Categories
Turks Caicos Information

Quench Your Summer Thirst With Our Famous Turks & Caicos Rum Punch Recipe

Our award-winning Hemingway’s beachfront restaurant has been serving up a delicious Rum Punch cocktail since the restaurant first opened – and after receiving several requests for this coveted recipe, we have decided to share it with our blog readers. Not only is this drink the perfect way to cool off after soaking up the sun all day on Grace Bay Beach or beside one of our three swimming pools, but it’s also a delicious and easy summer cocktail recipe that is perfect for summer parties! This recipe is such a hit here on the island that we serve it to our guests at our own very Tuesday Manager’s Cocktail party and even as a special “welcome to Turks & Caicos” check-in cocktail when you first arrive at The Sands at Grace Bay.

Hemingway’s Beachfront Restaurant “RUM PUNCH” Recipe:

1 oz Bambarra Coconut Rum (a local Turks & Caicos Island rum)

1 oz Bambarra Dark Rum

3 oz Orange Juice

3 oz Pineapple Juice

1 oz Grenadine

Float with Myers dark rum

Finish with a cherry/pineapple garnish and ENJOY!  Whether you’re on our beautiful beach or hosting a party at home with your family and friends – this tropical drink recipe is sure to please all!

Categories
Things To Do In The Caribbean Turks Caicos Information

Visit the caves of Middle Caicos

Grace Bay in the Turks and Caicos (TCI) is on a bit of a roll these days – it’s been introduced as one of the world’s top 10 beaches, and the island of Providenciales has been celebrated one of the world’s top honeymoon retreats.

With all this interest, you would think TCI would be a bustling place, but not a long way away to the east of Provo and Grace Bay can be found the most quiet island of Middle Caicos, home to the lowest number of inhabitants in the islands (only 300 full-timers).

If you have the time and cash to charter a boat or fly on an airplane, it’s practical explore some pretty remote landscape on Middle Caicos. The chief allure of the cay are some of the most amazing caves and caverns in the Caribbean.

Generated by the erosion of limestone, the Conch Bar Caves are the greatest above-ground caves in the Turks and Caicos, as well as the nearby Bahamas.

Closeby are the Village Caves, which seem to have been used by by humans since prehistoric times. Limestone outcroppings similar to furniture add to the illusion of human habitation, and water fed by massive underground lakes must have made these subterranean areas an fantastic place to dwell.

The caves themselves were revealed in the last century by guano excavators, and probably had not been seen by human eyes in some time.

It’s thought the grottoes were originally utilized by the Lucayans, the former inhabitants of the Bahamas archipelago (which includes TCI) who were made use of by the Spanish as slaves and died out by around 1520.

Various Lucayan cultural items have been uncovered in the caves, such as intricate “duho” wooden stools, and other remnants that have been unearthed in the caves suggest that Middle Caicos has been a hub of indigenous custom for millennia.

It seems more than likely that the caves on the cay were in use commonly for worship by indigenous folk, and quite possibly as refuge during windstorms. With the arrival ofwhite colonization, native people of Middle Caicos escaped from the shoreline, discovering refuge in the caves, and started to to live in them perpetually.

It makes for an excellent daytrip from Provo!

Categories
Announcements

Update for Travelers to the Turks and Caicos

Regarding the gastrointestinal illness that was detected in Providenciales in May: all resorts are open and operating normally as well as all tourism related businesses.

Reports of the illness have dramatically decreased since it was first reported in May, and there been no new reports of symptoms experienced by travelers on the island since June 10th, 2012 (as reported by Travel Weekly on June 11, 2012).

All local businesses and hotels have implemented precautionary safety procedures and sanitization measures to ensure the continued safety and health of guests and travelers. These sanitization measures are being overseen by the highly experienced Environmental Health Officers from Caribbean Epidemiology Center and the Pan American Health Organization.

We want to assure you that The Sands at Grace Bay Resort and Hemingway’s beachfront Restaurant remain open for business to the public and to travelers.

Vacationers are currently enjoying their trips in Providenciales and their time spent at the resort. As a precautionary measure, we are continuing to regularly sanitize all guest rooms, public areas and the restaurant to ensure the continued safety and health of our guests and staff.

About the Sands at Grace Bay

The Sands at Grace Bay is situated on the world-renowned 12-mile crescent of powdery white sand known as Grace Bay Beach – voted the #1 Beach Destination In The World by Trip Advisor’s 2011 ‘Traveler’s Choice’ Awards. This gracious, family-friendly 114-room resort located on six oceanfront acres offers accommodations in studios and 1-, 2- and 3-bedroom suites ranging from 1,000 to 1,600 square feet, all of which combine comfort-focused amenities and spectacular natural surroundings. Suites also come with fully equipped kitchens appointed with stainless appliances, granite countertops, coffee makers and more. The Sands at Grace Bay is the home of Hemingway’s Restaurant and Bar – a legendary beach-side venue and local favorite – where guests can enjoy gourmet selections and island specialties seven days a week. Spa treatments by Spa Tropique are also available by appointment.

For reservations, call toll-free from the U.S. (877) 777-2637; from Canada (800) 567-5327; online at www.thesandstc.flywheelstaging.com or contact your travel agent.

Media Contact

Cassie Dittrich
O: (802) 522-0714
Categories
Turks Caicos Information

Tips For Having Even More Summer Fun in Turks & Caicos

Go Horseback Riding On A Secluded Beach and In The Ocean with Provo Ponies!

Have you ever dreamed of horseback riding on a pristine white beach and in the crystal clear, turquoise waters surrounding the Turks & Caicos islands? We recommend guests staying at our Turks & Caicos resort to consider a fun and memorable horseback riding excursion with Provo Ponies – located on the southeast end of Providenciales. Provo Ponies allows travelers to experience charming horseback rides along a four-miles secluded stretch of Long Bay Beach, and offers small group guided horseback riding tours as well as private rides that are ideal for beginners to advanced riders.

You’ll have the chance to leisurely ride a horse along quiet paths and on the pristine white sands of Long Bay Beach, and riders even take the horses into the turquoise shallow ocean waters – for a truly unique and unforgettable experience!

Provo Ponies offers two guided horseback rides during the weekdays – Monday through Friday. The morning ride is at 9:30am, and the afternoon ride at 4:00pm during the summer. They accept experience levels from 6 years old and up – and private horseback rides are available for an additional fee.  For more information or to make reservations online, visit https://www.provoponies.com/.

 

 

Categories
Announcements Turks Caicos Information

Our Turks & Caicos luxury resort featured in leading Aus newspaper!

sands at grace bay

The Australian, a leading newspaper in that country with several million subscribers, has more than a few nice things to say about The Sands at Grace Bay and Grace Bay Beach itself.

In its article Word’s out about the world’s best beach, the Australian newspaper explains that  Grace Bay beach has been ranked by Trip Advisor as the #1 beach destination in the world.

Award winners were determined based on the most highly rated beach destinations by travelers in TripAdvisor reviews. Unlike any other awards or rankings, TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice winners are based on millions of reviews from travelers around the world, and TripAdvisor manages a variety of websites that make up the largest travel community in the world, with, according to the company, more than 50 million unique monthly visitors, and over 60 million reviews.

The Australian article actually features an interview with staff at the Sands at Grace Bay, who notes that the Turks and Caicos are still off the radar for many people – although  the islands are slowly growing in popularity.

The article mentions snorkeling just offshore on Grace Bay beach, as well as, for the more adventurous, scuba expeditions to the “Wall” offshore, the barrier reef that protects the islands and is home to more and bigger species of marine life, including whales, dolphins and sting rays.

Sunsets seem to be a favorite of the writer who visited us here in TCI:

The sheer beauty of the place is what makes it so special, especially at sunset. Time to sit under a coconut palm and order cocktails, as a red sun sets over the water.

As Caribbean torches and kerosene lanterns are lit at restaurant tables along the beach, all you can hear is the sound of the waves.

“People often compare us to other Caribbean places, but I always say the beach here is so much better,” says an employee at the Sand at Grace Bay.

We couldn’t agree more.

Categories
Announcements

The Sands at Grace Bay Remains Open

Due to the reports of gastrointestinal illness that have caused the temporary closure of two resorts in Providenciales, The Sands at Grace Bay along with many other resorts have implemented resort-wide safety procedures to ensure the continued safety and health of guests and staff. The Sands at Grace Bay is regularly sanitizing all guest rooms, public areas and the restaurant with bleach and disinfectants as a precautionary measure.

The Sands at Grace Bay Resort and Hemingway’s Beachfront Restaurant continue to remain open and safe to the public and to travelers.

We are monitoring this situation closely and will continue to implement precautionary resort-wide sanitization measures to ensure that guests and staff remain healthy. Vacationers staying at The Sands at Grace Bay are continuing to enjoy their trips in Providenciales and their time spent at the resort.

For More Information:

Cassie Dittrich
Account Manager
NJC Communications
[email protected]
802.522.0714

About the Sands at Grace Bay

The Sands at Grace Bay is situated on the world-renowned 12-mile crescent of powdery white sand known as Grace Bay Beach – voted the #1 Beach Destination In The World by Trip Advisor’s 2011 ‘Traveler’s Choice’ Awards. This gracious, family-friendly 114-room resort located on six oceanfront acres offers accommodations in studios and 1-, 2- and 3-bedroom suites ranging from 1,000 to 1,600 square feet, all of which combine comfort-focused amenities and spectacular natural surroundings. Suites also come with fully equipped kitchens appointed with stainless appliances, granite countertops, coffee makers and more. The Sands at Grace Bay is the home of Hemingway’s Restaurant and Bar – a legendary beach-side venue and local favorite – where guests can enjoy gourmet selections and island specialties seven days a week. Spa treatments by Spa Tropique are also available by appointment.

For reservations, call toll-free from the U.S. (877) 777-2637; from Canada (800) 567-5327; online at www.thesandstc.flywheelstaging.com or contact your travel agent.

Media Contact

Cassie Dittrich
O: (802) 522-0714