Turks & Caicos

The Turks and Caicos Islands are the ideal cure to your stressful existence, with practically deserted beaches flanked by the beautiful azure ocean, vivid coral reefs, crispy conch fritters, and a drowsy, cheerful mood. While the island was impacted by the terrible hurricanes of 2017, much of the damage has been restored and its beaches are still as beautiful as ever. Turks and Caicos maintain its image as a quiet and elite vacation. Regular visitors to these narrow swaths of alabaster sand would tell you that they wouldn't have it any other way.

This network of over 100 islands and cays is dominated by three characters. There's glitzy Providenciales, or "Provo", which is home to a slew of opulent hotels. The historic and cultural center (and cruise ship hub) is laid-back Grand Turk, best viewed at the Turks & Caicos National Museum or along the sands of Cockburn Town, where Christopher Columbus first anchored in the Western Hemisphere. Salt Cay, a tiny, flat island, is home to the finest dives: from here, you may explore one of the world's biggest reef systems.