800 acres of SHEER BLISS
No cars. No dress code... the Caribbean’s Pine Cay is all about laid-back luxury and marvelling at families of frolicking dolphins
LOOK, dolphins,’ I whisper to my husband Chris, pointing excitedly at a newly created wave more than 50 yards from our spot on the shore. We’d been wondering why dozens of colourful fish had suddenly darted beneath the rocks we’re standing on.
Two turtles floating lazily nearby moments earlier had also disappeared.
It’s barely 6.30am but nature has already put on quite a show here at The Aquarium – a lagoon-like bay on Pine Cay in the heart of Turks and Caicos. The rising sun has turned the horizon a glorious shade of orange, and aside from the wind and waves the world is silent.
Pine Cay is a secluded private island, one of about 40 that make up Turks and Caicos. The tropical archipelago south of the Bahamas can now be reached on direct flights from the UK to its Providenciales airport.
At a little less than a mile wide and two miles long – encompassing about 800 acres – even regular travellers to the Caribbean would struggle to point it out on a map.
There are fewer than 40 private homes on Pine Cay and just one recently revamped resort with 12 rooms – fondly referred to by residents as The Club.
The atmosphere is friendly and relaxed. A welcome board greets the day’s arrivals by name and bids a sad farewell to those leaving. There is no dress code, with bare feet encouraged. And at 6pm every evening, homeowners and visitors alike gather together at the beachfront tiki bar to toast the sunset with a cocktail or three.
WE ARRIVE on our first evening to a lively discussion about the island’s famous green flash – a blink-and-you-miss-it phenomenon seen occasionally at sunset – with photos passed around as proof that it exists.
Cars are not permitted. Instead, visitors trundle around the rocky tracks in electric golf buggies. Single-use plastic is also out, with reusable water bottles provided in each room.
The rooms are bright and airy – whitewashed walls, a splash of sea-blue decor and light wood furniture. There is also a private porch overlooking the ocean with an alfresco shower. Closer to the sea, there are beach tiki huts with sunloungers assigned to each room. From there, you have two miles of pristine white sand to enjoy. For the energetic, there’s a host of gentle watersports. You need only go to the front desk and ask for Sherwyn, who has lived on the island for nearly two decades and knows it better than anyone.
Soon we’re off kayaking around The Aquarium and surrounding mangroves, where a stingray sweeps past our boats and we spy cranes. Next up is paddle-boarding and a sailing outing – all the while on the lookout for the family of dolphins that patrol the island: JoJo, his girlfriend and a playful baby who likes to roll over so swimmers can pet him.
Given the island’s location on the edge of the world’s third-largest barrier reef, snorkelling is also a must. And we spend hours scavenging the shores for the star-stamped shells called sand dollars, which we are assured bring good luck.
Perhaps the best moment is the glow worm cruise at dusk. This 15-minute underwater light display – which is actually a vicious mating ritual – can be seen only in a handful of places on the planet. With the stars above and a rum punch in hand, the experience is other-worldly. But it occurs only once a month, five nights after the full moon, so you need to time your visit carefully.
All meals are served outdoors by the freshwater pool (there is no swimming during meal times). A highlight is Caribbean night, with spicy conch fritters, croaker fillet in a pumpkin sauce and grilled pineapple. Staff are attentive but not intrusive. And nothing is too much trouble, be it a candle-lit dinner on the beachfront, a picnic lunch on a secluded beach or a pampering at the on-site spa.
With no busy towns to visit and little in the way of entertainment – aside from an outdoor projector screen near the airstrip if you fancy a movie night – we spend the evenings stretched out on deckchairs, sipping bottles of our favourite local lager I-Soon Reach and watching the sky for shooting stars.
Cazenove+Loyd offers an eight-night trip to Pine Cay from £9,380pp with all meals and flights included. Also includes access to the fitness centre, tennis courts, bicycles, nonmotorised watersports, daily afternoon tea and daily snorkelling trips (cazloyd.com).