May is a time for remembering.  Whether it is Memorial Day in the United States or National Heroes Day in Turks and Caicos Islands, both holidays celebrate heritage and heroes.

In the United States, this holiday memorializes all men and women who have died in military service for their country. Many people visit cemeteries and memorials, and Memorial Day weekend is traditionally considered the start of the summer season.

In Turks and Caicos, National Heroes Day commemorates the life of James Alexander George Smith (JAGS) McCartney, who served as the first Chief Minister of the country.  The event celebrates the country’s heritage of heroism and triumph.

The history of the Turks and Caicos stretches back to 1841 when a ship, the Trouvadore, set sail from Africa bound for Cuba’s sugar plantations with 300 slaves on board.  When the ship crashed into the island of East Caicos, a tragedy turned into a blessing.  Fortunately, the ship landed in a British Colony that emancipated its slaves in 1834.  So, instead of a lifetime of bondage, the Bambarra people that survived the Trouvadore shipwreck settled here as free people and became pioneers.

To celebrate this history and the heroes that enabled it, the Alexandra Resort is offering a great May booking special.  Both holidays fall on the same day this year - May 27, 2013. Book your getaway and enjoy not only a fantastic beach vacation but also a destination rich in history. 

Memorial Day is the perfect time to get away with family.

Everyone has a wish list - and for travelers seeking luxury, the Turks & Caicos Islands are top on their list.   The Turks & Caicos Islands have been identified as “the hottest new jewel to emerge from the turquoise sea,” according to a new survey by Resonance Consultancy, a leading global travel and tourism consulting firm that monitors travel and leisure trends.

The study, conducted in conjunction with the Luxury Institute in New York, surveyed more than 1,200 individuals from households with incomes of $150,000 and higher.  More than a quarter of American luxury travelers that were surveyed cited the Turks & Caicos Islands as the Caribbean destination they would most like to visit. 

At the Alexandra Resort we’re not surprised by any of this.  The fact that Grace Bay Beach is consistently recognized as one of the best in the world is reason enough to attract visitors. And, since 600 feet of this precious beach is dedicated to our guests, the Alexandra Resort is a logical choice for discerning travelers who want to experience the best of Turks & Caicos.  

Along with easy access to one of the world’s most amazing beaches, the Alexandra Resort provides a wide range of amenities including:  a full-service restaurant located on Grace Bay Beach; complimentary non-motorized water sports including paddle boats, kayaks and snorkeling equipment; a large free-form swimming pool with a swim-up bar; tennis courts illuminated for night play; a well-equipped fitness room; the Pelican Kids’ Club; an on-site excursion desk staffed by Caicos Dream Tours;  free WIFI access throughout the property; dedicated beach attendants;  spa services provide by Spa Sanay; a weekly manager’s cocktail party and concierge services such as arranging babysitting and grocery shopping. 

We basically have everything a “luxury traveler” or any traveler needs when it comes to seeking a Caribbean vacation.  And now with our Stay Longer Save More special there is an added incentive to visit.   Your stay in our one-bedroom ocean view suite will be discounted from 5% to 35% - depending on how you stay, and you’ll save 20% on Spa Sanay services and Caicos Dream Tour excursions.   This special offer must be booked by March 31 and has a travel window of March 1 to June 15, 2013 - so don’t hesitate.  

The Turks & Caicos Islands provide a wonderful playground for all types of travelers - not just those seeking luxury. From bone fishing to kite boarding to scuba diving and everything in between, our brilliant turquoise waters provides endless hours of entertainment, relaxation and rejuvenation. 

Where is Turks & Caicos on your wish list?  

Turquoise Waters of Grace Bay Beach, Turks and Caicos

The Alexandra Resort, on world acclaimed Grace Bay Beach, has introduced a new kids club called the Pelican Club, as well as more family focused guest services just in time for the winter season.

Using a Facebook contest initiative, the new kid’s club was named for the national bird of the Turks & Caicos. Well over a hundred Alexandra Resort Facebook followers sent in their favorites and the ‘Pelican Club’ was

selected as the winner by the management team. We thank all our fans for their avid support. The winning submission has been rewarded with a 3 night stay at Alexandra. The Pelican Club offers young resort guests a great range of activities for an affordable fee of $25/day/child. Children (ages 4-10) will enjoy supervised beach activities, pool time, crafts and games.  Lunch and drinks will be included in the $25/day rate.  The kid's club will be open on weekdays from 9am until 1pm.
 
Another boost for family vacation time is the introduction of an affordable B&B package.  For an additional cost of $15/adult/day and $8/child/day (taxes not included), resort guests can enjoy a hearty breakfast at the resort's highly popular Mango Reef Restaurant.

Mango Reef now also offers room service.  Families can now borrow a DVD from the reception center and enjoy a meal and movie in the comfort of their suite.  

The Alexandra Resort features family-friendly suites, all equipped with housekeeping facilities, flat screen TV's, free WIFI and large decks or patios.  Complimentary roll-aways and cribs are offered, subject to availability.  In addition, there is a large free form swimming pool, complimentary non-motorized water sports, and tennis courts.

Great winter getaway specials are now available. For more information visit http://alexandraresort.com/resort_experience/family_fun.html.

If you are one of those lucky people who had the foresight to book a vacation to the Turks and Caicos Islands this holiday season, you will soon be very happy.   While visiting Turks and Caicos is always a delight, coming here around the holidays offers some very special experiences.

There’s nothing quite like the feeling of relaxing on a beautiful beach with the sun pouring on you and knowing friends and family back home are battling to keep warm.  Our guests at the Alexandra Resort and Spa tell us how transformative it is to get on a plane in the morning with gray skies and frost in the air, and wearing heavy layers of clothing, and get off a few hours later greeted by brilliant sunshine, white sand and the most amazing turquoise waters you’ve ever seen. 

However, while the weather in Turks and Caicos is bound to be a whole lot warmer than almost everywhere else this time of year, the weather is only one reason Turks and Caicos is an ideal vacation spot for Christmas.   The West Indies style of celebrating the holidays is the other. 

The phrase “white Christmas” has a a whole new meaning here.   Instead of snow balls you’ll make sand castles, and instead of looking for reindeer you’ll be watching out for JoJo, our local bottlenose dolphin who can often be spotted swimming close to shore.

Palm trees decorated with Christmas lights, taking in a scuba dive on Christmas morning and walking barefoot along the beach after dinner are all part of the allure of spending the holidays here.  In addition, in Turks and Caicos we celebrate the holiday and our cultural heritage with a special event called Maskanoo.   This year, Maskanoo happens on Dec 26, 2012 and showcases the best of TCI’s cultural background, mixing Junkanoo (taken from Bahamian heritage) with Masquerade to create "Maskanoo".

This year’s event will include a parade along with music, food and cultural items for sale as well as samples of local art and entertainment.

For those who ring in the New Year here, there is a wide range of ways to celebrate: bonfires on the beach, gourmet dinners by candlelight, and rocking parties with music and dancing. 

Throughout the winter, the Club Med resort on Providenciales doesn’t change its clock.  This means the resort has a one-hour time difference from the rest of the island.   On New Year’s Eve this is advantageous because they set off their fireworks at 11 pm local time, effectively giving the rest of the island a prelude fireworks show.   At midnight other resorts normally also have a firework show to bring in the new year, so many people will get to experience two sets of fireworks that evening.

The other local tradition on New Year Eve is the Jump Up.  This is a lively and festive infusion of music, color and excitement that accompany the Junkanoo band.   On a regular basis, a Junkanoo band is like a whirling dervish - full of energy that sweeps you up.  On New Year’s Eve the band plays from midnight to sunrise and has a huge following.    If you decide to do the Jump Up on New Year’s Eve you’re sure to then also do the lie-in the next day! 

Christmas in the Caribbean - it’s something everyone should experience at least once.

Since Grace Bay in Turks & Caicos has been voted the world’s number one beach by readers of Conde Nast and users of TripAdvisor, it’s not surprising that beach-walking is one of the most popular things to do here.  Fortunately, the Alexandra Resort and Spa is located on a particularly beautiful and expansive stretch of the world-renown Grace Bay Beach.  So, this activity is a frequent occurrence for our guests and one we highly recommend.

The beach in front of the Alexandra Resort is part of the Princess Alexandra National Park, which runs along the north coast of the island of Providenciales and includes the turquoise blue waters, which are protected by a long reef and filled with vibrant sea life.  This means you are not allowed to remove anything from the national park such as live sea life, coral, etc.   

Taking a beach walk along Grace Bay Beach will always delight you.  The sand is silky smooth and soft beneath your feet and you can always find isolated patches that make you feel the beach is all your own. 

Depending on the time of day, the tide and how lucky you  are - your blissful beach walk will also treat you to a variety of neat things to see.   Here are five things you may see on your next stroll along Grace Bay Beach:

1)     Starfish.   Because of the clarity of the water and the tides- it is very possible to see starfish dotting the ocean floor.   These deep clay-orange colored creatures are alluring and almost look fake.  It’s tempting to pick one up and hold it in your hand - but you have to remember to put it back gently as it’s a living creature and part of the national park.

2)     The Green Flash.   Legend has it - and first-hand accounts concur - that when the temperatures are high and the sun is at a certain point in the sky - just before it descends over the horizon - a green flash appears for a split second.   You have to be looking at the horizon with an unobstructed view right at dusk.    The best place to see this green flash is on a beach walk.

3)     Sand dollars.   These “cousins” of the starfish are not easy to find along Grace Bay Beach but if you are walking around low-tide you have a good chance to do so.  The live ones will be partially buried in the sand or inching slowly along the water’s edge.   Sand dollars that are white in color are dead - the ones that have a grayish tint are not and are protected as part of the Princes Alexandra National Park, which means you cannot remove them and need to replace them back where you found them.  If you really want to see sand dollars it is a good idea to book an outing with Caicos Dream Tours - they can take you to Sand Dollar Point on one of their excursions.

4)     JoJo the dolphin!   JoJo is a unique Atlantic Bottlenose dolphin who has been living and playing in the shallow waters of the Turks and Caicos Islands since 1980. He is one of the few dolphins around the world that voluntarily interacts with humans in his own natural habitat.  JoJo has become something like the mascot of Turks and Caicos and is known for having an affinity for boat engines!    He also likes to swim up close to the shoreline, so it’s good to keep an eye out for him on your beach walk.   If you don’t happen to see him on a beach walk - your odds are greatly improved if you are out on the water.  Again by booking a boat trip with Caicos Dream Tours, your chances of a JoJo encounter increase exponentially.

5)     50 shades of blue.  “The shades of blue these waters possess are like a painter’s palette - azure, celeste, maya, sky, shifting and changing with the weather.”  These were the words Joe Belanger used in his feature story on Turks and Caicos from the Toronto Sun on April 25, 2012.   The New York Times said:  “The beach gently slopes into the ocean, which reveals bands of blue and green that are so brilliant no postcard could do them justice.”  The turquoise waters of Grace Bay Beach have been described and photographed countless times and make a remarkable impression.  However, photos and words don’t do them justice.  The waters surrounding the beaches of Turks and Caicos sparkle and glisten and change their hue, resulting in 50 shades of unforgettable, mesmerizing blue.  But, the only way to experience them is in person - on a beach walk or better yet a helicopter ride!

Whatever time of year you come to Turks and Caicos the beach will be an integral part of your trip.   You’ll find that simple beach walks can be the highlight of the trip.  As you walk along the beach look out for miniature conch shells that get washed up on sand.   They make a great decoration and serve as a reminder of the trip when you are back home.   Another good idea is to collect a little sand and put it in a glass bottle to keep it on your office desk or coffee table.   It will give you a daily reminder of when you walked the world’s best beach and bragging rights for your work colleagues and/or neighbors.