Travelers Keep Falling in Love With These Caribbean Islands Famous for Luxury Hotels and White-Sand Beaches
The brilliant white sand. The food scene in Grace Bay (Cocovan, anyone?) The seafood at Da Conch Shack. The villas in Turtle Tail. The luxury hotels like Shore Club and Ambergris Cay. Wellness hotspots like Kokomo.
In the last half-decade, it’s been one of the most sought-after luxury destinations in the wider region: the Turks and Caicos Islands, the archipelago less than two hours from Miami.
And the growth just keeps coming, according to new data obtained by Caribbean Journal.
Turks and Caicos reported 734,308 air arrivals last year, a 10.66 percent increase over 2023 that was one of the strongest growth rates in the region.
That was accompanied by another 1.225 million cruise passengers, itself a 30.48 percent jump.
Tourism to the destination is on an “upward trajectory,” according to Tourism Minister Josephine Connolly, who said she hopes that the destination will perform even better in 2025.
Are you planning a vacation to Turks and Caicos right now? While Grace Bay remains the epicenter (and we love so many properties in the town, from the tremendous value Ports of Call (rooms from $409) to The Sands, a classic Caribbean beach hotel (rooms from $585), travelers are increasingly appreciating newer destinations, both within the main island of Providenciales and beyond.
In Provo, that means areas like Long Bay, the hottest development spot on the island, home to a spectacular, shallow, nylon-turquoise beach and seriously luxe resorts like The Shore Club (rooms from $2,059).
There’s also the Kokomo Botanical Resort ($467), the island’s hottest wellness resort, a lush, well-appointed residential resort with what just might be the best restaurant on the whole island.
But the story isn’t just Provo. The so-called Sister Islands like North Caicos and Middle Caicos are finding their way on travelers’ radar, particularly the adventure-focused Dragon Cay resort ($225, according to Google Hotels).
That’s along with lovely private island options like the all-inclusive, stunning Ambergris Cay, just a short hop away from Provo (the resort will take you there itself).
What about flights?
Air access is strong on most major carriers. On AA from Miami, you’re looking at roundtrips starting at $519.
From the New York area it’s actually cheaper, with rates at $296 on United and $301 on both JetBlue and Delta. (More options at Google Flights).
Alexander Britell is the founder and editor-in-chief of Caribbean Journal and one of the top experts on Caribbean travel worldwide, with decades of on-the-ground travel to the region and comprehensive knowledge of the entire Caribbean Basin.
