When you land on South Caicos, the first thing you notice is how quiet it is. There are barely 1,100 people living here, and you feel it immediately.
Now, I’ve been to Turks and Caicos many times before, always Providenciales, and no one will ever have to sell me on the destination because it’s one of my happy places. But South Caicos? I had no clue what to expect. This wasn’t the Turks and Caicos I thought I knew. There were no tourist crowds or cruise ships, just pink salt flats for days and wild donkeys that genuinely act like they run the place. Which, honestly, they kind of do.
My linesister and I have a tradition (we’re two years deep now so we can finally call it a tradition): every late December, we do a girlfriend retreat to close out the year. Now this isn’t for partying, excess drinking, or turning up — there’s many places we can do that, and still come back feeling exhausted and like we need a vacation from our vacation. But instead, focusing on intentional rest, wellness, and uninterrupted time together. And anyone in their 30s knows that syncing schedules is basically a game of Tetris with moving pieces, so when we carve out this time, we protect it fiercely. We use it to reflect on the year behind us and set intentions for the one ahead. This year, we chose Salterra, The Luxury Collection’s newest Caribbean resort that opened in March 2025. And this is where Salterra surprised me. I’ve stayed at wellness resorts that feel more like restrictive detox programs than actual vacations, but Salterra isn’t like that. The luxury here comes from how connected everything is to the place itself.
The resort sits on 3,000 feet of secluded beach that feels entirely yours. All 100 rooms and suites face the ocean, which means waking up to floor-to-ceiling views of turquoise water is just part of the morning routine. We stayed on the ground floor, so our suite opened right onto the pool area. The walls were made from fossilized coral stone, and there were little design details throughout, inspired by the Taíno people who were here first.
But what really sets Salterra apart is how deeply it’s connected to the island’s salt heritage. South Caicos was once the biggest salt producer in the country, which I had no clue of until last week, and those historic salinas (salt ponds) are still right there. The resort doesn’t just acknowledge this history, it weaves it into everything you do here but in a way that feels authentic and not like they came and Christopher Columbused the place without paying homage.
Take the Salt Pairing Dinner at Brine, the resort’s signature restaurant. Now, I’ve done wine pairings, even sake pairings, but salt pairings? That was new. The Executive Chef presented a five-course tasting menu (something they call a “White Gold Dinner”) where each dish was paired with different artisanal salts, some sourced right from South Caicos. The meal started with a salt-crusted conch tartlet on a crispy cassava tart with fermented mango gel that somehow made perfect sense together (if you’ve never tried, I’d highly recommend). Then came grilled red snapper with coconut rum sauce, sweet potato mille-feuille, and smoked pineapple salsa. The honey-glazed sous-vide duck with roasted apricot was tender enough to cut with a fork. But my favorite? The beef tenderloin with truffle jus over purple mashed potatoes. I’m actually still thinking about days (nearly, weeks) later. Dessert was a mango coconut mousse situation with sea salted orange foam that played with sweet and salty in the best way. Watching how each salt transformed the flavors was the real surprise. Plus, the ambiance alone at Brine was worth the trip.
The wellness offerings here go beyond your standard resort spa menu, too. And on one of the days, we were here the majority of the afternoon. The Spa at Salterra has eight treatment rooms, including couples’ suites with private lanais and we basically didn’t want to leave. I booked a deep tissue massage, and let me tell you, my therapist worked out knots I didn’t even know I had. The combination of pressure and technique turned me every which way but loose in a way I hadn’t felt in months. The aqua thermal circuit, with its salt sauna, steam room, and hammam, takes you through different water-based experiences that somehow make you feel lighter by the end.
What stood out was that none of it felt performative. The resort runs on solar power for more than half its energy needs. They’ve eliminated single-use plastics in guest rooms and there’s an entire composting system that turns food waste into nutrients for the surrounding soil. And through the South Caicos Coral Reef Consortium, guests can actually participate in coral restoration workshops. You’re not just visiting this place; but actually have the chance to leave it better than you found it.
The dining scene offers six different venues, each with its own vibe. Cobo Bar & Grill serves Latin-inspired dishes right on the beach, perfect for lunch with your feet in the sand (kinda). Regatta does this British-Caribbean fusion thing for breakfast and dinner. Flamingo Café seemed to be everyone’s go-to for their morning espresso and homemade gelato in the afternoon (somehow I’m surviving through life without caffeine so I can’t confirm this for myself). And Jack & Jenny’s, was their pop-up food truck by the pool, which offers creative street food. I’ve already talked about Brine, which was clearly a favorite of the trip.
Beyond the resort, South Caicos offers the kind of adventures you can’t find on the more developed islands. The property offers guided tours through the salinas where you can learn about the salt trade while spotting flamingos and other wildlife. The island is also known for world-class diving and bonefishing if that’s your thing.
Getting here is easier than you’d think. American Airlines runs direct flights from Miami on Wednesdays and Saturdays, landing at the tiny South Caicos airport just minutes from Salterra’s gates. No long transfers or ferry rides (unless you’re traveling outside of one of those days), you step off the plane and you’re basically there —about seven minutes, max.
What I appreciated most about Salterra was its rejection of the usual luxury playbook. There’s no scene to see and be seen in, or an overcrowded pool where you’re fighting for a chair or they have EDM thumping all day. Instead, it offers something more valuable, especially if you’re looking for a reset at the end of the year, and that’s a space to actually be present. Whether you’re soaking in that adults-only spa pool, watching the sun dip below the salt flats, or just sitting on your balcony/patio listening to the waves, the whole experience invites you to slow down.
Wellness travel can sometimes start to feel like work, but Salterra got it right by just letting us be. There was no pressure to do everything or be everywhere. We spent mornings on the beach at sunrise (well, my linesister got up at 5am to watch the sunrise, while I slept, but you get the point), afternoons at the spa, evenings watching the sun set over those pink salt flats. It was simple, intentional, and restorative, which is what a real reset looks like.
And honestly? That’s the kind of energy I’m taking into 2026