6 days ago
Vacation Like A Celebrity In Turks And Caicos
Ambergris Cay is a dreamy island escape.
Celebrities are just like you. When they make vacation plans, they consider the weather, safety and the resort's proximity to the beach the same way you do. This might explain why Turks and Caicos ends up on so many stars' social feeds.
The Caribbean nation roughly a third of the size of Rhode Island checks every box and does so with an effortless elegance. Just ask model Cindy Crawford and former tennis star Maria Sharapova, who've stayed at Forbes Travel Guide Recommended Grace Bay Club. Will Smith has been seen at Four-Star Amanyara more than once. And we've lost count of how many times Drake and Bella Hadid have been spotted around town.
Ambergris Cay, a pristine, 1,100-acre private island getaway consisting of an all-inclusive resort and private homes, has the same kind of pull with the elite. As soon as you make the 30-minute Cessna flight from Providenciales International Airport to the resort's very own air strip, you realize this tropical paradise is its own world, far from vodka-chugging tourists and any camera-snapping paparazzi.
You can't merely stumble upon this property. But neither a SAG card nor an NBA contract is necessary to experience the lavish escape, either. To get on this VIP vacation list, all you need is an Ambergris Cay reservation.
The beachfront bungalows are things of beauty.
Ambergris Cay's 17 beachfront bungalows are immaculate, 1,600-square-foot spaces with sitting areas, shiny gold-tiled showers, private plunge pools and spotless Wi-Fi for any Zoom calls that couldn't get rescheduled after your trip. It's the perfect place for the CEO in your family to call headquarters for a few days.
When there's a gap in the meeting schedule, take your golf cart (one is allotted to every room) out for a spin. Dirt roads cut through well-maintained grounds filled with Turk's head cacti and resting herons. Rock iguanas far outnumber the other drivers here, so you can leisurely cruise in your cart while taking in the scenery.
Drive over to Elevate Spa to get rid of any built-up tension from back home. The facility has quaint, detached treatment huts that are filled with a tranquil air and sweeping views of the turquoise waters. Treatment-wise, the 60-minute relaxing massage is our first recommendation, but the skin-glistening body cocoons (done with chocolate, mango or blueberry wraps) make for tasty choices, too.
And speaking of deliciousness, a bonfire dinner on Calico's deck easily closes the deal on a great day on the cay. Just you, your significant other and a curated selection of Caribbean fusion dishes. While you savor bites of caviar-topped sushi and Moroccan lamb, cherish the sounds of the waves and the sight of fish swimming underneath your feet.
The all-new Dream Estate is perfect for groups.
Ambergris Cay debuted its newest accommodations, Dream Estate, in early 2025. It's unclear if the property had the Kardashians in mind as potential guests, but with 10 bedrooms, four pools, a game room and more spread across 19,000 spectacular square feet, housing the high-profile family (or any other big group) is a breeze. Beyond the building's checklist of amenities, the estate also comes with two dedicated chefs and a pair of butlers.
Lots of fun and great food are on the Club House's menu.
Should you need a change of backdrop for your Instagram posts, head over to the Club House to find a waterfront restaurant and lounge (it's the perfect place for an apple lemonade and baked jerk chicken wings), billiards and a quiet cay for some paddleboarding and water trampoline jumping. At night, things get sexier with guests dressed in their resort best and a menu filled with grilled shrimp tacos and sangria.
And what's a Hollywood-worthy vacation without a boat outing? Ambergris Cay can arrange a sunset cruise that takes you out a few miles from the dock— close enough that you can see your bungalow, but far away enough from the shore that you can spot the occasional nurse shark swimming nearby. The boat staff is congenial and knowledgeable, so don't hesitate to ask it about island history or to take a picture of you and your crew lounging on the deck.
Bonefishing is one of the island's favorite pastimes.
When we last visited, an on-staff birdie told us that one of the Dallas Mavericks had just left a few days prior to our arrival. While didn't inquire about the NBA star's itinerary during his stay, we have a good idea of how he spent some of his time.
Ambergris Cay's fitness pavilion is a simple, two-level structure made of stone, wood and glass in the middle of the island. It's a masterpiece of minimalism. There's no way he'd miss out on visiting the open-air yoga deck or trying out a gym with floor-to-forever windows you fully appreciate from the Peloton and treadmill.
As the name suggests, the resort is surrounded by cays and shrubland. That's great news for anyone into bonefishing. Fuel your competitive fire by seeing who in your group can snag the biggest bonefish or permit. But even if you're unsuccessful catching anything, casting in the crystal-clear Caribbean is so peaceful you won't have any regrets.
There's a world to explore on this small island.
Drinks at Hangover Tiki Bar are another way to drown out any fishing mishaps. It doesn't matter if you're a 6-foot-10 forward or a 5-foot-6 financial adviser, the floating drinking hole in the middle of the sea is the ideal setting for enjoying an All Sensations (vodka, pineapple juice, ginger ale and grenadine) or Melon Mist (vodka, rum, triple sec, melon liqueur and cranberry and orange juices) on a warm afternoon.
After drinks and dinner, head back to your bungalow to put the telescope that's been sitting on your coffee table to use. Because the island is so removed from urban congestion, there's no light pollution to hinder the brilliance in the sky. When you look up to Ursa Major and other constellations, take a moment to realize that you're always surrounded by stars at Ambergris Cay—be it those up in the Northern Sky or a familiar face from West Hollywood.
