This Luxury Resort Will Have the First Ocean Pool in the Caribbean

Turks and Caicos has long been famous for its sugar-sand beaches dotted with sleek resorts. But on the quiet southern coast of Providenciales — where limestone bluffs offer unparalleled views of the island’s iconic turquoise waters — a different style of luxury has taken hold. 

People check in to Wymara Villas, perched on one of the highest points of the secluded Turtle Tail peninsula, to experience a rare slice of tranquility on popular Provo island. Save for a few estate homes (including Prince’s former beach house, complete with a purple driveway), the peninsula has remained blissfully undeveloped. This translates to an ultra-private stay, especially while relaxing in one of the four- or five-bedroom villas, which come with oceanfront infinity pools and overwater swim decks. One even has a slide that dumps you directly into the aquamarine ocean. With the main Wymara Resort located just 15 minutes away on Grace Bay Beach, often heralded as the world’s best beach, the 15-acre oasis is well-positioned for those craving the best of both worlds. 

Now, Wymara is leaning into its private villa estate concept even more. In March, it will add a 130-foot-long ocean pool — the first of its kind in the Caribbean — to its human-made Sunset Cove Beach. Fringed by freshly planted palm trees, the shallow beach is ideal for families, while the Australia-inspired ocean pool gives guests a unique place to swim and watch the sunset, says Bruce Maclaren, owner of Wymara Resort and Villas.

A new state-of-the-art sports club with basketball, pickleball, and tennis courts has also been christened by NBA players. But perhaps its most stunning addition is the set of one-bedroom pool villas with oversized outdoor terraces (added in 2022 in response to the growing demand from couples seeking a more private and romantic experience). Cut into the rock, so as not to disrupt the curves of the natural landscape, each villa features an entrance framed with pink bougainvillea and a dramatic stone-carved walkway. The interiors are filled with locally made furniture and a mix of natural textures. Maclaren hand-selected many of the materials, like coral stone speckled with fossilized shells from a quarry in the Dominican Republic and black lava stone from Indonesia, which helps the plunge pool retain heat. 

By mid-2024, Wymara will add five more multi-bedroom villas, bringing the total up to 12, as well as a new restaurant and bar beside the villa beach. Until then, guests can enjoy chef-prepared meals in their villa or head over to Wymara’s highly rated restaurant, Indigo, where executive chef Andrew Mirosch focuses on fresh and locally caught seafood, meats from his native Australia, and Caribbean-inspired flavors. On Saturday nights, Wymara’s beach barbecue draws in crowds with its 24-hour smoked brisket, bonfires, live music, and tables set up under string lights and a starry sky. The quietude of the villas is hard to give up, but it’s worth joining the festivities. You’ll likely spend the night swaying to the music with the palm trees, toes buried in that famous, powdery white sand.