I am so late to publishing my Turks travel diary, but had a ton of questions about our Turks and Caicos trip! First things first, we stayed on Ambergris Cay. It’s a private island in the Caribbean. We did A TON of research, and spoke with people who had stayed here, and it sounded completely idyllic. Spoiler alert: it was!
Getting There
We flew from Grand Rapids to Atlanta, and from there into Providenciales International Airport (PLS). We purchased a Fast Track Pass to get though customs quicker. It was a tiny airport with a huge line, so this was amazing.
We then were driven by a contracted driver to a private airport, and flew on a tiny plane onto the airstrip at Amber Gris – this was INCLUDED in our stay. Dave and I were the only guests on our flight to the island, though an island employee also flew with us. On the way home, we had another couple who stayed in the island with us. The plane was LOUD, so conversation was hard, but the views were insane! The water was so blue, and we were low enough to see things in detail — very cool experience.
Arrival
Upon arrival, we were greeted with champagne and warm towels. We got a rundown of the island, met our amazing Butler, Clay, and got our golf cart.
Golf cart or walking are the only two ways to get around the island. Our Butler took us on a mini tour of the island/facilities and then eventually to our Bungalow. We were also given a phone, where we could communicate with our Butler with any requests. He went above and beyond. My husband got badly burned, and Clay brought over a stalk of fresh aloe for him!
Where we stayed
Ambergris is all-inclusive, and had a few housing options. Since it was just the 2 of us, we stayed in one of the one bedroom Beachfront Bungalows. They feature one big living space with a bed, and an insane bathroom with a huge shower and dual vanity. Our fridge was stocked with our favorite beverages, and there was a fruit and cheese tray waiting for us.
Our Bungalow was right on the beach, and extremely private (unless you count the family of chickens who hung around!!)
We had our own soaking pool and hammock, with outdoor seating and amazing sunset views.
Where we ate
Breakfast was served daily at the main restaurant, called Calico. We went toward the end of July, and most times were one of less than 5 tables. However, we were told a few weeks earlier, the entire resort was packed full! We loved the quiet, and zero wait time for food. There were more staff members on site than guests, and we never needed to wait for anything! While the main options on the menu stayed the same, some items rotated during our week there. They were also very accommodating with special requests.
Lunch was at the beach club (more about this later!) This menu was amazing — and so were the drinks. It was a little breezy, due to the location on the pointe.
Dinner was back at Calico, the main restaurant, closer to our Bungalow. We usually ate around 7, and loved the ambience of the lights. The servers were all so friendly, and we got to know several by name during our stay. Dinner every night was 10/10!!
One night, we did a private sunset dinner. This was awesome. They tracked us down earlier in the day to find out our menu and drink preferences, as well as music! This was definitely a highlight of our trip.
What we did
With the golf cart at our disposal, it was fun to just drive around and explore the island. It was so small, but i swear, every time we drove around the island, we discovered something new — even on our last morning there! The other side of the island had a few “hidden” beaches and pirate ruins!
While we spent a lot of our time on the beach, due to how hot it was, we really enjoyed lounging in the pool. Employees came through each morning to check on the pool and clean it out – which was awesome (and very appreciated).
The beach club had giant chess, paddle boards, kayaks, and so much more! It was free to use, too! My husband and I would go for lunch, and hang out for a few hours. They had lounge chairs and towels and water for guests, too!
The Beach Club is also the meeting spot for excursions. We did the Hangover Bar, which I HIGHLY recommend. It was us and 3 other couples. We boated to the pontoon boat/bar, and had a blast drinking and walking to the sandbar (since it was low tide). The group we were with was a lot of fun, and we actually opted to stick around at The Beach Club for lunch with them after. It was to see them around the island the rest of the week.
We also did a sunset cruise! This was another highlight. Again, the staff was super accommodating. Our Butler made sure we had our favorite drinks and some appetizers. We were then boated around the island, with an awesome sunset view!
Another highlight was our snorkel trip! We got to conch hunt, and the chef actually prepared them for our dinner that night. I’ve had conch before, and it was just ok. This was so fresh – we both could have eaten more!! Our captain and dive master were so fun too, we enjoyed an afternoon chatting and laughing with them between snorkel sites.
Another highlight was our couples massage. The massage tables overlooked the water, and at one point, our masseuses stopped to show us sharks that were swimming by!
Thoughts
Overall, it was the trip of a lifetime. I told my husband Ambergris has ruined me — because I will forever be comparing trips to this one! I would go back in a heartbeat!
xo -j
