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Things To Do In The Caribbean

SUP on Grace Bay Beach at the Sands Resort

sup paddling providenciales

If you want to try out SUP paddling during your Turks and Caicos vacation, The Sands at Grace Bay has just the thing for you: two stand-up paddleboards right on Grace Bay Beach. Contact us to reserve an SUP on Grace Bay Beach.

What is SUP? It’s all about riding a surfboard-like paddleboard over the waves, using a long paddle for propulsion. The sport has taken off in recent years (there’s even SUP Yoga), and is popular with women. It turns out that women are more suited to paddleboarding than men, because women, being shorter, often with a more compact physique, have a lower center of balance.

It’s easier for women to paddle around while standing up.

If you’re concerned with getting or staying in shape, paddleboarding is good for the core muscles, and also can add muscle and toning to your back and shoulders.

If you only care about fun, SUP is a great way to check out the sights above the waves. Compared to kayaking, your field of vision is great, both when looking at the horizon and at the marine life below. And as we know Grace Bay Beach has some beautiful crystal-clear water, so it’s like going on your own glass-bottom boat tour.

And, unlike surfing, windsurfing or kiteboarding, SUP doesn’t need wind or waves to be enjoyed. You can do it on the calmest of days. What better way to explore the Turks and Caicos?

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Beach Weddings Turks Caicos

The Perfect Turks & Caicos Grace Bay Beach Wedding

This June, The Sands had the absolute pleasure of hosting the beach wedding of Christina and Gary, a beautiful couple both on the inside and out! Gary & Christina first met five years ago while working in the New York City Police Department. After visiting The Sands a year ago, they knew that Turks & Caicos and The Sands was where they would plan their dream destination wedding.

They chose to have an intimate ceremony right on our beautiful stretch of Grace Bay Beach, that was followed by a tented wedding reception and lively beach BBQ dinner while guests enjoyed the sunset over the ocean. Their perfect evening ended with rum punch, island music and entertainment, limbo dancing, a beach bonfire and s’mores!

Here is an incredibly kind note from Christina and Gary, about their wedding experience at The Sands:

We love The Sands!!! We can’t wait to go back. This is our second trip and this time we got married!!! June 29, 2013 was an incredible day. The ceremony was done by The Sands on the beach. It was magical!! The only way to get married! We had 48 of our closest friends and family stay at the sands and every one of them loved it. As our guests arrived at the resort we met them at the front desk. They were so excited when they actually saw the resort and were greeted with rum punch. We told everyone as soon as they got there to check in and meet us at the beach. As they did they could not wait to get in the water. The staff at The Sands is so friendly and helpful. They made us feel like family. The atmosphere is incredibly calm, relaxing and beautiful. Hemingway’s food is fresh & delicious. The kitchen in the room is so handy. We went food shopping and filled the fridge. We made our own coffee every morning. All of our guests took advantage of the snorkel gear, hobies, paddleboards, kayaks and the bikes. The shopping area is a 2 minute bike ride from The Sands. The beach is like nothing we have ever seen before. When you are on the website for The Sands and wonder if the beach, grounds and rooms actually look like the pictures…the answer is YES! Clean rooms, beautiful gardens and so much more. If you are thinking about having a destination wedding or renewing your vows this is the place to do it. The prices are reasonable and the Resort is stunning. I was able to get a Mani Pedi at Spa Tropique. It was very relaxing. Everyone is still talking about the trip and the wedding! We were so lucky to have found such a beautiful resort and such wonderful people to take care of us while we were there. 

Thank you all at The Sands for making my husband and I feel so welcome. We can’t wait to see you all again. – Gary & Christina

 

Gary & Christina – Congratulations to you both! We sincerely hope you are able to come celebrate your anniversaries and future family vacations here with us ….your “home away from home” in tropical Turks & Caicos!

The gorgeous wedding photos below were taken by David and Andy from Brilliant by Tropical Imaging – Providenciales’ top-rated photography studio that now offers a special Photography Package offer inclusion for couples who book The Sands’ “Let’s Go For It” wedding package (http://thesandstc.flywheelstaging.com/weddings/).

For more beach wedding photos taken here at The Sands, visit our resort Pinterest page: http://pinterest.com/thesandstc/turks-caicos-weddings/

For information on wedding photography packages here in Providenciales, visit Brilliant by Tropical Imaging’s website: http://www.brilliant.tc

Categories
Things To Do In The Caribbean

5 must-see’s near Grace Bay Beach

The island of Provo, while small and private, is also filled with interesting things to do and see. Here are our top 5:

1) Check out the National Environment Centre

Close to Grace Bay Beach and the Sands resort, the National Environmental Centre (NEC), shows the natural habitats and ecosystems of the Turks and Caicos Islands. A Children’s Park is located nearby.

2) Visit Coral Gardens

The Coral Gardens are perfect for kids, and are quite close to shore. Remember to bring surf shoes, a mask and snorkel, and also remember that children should be watched at all times.

3) Go to the beach

While most guests never want to leave the white sand of Grace Bay Beach, the following beaches are also fun to visit:

  • Sapodilla Bay
  • Princess Alexandra National Park
  • Taylor Bay
  • Northwest Point Beach
  • Long Bay Beach

4) Visit the Graceway Sports Centre

This area is perfect for families with young children, with a pool and various recreational activities. It’s also quite close to our resort on the Leeward Highway.

5) Join the Race for the Conch

The Race for the Conch is an Eco-Swim, openwater swimming competition held every year on the island of Provo. It’s a world-class event that attracts top competitors. Either join the race, or look on. It’s an exciting way to spend your time here by our resort.

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Announcements

The Sands Announces Two New Wedding Packages

Turks & Caicos Resort Unveils Two Affordable Beach Wedding Packages For Couples To Wed In The Caribbean’s Leading Beach Destination

Providenciales, Turks & Caicos (July 2013) – The Sands at Grace Bay, located on Turks & Caicos’ world-famous Grace Bay Beach, is pleased to unveil two intimate and affordable beach wedding packages for the upcoming 2013/14 Caribbean wedding high-season. The two customizable packages provide couples with the basic elements for an elegant beach wedding ceremony for up to ten people, with the ability to invite additional wedding guests and add-on optional wedding day “extras” based on their ceremony and reception desires. Both under $5,000, these affordable ceremony packages allow couples to plan their dream Turks & Caicos beach wedding that is within their budget in the Caribbean’s Leading Beach Destination (2012 World Travel Awards).

The following are inclusions for The Sands at Grace Bay’s two intimate beach wedding packages for 2013/14:

“Let’s Say I Do”: $1,850 Per Couple

  • On-site event assistance
  • Assistance to obtain marriage license and marital paperwork
  • Officiant for wedding ceremony
  • Witness, if needed
  • Bridal bouquet and Groom’s boutonniere
  • Wedding cake (serves 10 people)
  • 10 complimentary wedding chairs adorned with chair covers
  • iPod docking station
  • Two pole beach wedding arches with white sheer cloth
  • Special welcome amenity
  • Special turndown service on night of wedding
  • Celebratory bottle of sparkling wine

“Let’s Go For It”: $4,680 Per Couple

The “Let’s Go For It” package includes all of the offerings from the “Let’s Say I Do” package, with the following additions:

    • Brilliant by Tropical Imaging photograph package, which includes:
      • A 2-hour shoot
      • Beautiful 10×10 Turks & Caicos book with 30 pages
      • All Digital Files
    • Spa Tropique’s “I Do” Bride & Groom Spa Package that includes the following His & Her Treatments:
      • 70-Minute Swedish Massages
      • Delicious Full-Scalp Massages
      • Fabulous Foot Massages

The wedding package prices are based on a 10 person wedding and do not include room accommodations or the resort’s 10% service charge and 12% government tax. For each additional wedding guest (up to 20 persons) an additional $25 per person charge will be applied to the total package price. For groups over 20, customized package pricing will apply. Refunds will not be provided for unused features of any package purchased.

To make these packages customizable, The Sands at Grace Bay has partnered with the very best local vendors to offer special packages and pricing for couples to select from a variety of wedding day “extras” – including wedding reception dining and rehearsal dinner packages, florists, entertainers, island excursions, hair and makeup artist and much more. For more information on these affordable wedding packages and for a sampling of the wedding day “extra’s” offered for couples who wed at The Sands at Grace Bay, visit www.thesandstc.flywheelstaging.com/weddings or call toll-free from the U.S. (877) 777-2637 and ask to speak with a wedding coordinator.
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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. Named one of the, “Top 30 Hotels in the Caribbean & The Atlantic” by the Condé Nast Traveler’s 2012 Readers’ Choice Awards, this gracious, family- friendly 114-room resort 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. Each suite also comes with a fully equipped kitchen, dining and living room areas, a screened-in private balcony, washer/dryer and much 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.

Media Contact:
Cassie Dittrich, (802) 522-0714,

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Things To Do In The Caribbean

Bonefishing in the Turks and Caicos

bonefishing in the caribbean
The Turk and Caicos offers many opportunities for fishing. While the nearby Bahamas is considered the top location for bonefishing in the Caribbean, if you’re hoping to try out the sport for the first time – especially if you’re trying to fit in some fishing with a family vacation – Providenciales is an ideal location.
bonefishing in the caribbean
Why? For one thing, Provo is easy to get to (not all bonefishing spots sport an international airport), and many of the shallow salt flats that are the bonefish’s typical haunts are close by, within a half hour drive from the Sands resort on Grace Bay.

Slip out and go for a private fishing vacation

So, if you’re travelling with family or a loved one who does not necessarily like fishing, Provo is a good place to start. You can nip out for a half day or so, starting early in the morning, returning early enough to spend the rest and best part of the day with your family.
Generally speaking, the bonefish (nicknamed “the grey ghost”) prefers the changing tides, and comes close to shore during full tide.
The fish are far more powerful than trout or steelhead, and provide an amazing experience for fishing.
Popular bonefishing spots on Providenciales in the Turks and Caicos include Bonefish Point, on the extreme western tip of the island (west of the Chalk Sound). Other areas include the tidal shallows between Provo and Pine Cay to the east, although the islands ringing shallow Caicos Banks to the south of Provo offer many opportunities.
What to bring with you for bonefishing in the Turks and Caicos:
  • Fly Rod
  • Fly Reel
  • Tropical Fly Line
  • Nine foot leader and 16# floro tippet
  • Flies (#2-6 tan gotchas are best)
  • Polarized sunglasses

Most people keep well-covered up when flyfishing for bonefish, with a long shirt, long pants, a hat, and something to cover the face.

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Turks Caicos Information

Providenciales Taxi Cab Fares: Getting to The Sands at Grace Bay

A frequently asked question we receive from our resort guests is, “How much will a taxi ride cost to/from the airport to The Sands at Grace Bay?”  The current taxi fares for a one-way trip from the airport to The Sands at Grace Bay are $28 for the first two persons, and each additional passenger (beyond the first 2) will be charged an additional half fare per person ($14).

Below is a list of the current taxi-cab fares from the Providenciales Airport to a variety of different resorts, restaurants, beaches and other island destinations.

We look forward to seeing you soon, on your Turks & Caicos vacation!

 

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Turks Caicos Information

Permits Now Required to Import Animal and Plant Products To TCI

The Turks & Caicos Islands’ Department of Agriculture, Ministry of Environment, recently issued a press release stating that permits are now required to import animal and plant products into the Turks & Caicos Islands in an effort to protect the people, plants, animals and environment throughout the TCI. This is an effort to further prevent the entry of serious disease or pests of animals and plants from coming into the country, and to ensure the continued safety and health of our island residents and visitors.

Visitors importing the following types of controlled commodities or regulated articles below must now apply for a permit prior to importing their goods into the Turks & Caicos Islands:

Controlled Commodities (Animal Health Ordinance 2012) include live animals such as cats and dogs or any species of animals; animal products and by-products such as pork, beef, poultry, eggs, milk and dairy products, cheese, fish and fish products.

Regulated Articles (Plant Protection Ordinance 2012) include live plants, seedlings, vegetative stems, seeds for propagation, soil, cut flowers, fruits, vegetables, germplasm, as well as used agricultural implements or machinery.

For further explanation of the import conditions and new permit process, members of the public may contact the Department of Agriculture at [email protected], and/ or 649-946-5801 or visit www.gov.tc.

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Awards

Grace Bay Beach: TripAdvisor’s Top Beach In The Caribbean

2013 Travelers’ Choice Awards – Tripadvisor

Providenciales’ Grace Bay Beach was voted the “#1 Beach In The Caribbean” by TripAdvisor’s 2013 Travelers’ Choice Awards. Grace Bay Beach was also named the #2 Beach In The World by the 2013 TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice Awards.

TripAdvisor describes Grace Bay Beach as, “Shimmering white sand and warm enveloping waters. The color of the water makes your heart leap.” We couldn’t agree more!

To view the 2013 TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice awards, visit: www.tripadvisor.com/TravelersChoice-Beaches-cTop-g147237

Categories
Beach Weddings Turks Caicos

Brilliant by Tropical Imaging’s Stunning Turks and Caicos Photos

Turks and Caicos honeymoons

Thinking of  getting married in Turks & Caicos or at The Sands? Consider a “Trash The Dress” photo shoot with Brilliant by Tropical Imaging – here’s an example of the post-wedding fun you can have here in Provo!

 

Brilliant is the name of the “people” photography and moviemaking side of Tropical Imaging, a Turks & Caicos islands photography team located on Leeward Highway on Providenciales, quite close to the Sands resort. This amazing company takes amazing “tropical” photos, not just here on Turks and Caicos but all over the world, “from Bora Bora to Jamaica, Greece to Bali.”

The Tropical Imaging team is led by Andy Mann, originally an underwater videographer and photographer who transformed his team of photogs over the last ten years into experts in digital, weddings, high-end lifestyle photography, aka “the best photo operation in the Caribbean.”

Photographer Chanelle Bruce (just one of several extraordinarily talented photographers on staff ) puts it best:

It was the Destination Weddings in far flung places including Bali, Mauritius, Marrakech and more that we where hired to shoot from the UK that really made my heart sing. Each time we flew out to an exotic location I plotted and planned to see how in the world we could move and live in one of those warm weather, white sandy beach places. It wasn’t until we had been running our photography business for five years that we met Andy & Krysten when they came over to England for Andy’s brother’s wedding. Craig and I where the photographers that day and the rest as they say is now history… here we are part of the Brilliant team, living the dream in the beautiful Turks & Caicos Islands.

So, if you are planning a Caribbean wedding at the Sands, know that you are in good hands!

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Turks Caicos Information

Turks and Caicos Islands profiled by CBS’ Peter Greenberg

The Turks and Caicos Islands had the great fortune to be profiled by Peter Greenberg, Travel Editor for CBS News for his “Hidden Gems” series.

Intro to Turks and Caicos

During the show, he takes viewers on a journey through TCI’s nearly fifty small “hidden” islands and cays, and there are some fantastic shots of turquoise waters, white-sand beaches and fantastic underwater life, all close to our luxury resort in paradise!

First Greenberg travels to Little Water Cay (aka “Iguana Island”) to visit the 2000 or so endangered rock iguanas that live there. If you had been thinking of planning a trip to this island, this is a great opportunity to check the place out first (Iguana Island looks like a pretty awesome place to go, especially if you have children).

Next up, Greenberg provides us with some spectacular views of Grace Bay Beach from the vantage point of a parasailer, and then goes underwater to explore some of TCI’s more than 200 miles of reefs.

Finally, Greenberg finishes up his intro to the islands with a visit to the friendly, snack-loving sting rays of Gibs Cay, pretty far to the west of us here on Provo, before returning to Providenciales to explore Princess Alexandra National Park. It’s quite an intro into to our wonderful islands.

Turks and Caicos Cuisine

Greenberg also provides a comprehensive introduction to the “ocean-to-plate philosophy” throughout the Turks & Caicos, paying special attention to the role of the conch in local cuisine. Da Conch Shack (“the greatest beach bar in the West Indies), a famed Turks and Caicos restaurant right here on Provo, plays a starring role.