Miles of Love: Turks and Caicos

Courtesy of Brandon Presser.

A thousand miles away, there’s only one choice for the perfect honeymoon: the Caribbean. The problem is choosing the right island — there are more than 7,000. The more provincial options can be easily eliminated from the roster, but how then to choose from the abundance of remaining islands that welcome travelers with open arms and open minds? Destinations like the Dominican Republic and Guadeloupe mix colonial flavor with their sun-and-sand offerings, but we’re picking Turks and Caicos for precisely the opposite reason. The British-governed island chain is light on cultural components, and for a FOMO-free jaunt, we see this as a boon.

So pack your bag full of books and prepare for a holiday of uninterrupted beach-lazing with your loved one on Providenciales (or “Provo”) along Grace Bay, which glitters with the most brilliant tint of turquoise found in the Caribbean. Seven Stars Resort (SevenStarsGraceBay.com) sits halfway along the arcing sand, its three towers offering views of the entire island. Originally conceived as a condominium complex, the hotel has so much private space in its oversized suites that guests feel like they’re living in a private apartment overlooking the sea.

The fully equipped kitchen in each space means that guests have plenty of breathing room when it comes to island dining. Beyond cooking, there’s dinner at Deck — a beach bar with tasty fried snacks and delicious barbecue seafood — and Seven, the resort’s fine-dining option, which prepares international dishes (risotto, lobster, lamb) and handmade cocktails. A beachside dinner option is also available for honeymooners who wish to swish their toes in the sand. 

Nightlife is thin on the ground, leaving a selection of active options during the day for after your legs have atrophied from all that beach-bumming. Seven Stars’ concierge service can hook you up with ATV rides along the desolate dunes of the far side of the island, a trip to the Caribbean’s only conch farm, an all-you-can-drink boat ride to some of the uninhabited keys nearby, or a bike trip with the hotel’s sports manager (a dead ringer for Taye Diggs) to uncover some of Provo’s untouristy areas.

JetBlue services Turks and Caicos and several other Caribbean locales with direct flights from New York and a few additional cities on the Eastern Seaboard. The airline also offers one-click flight-and-hotel package deals for those who prefer to have someone else deal with the details. 

More ideas for a honeymoon:

Miles of Love: Vermont

Miles of Love: French Polynesia