Where Time Stands Still: Sailrock South Caicos
If clear blue waters, soft white sand, secluded beaches and privacy make your heart go patter patter, a visit to Sailrock South Caicos, a member of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World, should be on your go to list.
South Caicos, a small island of just 8.5 square miles, with under 1,200 inhabitants – though with 12 churches! – is a great remedy for the stresses and cares of urban life. A 20-minute flight from Providenciales, or by non-stop twice weekly flights from Miami, then a 15-minute drive, immediately upon arrival to Sailrock one will exhale a sigh of contentment. This has much to do not only the island’s beauty, though there is that, but also due the 80 employees hailing from 12 different countries. Their quest is to provide top notch service, and they succeed.
With only 38 accommodations, comprised of 15 beachfront villas, six peninsula villas, and 17 ridgetop suites, Sailrock has a maximum capacity of just 130 guests. As Sailrock is situated on 770-acres, one hardly sees other guests except if one ventures to one of the bars or restaurants. Thus, it often feels as though the resort is one’s personal, self-contained island. The open-air lobby sits hilltop and gracefully straddles intoxicating views of both the Atlantic Ocean on the east side and the glorious Caicos Banks on the west.
The Bed
Hanging my sun visor in an eastern-facing beachfront villa, it contained over 1,800 square feet and had high-pitched ceilings, travertine flooring throughout, ceiling fans, and air conditioning. The full living room had a 70-inch flat screen television and faced a large, wonderfully heated private pool. Beyond, direct beach access to the multi-hued vast Atlantic.
The fully equipped Corian countered and stainless-steel kitchen, included a Bosch microwave, dishwasher, toaster, and full-size refrigerator and freezer, should one wish to channel their inner Julia Child. Far better was having a chef come and prepare dinner in my villa one evening. More on that in a minute. The all-important Nespresso coffee machine and a small dining area completed the kitchen.
The large bedroom with turquoise accents, had a deliriously comfortable king-size bed with high count cotton sheets and excellent pillows. An unusually perfect trifecta for sweet dreams. Another flat screen TV, this one 42-inches, and an abundance of closet space included a large safe that accommodated multiple laptops and other items rounded out the bedroom.
The oversized bathroom had a deep, freestanding bathtub and because of the island’s significant salt production history, the resort provided natural bath salts to enjoy. A large, travertine shower with environmentally friendly l’Occitane amenities, luscious towels, and separate WC completed this area.
In the the villa’s rear was another large seating area and outdoor shower. While there was consistently strong WiFi throughout the villa and the resort, there were no in villa USB ports, so guests needing to stay charged should bring sufficient socket plug-ins. Fortunately, even though Turks & Caicos is a British Overseas Territory and vehicles drive on the left side, outlets are standard U.S 120 volts, and the U.S. Dollar is the official currency.
The Meals
The Cove and Beach Bar serves lunches daily and certain evenings, dinner. In addition to a killer view and good sandwiches, wraps, burgers, and pizzas, there were daily wellness menus with freshly made soups like cucumber, Greek yogurt or Gazpacho, under 200 calories, and mains of fish tacos or quinoa salads, under 600 calories, with fresh wellness juices, under 50 calories. My personal favorite: the mindful vodka-based cocktails, under 140 calories. Though highly unlikely, one could almost lose weight here while happily sated and libated.
Dinners at The Great Restaurant, which also had daily wellness menus, had pan-seared salmon that was marvelous, and on Easter Sunday, though the menu had rack of lamb and Cornish game hen, I succumbed to the sea and loved the Bambarra cured tuna loin carpaccio.
Since the chances of me channeling Ms. Child were nil, Chef Prasad provided a memorable in-villa dining experience. Returning to the villa late afternoon, the dining table was already set with crisp linens and fresh flowers. Chef Prasad, hailing from the Kingdom of Bhutan where Gross Domestic Happiness is their raison d’etre, prepared a delightful appetizer of grilled shrimp skewers, steak au jus with garlic mashed potatoes, and grilled snapper. Glee was contained until the chocolate layer cake, when glee could be contained no more.
If you can tear yourself away from Sailrock, there are three local restaurants in town popular with locals, called Belongers, and visitors alike: Sunset Cafe, slightly misnamed as buildings block the sunset (closed Sundays), Dolphin’s Grill, known for fried conch (open daily), and the popular Triple J’s, located in the owner’s pleasant backyard with hearty specialties like jerk chicken and ribs with mango sauce (open Fridays and Saturdays).
The Activities
Naturally, there is all manner of water activities, including kayaking, paddle boarding, Hobie cats, boating experiences, and fly fishing. There are four illuminated pickle ball courts and one tennis court, bocce ball, a soccer pitch, basketball hoops, horseshoes, and sand volleyball. Also, the all-important strategically placed hammocks and ocean floaties.
Making good use of Saltrock’s fitness center, it had several LifeFitness treadmills, an elliptical machine and stationary bicycle, free weights, exercise machines, yoga mats, and exercise balls. For those wanting yoga, there is an early morning daily class on a hilltop platform that will instill Nirvana before your first downward dog.
Two massage cabanas with extremely comfortable massage beds boast views over the west, providing a sense of calm even before getting horizontal. Saltrock’s Balinese masseuses ply their trade while rejuvenation sets in.
One of my most enjoyable experiences was an ATV ride to the northern most point of South Caicos. There were great photo opportunities and at the edge, remnants of old buildings once used by the U.S. Coast Guard during its presence here until the mid-1980s. Then near the north end, we collected a double kayak and glided though pristine, shallow waters, never more than two feet deep, all the while accompanied by a plethora of massive eagle and rough-tail sting rays, green and hawksbill turtles, and lemon, black-tip, and nurse sharks.
Reaching the sand bar was a slice of heaven. From here, just behind Plandon Cay and Plandon Cut, East Caicos came into view. East Caicos is the largest uninhabited island in Turks and the third largest uninhabited island in the Caribbean. Slight correction, East Caicos is inhabited, but only by wild donkeys who cross over during low tide, and a plenty of iguanas.
Speaking of donkeys, they are a ubiquitous presence on South Caicos. On a historic island tour with a Belonger, there were plenty of donkeys lallygagging near several salt pans, with another couple dozen near the Roman Catholic Church, complete with several newborns all looking quite content. Commencing in the late 1600s, salt became a significant economic component, and these salt pans are still present. However, in 1964 salt production ceased here but continues in the Bahamas.
Although not on a religious quest in advance of Easter, I did manage to see nearly all 12 churches – somehow missing the Spanish, Creole, and Revival Churches – though did see the island’s only patrol car, happily not drawing the attention of any one of its five policeman.
The Lessons Learned
Whether you want a romantic get-a-way, a family or multi-generational holiday, or a simple escape from the stresses of city life to recharge and rejuvenate, a visit to Sailrock South Caicos will fit the bill.
Julie L. Kessler is a journalist, attorney, and the author of the award-winning memoir: “Fifty-Fifty, The Clarity of Hindsight.” Her work has appeared in several major publications around the world, including The L.A. Times, The S.F. Examiner, The Asia Times, The Jerusalem Post, The Vancouver Courier, The Honolulu Star-Advertiser, and The Daily Journal, among many, many others. She can be reached at Julie@VagabondLawyer.com
