Winter has set in in New York City. Temperatures have fallen into the below freezing category, and without the festive cheer currently taking over the city, the cold is as bleak as the prospect of it lasting for another three months on the other side of the new year. Two Wednesdays ago, I took an Uber to the airport at 3:30am. I boarded a flight to Miami at 6am, and another to South Caicos Island at 10:30. By 12:30pm, I was landing on a tiny airstrip, having just flown over some of the most beautiful water in the world, and arriving at an airport with one gate, one luggage belt, and one resort in particular, which I would stay at for five days.
Salterra, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, South Caicos sits on the island of South Caicos, overlooking the shallow, calm waters of the Atlantic Ocean. Upon arrival, there is little telling where the resort begins and ends, stretching directly onto soft white sand clear turquoise waters for as far as the eye can see. This is part of the point for Salterra, to immerse the property in the elements that the island has to offer, with architecture that offers a harmonious design, integrating seamlessly with the island's environment.
Jake Terrey
Jake Terrey
Arrival was smooth and seamless, stepping into Salterra and feeling the balmy, salt-licked breeze travel through the reception of the property was the perfect welcome. After freshening up in our rooms, we settled into a beachfront lunch at Cobo, one of the four restaurants at Salterra, eating fresh aguachile and seafood tacos and washing it down with a Piña Colada—always an imperative on a trip to the Caribbean.
After lunch, a nap was imperative to make up for the very early morning. Inside my room, which looked onto the pool and oceanfront, a king sized bed in a separate bedroom awaited, with the same expansive view, and by the time I woke, it was time for dinner at Sisal. The casual welcome dinner in the lobby bar featured a range of latin-inspired cuisine with fresh, locally caught seafood, which we enjoyed in the company of some of Turks & Caicos’ leading eco scientists, sharing stories about the history of the island, the ecosystem that surrounds it, and the sustainability efforts that Salterra participates in to preserve the beauty of what often feels like an untouched Island.
Jake Terrey
The next few days unfolded in a dreamy sequence, under the sun, as we began to defrost from the rigid NYC cold, we toured the island’s coral lab at the School for Field Studies, which runs sustainable programs to aid in restoration efforts for local coral reefs, birds, and bonefish populations, as well as to develop forward-thinking solutions to sustainability challenges and preservation efforts; we took a boat around the island, snorkelled with starfish and met about 130 Iguanas; we kayaked in water so turquoise it was almost iridescent, stopping for one of the most magical swims of my life; we biked around the island on bikes provided by the property to explore the local community, and indulged in dimension-shifting spa treatments between perfect meals at Salterra’s remaining restaurants, Regatta and Brine.
Jake Terrey
Jake Terrey
There is something magical about Salterra that extends beyond impeccable service and beautiful rooms, which can best be chalked up to the resort’s dedication to the natural world, and the community that inhabits South Caicos. Each experience on the island was underscored by rich storytelling about the history of South Caicos, the flora and fauna that sustains the locals (especially the fishing), and the momentum that Salterra has gained since reopening their doors towards their sustainability efforts. With this in mind, the time we spent at Salterra felt so much more integrated than that of a disconnected tourist resort that is conveniently located on a beautiful island, it felt like part of the community.
Jake Terrey
Jake Terrey
Jake Terrey
Beyond this, there was something immensely calming about giving my body a break from the bitter city cold and taking stock momentarily before wrapping the year up, welcoming a final boost of energy from a few short days of R&R to combat the end of year burnout. My advice? If you’re feeling the winter blues and can afford to slip away even just briefly to feel the sun on your skin in the depths of the cold, book the trip.
