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LR Travel Report

Turks & Caicos TreasureGrace Bay Beach

I travel the world seeking out ideal beaches for swimming, snorkeling, recharging and escaping our bitter cold winters. And

I’ve seen some spectacular beaches. But once in awhile one really stands out for its sheer perfection. Grace Bay Beach is one of them. Located on the lovely little laid back island of Providenciales (locals call it Provo), Grace Bay spans eight kilometres along warm, calm, clear waters, shimmering in ever-changing hues of aquamarines and blues, and carpeted by white coral sand as soft as sifted flour. And even though it’s liberally sprinkled with resorts, you need never stroll very far at any time of day or year to feel as if you have it all to yourself. As far as being photogenic, it’s almost impossible to take a bad picture of it. No filters or Photoshop required, like the one I took above. So it’s little wonder that this beach consistently ranks high among the top ten in the world chosen annually by well-traveled fans of the tropics. Activities include swimming, sailing,

sea kayaking, and my favourite pastime of snorkeling. The best spot to do so there is Bights Reef, a little protected marine park chock full of healthy coral and all kinds of vibrant marine life like big, brightly coloured parrotfish. (I counted 30 of them swimming with me just off the beach!) It’s an ideal spot for young children and first time snorkelers as well. Provo is also well known for its conch; it’s the national dish prepared all kinds of different ways in every snack shack and high-end dining establishment all over the island. They even have a conch farm you can tour. The town of Provo itself is sleepy and safe. The “downtown” is really more of a modern tourist-driven village of shops, dining spots and arty little bistros like The Lemon Café, which is incidentally owned by a Montrealer and employs two baristas, both named “John,” who are also from Montreal! Do drop in and say hello if you can ever drag yourself off of that perfect beach while you’re there.

Turks & Caicos

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