Recently my good friends and I took a trip to Turks and Caicos. I've always heard great things about it, so when my friend asked us if we wanted to celebrate her upcoming birthday there I couldn't help but say yes before she finished her sentence. Also, one of the two New Year's resolutions I made this year was to get out of the country at least once. Talk about killing two birds with one stone!

Since it was hurricane season, tickets and accommodation prices were much cheaper. There was a little worry we'd get some bad weather, but luckily we were blessed with perfect skies the entire trip.

We landed in Providenciales and the weather was warm and bright...just what we wanted!! A group taxi was taken to our hotel, The Alexandra, located on Grace Bay. The 9 of us shared the 4 bedroom 4 bathroom penthouse suite. The place was huge with an absolutely amazing view. The staff was friendly and we were greeted with the island's drink of choice... Rum Punch. We quickly put on our swim suits and hit the beach. It was as beautiful as the pictures you see online... and absolutely unreal. Sand was soft and the water was clear.

Rum Punch from Mango Reef... refreshing AND pretty.

The front desk suggested that the local Fish Fry was not to be missed, so after enjoying the sun and getting some needed rest we headed to the outdoor party. It was festive and filled with both locals and tourists alike. Being that we were a few rum punches in, my friends and I had a blast dancing it up. It was so much fun!!

Henry the Conch leading the parade at the Fish Fry.

The local fare is filled with delicious seafood with the main dish of choice being conch. We had it prepared in many ways, but my favorite was the fried conch served at our hotel's restaurant, Mango Reef. It tasted great paired with an ice cold bottle of T&C's local beer, Turk's Head. We ate there quite a bit and the food and service were great every time!

While most of the vacation was spent relaxing on the beach, playing with the beach gear provided by the hotel, and drinking & eating our hearts out, the highlight for me was taking a private boat snorkeling. We were picked up right by our hotel. Food was provide, rum punch was flowing, and the 3 man crew was friendly and fun. The trip was broken into 3 parts. First, find live conch. Second, snorkel the 3rd largest barrier reef in the world - Mesoamerican Barrier Reef. Third, park the boat at Half Moon Bay, drink, play with all the iguanas, enjoy the unbelievably beautiful beach all while the crew made fresh ceviche with the conch they just caught. It was an amazing experience filled with lots of laughing and even more dancing.

Turks and Caicos is a magical place that I would highly suggest for anyone who is looking to enjoy some of best beaches in the world (yes, i'm going to stick to that bold statement). The people are friendly, the food & drinks are delicious, and everywhere you look is spectacular. What more can you ask for!? Take me back!!

Enjoying the many shades of blue on Grace Bay.