Eco-friendly travel is as relevant to upscale vacations as is it to the backpacker trail. But sustainability doesn’t mean sacrificing comfort, style or quality.
In today’s high-end, low-impact Caribbean resorts, responsibility and luxury go hand-in-hand.
Turks & Caicos boasts some of the most beautiful natural wonders on earth so it’s no surprise that many of the islands’ resorts take their eco credentials very seriously. The tourism industry needs to protect its most precious natural assets and resources.
The islands benefited from the entire 6,500-acre Grace Bay area being awarded national marine park status in 1992. All commercial fishing, sport fishing and jet skiing is banned in The Princess Alexandra National Park and national marine parks have now been established on most islands within the Turks & Caicos.
#BeautifulByNature
The Turks & Caicos Islands are home to forty stunning islands and cays that are widely referred to as #BeautifulByNature. The islands’ abundant natural delights include crystal clear turquoise waters, stunning white sand beaches, abundant wildlife, spectacular coral reefs and national parks.
Eco-Friendly Resorts
Beach Enclave in Providenciales is committed to sustainability and green building practices. Proud of its status as the lowest density residential developer on the island, they also minimised the impact of its construction by moving and replanting indigenous local trees.
Every Beach Enclave villa is designed to take advantage of renewable energy, including domestic solar water heating and solar pool pumps.
Outside, slow-growth indigenous flora is paired with palm trees and flowering plants, while indoors, high-efficiency air conditioning systems are individually controlled by room.
Stunning private island resort, COMO, Parrot Cay, is dedicated to persevering the local biodiversity and reducing its environmental footprint.
The owners retain around 85% of the island’s 1000 acres as marine wetlands and mangroves which support some incredible native wildlife like the Great Egret, Brown Pelican and Brown Anole.
The island’s banana and coconut plantations supply the resort kitchens as part of a drive towards self-sustainability.
COMO, Parrot Cay also partners with Raymond Gardiner High School on neighbouring North Caicos to provide educational and work opportunities for local youths.
Ecotourism Activities
The chance to explore and wonder at the majesty of nature is one of the biggest draws for visitors to the islands. There are many eco-friendly ways to enjoy the natural delights of the Turks & Caicos Islands while minimising the footprint you leave behind…
Kayaking Eco Tours:
Rising Tide Tours is a small locally-owned eco-tour operator in Providenciales. They run kayak excursions in Princess Alexandra Nature Reserve, an exquisite channel island and wetland environment, with breath-taking blue water hues, and verdant red mangrove estuaries.
Within the reserve you’ll find the uninhabited islands of Mangrove Cay, Donna Cay, and the Turks & Caicos rock iguana sanctuary of Little Water Cay. These incredible islands are home to a huge array of wildlife.
Kayaks have very little environmental impact, provide a birds-eye view into the water, and are easy and fun to paddle on. Rising Tide Tours also offers sunset and glow-worm tours. In the evening and at night, a different set of creatures come out and glow-worms may even light up the water!
Eco-friendly whale watching:
The Humpback Dive Shack in Grand Turk specializes in eco-friendly, low-impact whale watching (January through March), and scuba diving & snorkeling tours throughout the year from Grand Turk and Salt Cay.
A professionally trained in-house marine biologist oversees the whale watching and swimming with whales. The trips are run on the company’s spacious, custom-built boat that allows for a larger travel radius to off-shore dive sites and whale playgrounds.
Responsible scuba diving:
Scuba diving is an unforgettable opportunity to explore another world. You’ll discover pristine coral reefs and glimpse some incredible marine wildlife including sharks, rays and turtles.
The Big Blue Collective have a strong eco philosophy whereby they minimize their environmental footprint while maximizing the experiences they offer.
Their founders are active supporters of local conservation and heritage preservation initiatives. They do small group and private dives and wherever possible, they don’t anchor on the reef. They’ve also introduced biodegradable sunscreen to all of their excursions.
Get in touch today to find out more about sustainable luxury in The Turks & Caicos islands.
