When I tell you that staying on a private island costing $3,000 a night is actually great value, you might assume the tropical heat has gone to my head. But let me explain.
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lmost everyone here has a story about rapper Drake. Turks and Caicos Islanders are accustomed to hobnobbing with celebrities, from our driver “Hardware” (one of many one-of-a-kind names we encountered) to our conch diving guide Jason, has who has sold fresh lobster to the Kardashians. This British Overseas Territory is awash with high rollers, and it has the high prices to match.
Why So Moneyed?
To the uninitiated, Turks and Caicos (TCI) is an archipelagic state in the Caribbean that drives on the left, uses the U.S. dollar, and is known for epic strands like Grace Bay Beach, which is three miles of some of the whitest sands you’ll ever see. Vacationers on the archipelago enjoy whale watching (from January through April) at Salt Cay, caving in Middle Caicos at Conch Bar Caves, pinpointing pink plumage at the appropriately named Flamingo Pond on North Caicos, and taking post-full moon glowworm cruises around the islands.
The most developed island in the chain is Providenciales (commonly called Provo), though the capital, Cockburn Town, is on Grand Turk. Provo has the lion’s share of hotels and also floating bars like Captain Oak’s Tiki Bar and Noah’s Ark, where everyone bonds over the holy trinity of sea, sun, and rum (Drake has been spotted at Noah’s Ark many a time). While the vibes are high on land, it’s the aquamarine sea that does the real seducing in Turks and Caicos. If gin-clear water is your religion, this is your cathedral.
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Those postcard-perfect looks can also be wallet-walloping. Turks and Caicos had been on my bucket list for years, and I finally made it happen for my birthday. But even as a seasoned nomad who’s lived in expensive cities like London, New York, and Oslo, I experienced a level of sticker shock that stopped me mid-coconut. You’re looking at $120 taxis, $24 for a poke bowl, or $25 for a frozen drink in a coconut at the Thursday Fish Fry, a beloved weekly gathering where I was serendipitously crowned the Junkanoo queen due to being a birthday celebrant.
Ocean Club Resorts
Tourism is the beating heart of the Turks and Caicos economy, and with so little produced locally, nearly everything else must be brought in. “Like many islands in the Caribbean, the Turks and Caicos Islands rely heavily on imported goods, which are subject to vagaries in prices as well as increases in shipping and energy costs, which impact retail prices locally,” a representative from the tourism board, Experience Turks and Caicos, shared with me. In 2024 alone, the islands imported $884.7 million worth of goods while exporting just $2.7 million, a jaw-dropping gap that shows up in every menu, hotel rate, and taxi fare.
Turks and Caicos doesn’t have any public transportation, and most restaurants in Provo are at hotels, so costs rack up quickly. You could pay $900 a night for a mid-tier hotel during the “low” season—when hurricanes flirt with the forecast—and that doesn’t include your sunset dinner, excursions, or the privilege of getting to them. So, when I tell you that staying on a private island costing $3,000 a night is actually great value, you might assume the tropical heat has gone to my head. But let me explain.
An Island to One’s Self
Not to be confused with Belize’s Ambergris Caye, Ambergris Cay is a 1,100-acre all-inclusive private island you’ll wish you’d heard about sooner. Guests fly in via an 18-minute scenic flight from Provo and land directly on the longest private runway in the Caribbean. The Piper Navajo aircraft then parks right in front of the welcome center, so you’re at the pool or beach within minutes of landing, of course, only after receiving a welcome drink.
Author Rosie Bell arriving in Turks & Caicos.Rosie Bell
I stayed in a one-bedroom beachfront bungalow for two (the least expensive room category) and had a front-row seat to the ocean’s gentle theatrics with a heated plunge pool, outdoor shower, and floor-to-ceiling glass doors.
The $3,000 rate might raise eyebrows, but it included everything. And I mean everything. Those private round-trip flights over ribbons of turquoise (during which I got to sit up front with the pilot). Our own butler. All à la carte meals and drinks at both beachfront restaurants, Calico and The Club House. Tennis and pickleball with a pro. A just-for-us ocean-facing yoga session led by Ayu from Bali. Hobie Cat sailing. A private conch diving trip with two local guides and refreshments packed by our attentive butler, Victor. And my favorite, a dreamy castaway experience at the Hangover Tiki Bar, a floating bar only reachable by boat, moored in translucent water shallow enough to stand in.
The island is also a sanctuary for nature and wildlife. You’ll spot the majority of the country’s rock iguanas and the largest population of rare Turk’s Head cacti on hikes, as well as remnants of 16th and 17th-century pirate ruins. Also included, we were given our own golf cart and free rein to zip around secluded beaches, the gorgeous wellness center, and the spa that left me feeling like a billion bucks.
On Ambergris Cay, my worries melted away, as it removed the invisible but ever-present tax of constantly budgeting our fun. There were no surprise bills or decision fatigue. My time was mine to enjoy—and so was everything else. Mathematics has never been my strong suit, but when you break down the per-person cost, especially for groups or couples who actually want to do things on vacation, it starts to look a lot less like a splurge and more like smart travel calculations.
Gary James/Courtesy of Ambergris Cay
Ways to Save Big
From where you stay to how you move around, a few strategic choices can prevent you from totally depleting your bank account in Turks and Caicos.
First, know your seasons: peak season runs from U.S. Thanksgiving through April, and hotel rates can double during that window. The ultra-priciest period is the Christmas holidays (December 19 through January 4). Second, hiring a car is more cost-effective than relying on taxis in Provo. Even a one-day rental can quickly pay for itself. Third, and perhaps most important, when in Provo, opt for a condo-style stay where you can cook your own meals and do your own laundry. My pick is Ocean Club West, a family-friendly property with three-story buildings bearing cute names like Sea Drift or Sea Grape (mine was Sea Spirit).
All of Ocean Club West’s units—whether studio, junior suite, one, two, or three-bedroom—come with kitchens, washers and dryers, and space to spread out, making it ideal for groups and longer trips. Guests staying for five nights or more during the summer/ fall season get a sweet 15 percent reduction on their bills, and kids 12 and under are always welcome for free.
Plopped prettily on the sugar-white Grace Bay Beach, aka the real reason anyone comes to Provo in the first place, Ocean Club West delivers that toes-in-the-sand experience with its instantly recognizable pastel pink beach umbrellas. The location means you can explore by bike (complimentary) or walk to stores (there’s a mini mart 10 minutes away) and see-and-be-seen lounges like Aziza, where you too might just bump into Drake.