reclined on the sala – a supersize daybed between the infinity pool and the ocean. The three glass walls of our villa open to a private patio shielded by dense native shrubbery. The villa roof blends into the landscape. Surrounded by the North West Point Marine National Park’s 4,200 acres, nature has become a kind of outdoor living room. Our closest neighbour is a conch (pronounced “conk”), and he has dibs on the white sandy beach. Human neighbours are even more hermetic than the crustaceans. The villa fronts the jagged limestone-iron shoreline and the outcrops of coral that dot the waters beyond. It’s like having an aquarium at your doorstep. Each patch of coral has its own community of fish zipping around like frantic commuters, while small sea turtles hide out in craggy nooks amid violet coral fans and sponges. Several times a day, Dave and I slip on masks and fins and head to what I’ve come to think of as our own cove. (Because those who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones, I resist teasing him about snorkelling. And, it turns out, as long as he stays on the water’s surface, he looks fearless.) After a few days of this routine, we’re barely speaking. The normally ceaseless stream of repartee between us has devolved into what you might call islandese. “Good wind,” I remark about the steady breeze. Dave pauses and then grunts, “Good wind.” Which isn’t to say that we’re not communicating; it’s just that most of our interaction happens across a Scrabble board. From my spot on the sala, I proclaim imminent victory. “You are so going down.” This comes as a surprise to Dave – who was winning our week-long championship – and the lizard hanging out around our patio. My winning move is “outlays,” which gives me a 91-point advantage – and bragging rights that may even last as long as my memories of this place. 5 More Reasons to Visit the Turks and Caicos 1 Parrot Cay, cast away on its own 1,000-acre island, is home to a Como Shambhala Retreat. Seeking privacy, Eva Longoria and Tony Parker stayed here on their honeymoon. Be warned, though: With developments on neighbouring islands, it might not stay a hideaway for long. 2 Amanyara’s Gumbo Limbo cocktail is an intoxicating $18 blend of rum and pineapple juice. It also reminds you to reapply the sunscreen. (The gumbo limbo tree is known as the Tourist for its tendency to turn red and peel.) 3 The resident tennis pro at Amanyara gives a gruelling but rewarding workout on the court that hosted Roger Federer. 4 Rustic meets refined, thanks to a large supply of protected land and select upscale developments on the horizon that include a Ritz-Carlton and a Mandarin Oriental. 5 Not known for industry (other than tourism), it does have one local product we love: the effervescently refreshing Turk’s Head Beer. |
