When the team behind Sailrock South Caicos, a member of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World group, decided to build the first resort on a quiet island in the Turks and Caicos, they knew that they would have to create an unforgettable experience to succeed. Besides offering visitors a boutique experience complete with private villas, an on-site spa, empty white sand beaches, and azure ocean waters, they also would have to import something unseen to South Caicos: a world-class food and beverage experience.
In doing so, they would be helping to transform South Caicos, an 8.2 square mile island that has quietly existed alongside its much more popular neighbors, Grand Turk and Providenciales. It was, and still is, an island that is home to more churches than restaurants, has an abundant population of wild donkeys, and largely falls asleep at sundown. In other words, it is a place still firmly rooted in a time when most Caribbean Islands were largely undiscovered by tourists.
Located at the end of a sandy dirt road on the northern tip of South Caicos, Sailrock feels like its own island. Its 770 acres are bookended by the calm, turquoise waters of the Caicos Bank to the west and the Atlantic Ocean, with waves breaking on the Turks and Caicos Barrier Reef just offshore to the east. Visitors who luck into discovering it, of which my wife and I are lucky enough to count ourselves among, are struck by the feeling of unplugged escapism.
That feeling of isolation has existed in South Caicos for most of its existence. Drawn by a thriving salt industry, European settlers arrived in the 17th and 18th centuries, but that evaporated in the 1960s, leading to economic challenges that led the government to turn to tourism in the new millennium.
When Sailrock opened in 2017, the local government hoped its success would attract tourists to the island, bringing much-needed economic help. After weathering a rocky start, two major hurricanes in 2017, and the global pandemic, the resort has found its footing and has been garnering accolades and several major travel awards. Key to the resort’s success has been its stellar food and beverage program, which shines alongside its impeccable service delivered by a staff assembled from leading resorts across the world.
The beating heart of Sailrock is its two restaurants. Situated on the resort’s sandy beach, the Cove Restaurant serves lunch and occasionally dinner. Featuring fresh seafood caught just offshore and artfully crafted beach bar cocktails, it offers a laidback upscale experience befitting its stunning location.
Sailrock showcases its culinary prowess at its Great House Restaurant, just off its main lobby. Due to its hilltop location, the restaurant offers expansive views of the surrounding waters. Its menu changes daily, and the offerings cross a culinary universe, from tasty chicken curries to fresh-caught lobsters to grilled lamb chops. Elevating every meal is a selection of cocktails featuring Caribbean touches and a well-designed wine list featuring wines from across the globe.
“We recognize that most of our visitors have probably never heard of South Caicos before discovering us. The beaches and the waters draw them, but we need to overdeliver on their experience when here so that they have an experience that is unforgettable,” says Andre Boersma, managing director of Sailrock. “It is the only way that we, and ultimately, South Caicos, will succeed is in drawing tourists to a place they might have overlooked. Key to that is ensuring that every meal with us exceeds expectations from the dishes and drinks to the service.”
Sailrock is designed to attract higher-end travelers who value a sense of serenity and solitude. With only 38 rooms in 27 separate buildings, guests can easily go for hours without seeing another soul. That sense of escapism pairs well with the pampering it offers guests and is a major selling point for potential visitors. Its impact is being felt in South Caicos.
Salterra Resort and Spa, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, part of Marriot Bonvoy, just opened on March 12, 2025. Its 100 rooms and six restaurants are sure to attract more tourists to South Caicos. To deal with the expected increase in visitors, the island’s airport has undergone a significant renovation that helped it land a bi-weekly direct flight from Miami, the first such flight in decades. Beforehand, the only way to reach South Caicos was to catch a small puddle jumper from Providenciales.
The future is looking up for South Caicos. Two resorts, direct flights, and an influx of tourists will mean that the island will no longer be a sleepy backwater. Instead, it may join its more well-known neighbors as a fixture on the international travel circuit.