|
Providenciales, more commonly known as "Provo", covers
an area of 38 miles and is the most developed island in Turks and Caicos. Provo has the largest non-native
population made up of Haitians, Dominicans, French, Canadians, Germans and Americans.
To the north of the island, near Sapodilla Bay, are the most beautiful beaches and a long coral reef, which is rich
in aquatic life. Towards the south of the island is the Chalk Sound, a large lake with striking turquoise water and
an array of small cays. This southern part faces the Caicos Bank, which is a shallow, pale turquoise sea and is
partly composed of swamp and tidal flats. The island's commercial port, South Dock, is found east of Sapodilla Bay
and has the capability to deal with containerized goods. The two main and oldest settlements on the island are Bight
and Blue Hills, and are built around fresh water supplies.
Familiarly known as "Provo," the island remains a superior vacation destination for travelers, who escape their busy
schedules and wish to relax. There are several interesting places to visit upon the island like the Chesire Hall and
Richmond Hill Plantation ruins, stones engraved by shipwrecked sailors on the hill overlooking Sapodilla Bay, and
the "Hole" at Long Bay, which is a deep and wide limestone chimney with a mysterious depth of salt water at the
bottom. Provo is also home to the only Conch farm in the world. These mollusks with their beautiful pink shells take
five years to grow to their adult size. The Tiki Hut village at Northwest Point is another interesting sight, where
these huts were built for a French gameshow and they dot the landscape at Sam's Beach.
Provo has a golf club, a casino, shopping centres, two marinas, a number of bars and excellent hotels & restaurants.
Provo is also a divers' and water lovers' paradise. Beautiful beaches are scattered all over the island, the most
spectacular of which is a 12 mile stretch, located on Grace Bay, which is protected by a healthy barrier reef. The
Sapodilla Bay is a perfect location for yachting. Providenciales not only boasts some of the world's most
spectacular beaches, but it's home to one of the best golf courses in the Caribbean.
Grace Bay Club
Nestled above the dunes of the Grace Bay on the island of Providenciales in the Turks and Caicos Islands is the
Grace Bay Club. Intimate, elegant and surrounded by natural wonders, the Grace Bay Club is a secluded luxurious
escape for travelers.
Within the resort's golden-hued, Spanish-style walls, every living room has a terrace overlooking crystal clear
turquoise waters and the beach of Grace Bay as white and soft as powdered sugar, recently acclaimed as one of the
world most beautiful beach. Inside the spacious suites, Spanish tiles, rich woods, textured fabrics, stone, glass
and decorative pottery make the Grace Bay Club a luxurious vacation.
At the open-air "Anacaona" restaurant, tables are uncluttered under open-air circular thatched roof, "palapas"
overlooking the sea. In the evenings, the romantic ambience is beautified by flickering candle lights and tiki
torches, enhanced on some evenings by live music from the local band "Tropical Souls" inviting to dance under the
stars. Chef Franck from southern France cooks a light and healthy Mediterranean cuisine with that special Caribbean
touch for freshest seafood, delicate sauces, seasonal fruits and vegetables with intriguing spices.
The weather is perfect for both summer and winter at the Grace Bay Club because of the Caribbean's refreshing trade
winds. Swimming and sunning, snorkeling and scuba diving, sailing and surfing, deep-sea fishing are few of the great
pleasures of a Grace Bay Club vacation. Soft surface tennis courts with complimentary rackets and balls, lit for
night play under the clear Caribbean sky, the new Serenity Spa, on the second floor of the club-house offering
professional beauty, health and massage services and an 18 hole championship golf course are the services offered on
land. Things to See & Do There
is a variety of things to see and do on the islands from marine adventures to cultural and heritage tours. Guided
tours are easy to organize and chartered trips are available from all tour operators.
Wades Green Plantation
This former cotton plantation is a must see for all visitors. Located on North Caicos, it has important ties with
Cheshire Hall. The plantation has a tumultuous history dating back to slavery and the American Revolution. Wade
Stubbs, a loyalist from Florida, fled America and located to the Bahamas, a British colony at the time. The
government compensated him for losses in Florida with a plantation on North Caicos. The plantation ruins feature
restored versions of the Grand House, the overseer’s house, the slave cabins, the kitchens and the surrounding
walls. A tower provides views of the entire plantation. Cheshire Hall
This is one of the key historical locations on Providenciales or Provo located against the city’s modern backdrop.
It was a cotton plantation and home to Thomas Stubbs, the brother of Wade Stubbs. Thomas’s fortunes were not as
prosperous as those of his brother’s and he sold the plantation to Wade in 1810. The plantation survived for 30
years but was gradually destroyed by soil exhaustion, drought, weevils and the 1812 hurricane.
The Lighthouse
Constructed in 1852, the lighthouse was brought over the UK in pieces and then reconstructed on its present site at
the northern tip of Grand Turk. The site provides some shade and is a popular picnic area with excellent viewing
points for whale watching. The lighthouse also overlooks North Creek, an inland body of water that is believed to be
the closest fit to the description provided by Columbus in 1492.
The Hole
Strictly for adventurous souls, the 40 foot hole is naturally formed massive limestone. It is located in Long Bay in
Provo and can be accessed by rope descending 80 feet down to a swimming hole.
Conch Farm
This is the only conch farm in the world where Caribbean Queen conchs are raised from veliger to adult. Here you can
watch how the process is done, enjoy a show with two trained conchs and purchase fresh conch for a fabulous conch
salad.
Click here to
view Property for sale at Grace Bay |
Home
- Site Map -
Contact us
