Parrot Cay
Parrot Cay is the largest of the small islands between Providenciales and North Caicos. This private cay is home to a spectacular beach, the secluded luxury COMO Parrot Cay Resort, and exclusive rental villas and residences.
Parrot Cay Resort offers a unique private island resort experience. There’s very little development, and the resort and occasional beach house are the only interruptions to the tranquil beach views.
Parrot Cay and Pine Cay to the west (home to the Pine Cay Resort), were the first of the exclusive private island resorts in the Turks and Caicos. Today, there are several such boutique hotels to choose from.
The Island
Parrot Cay’s total landmass is approximately 1,000 acres (405 hectares). Almost the entirety of the north coast is beautiful beach, with perfect white sand and crystal-clear ocean water.
As is the case with many of the surrounding cays, much of the south side of the island is marine wetlands that support a dense network of red mangroves. At a few spots, low limestone ironshore coastline stands in places as well.
On its east side, the island is separated from North Caicos by the 270-foot (82 m) Parrot Cay Channel. To the west, a similarly sized waterway is found between Parrot Cay and Dellis Cay.
Much of the island's interior terrain consists of low-elevation sandy soil and bluffs with low-density tropical dry forest. The northeast side of the cay (where the resort is located) does offer a ridge of higher ground, reaching a height of about 40 feet (12 m).
Due to the natural brackish ponds and wetlands, the cay can have a serious mosquito and biting midge (locally referred to as no-see-ums or sand fleas) problem at times, especially after sunset. Be prepared and bring insect repellent and suitable clothing.
COMO Parrot Cay Resort
The island’s only resort is the luxury COMO Parrot Cay Resort (a COMO Hotels and Resorts vacation property). It’s also home to many private homes and villas, and is a popular destination for celebrities seeking more privacy and seclusion than what's typically found on Providenciales. Britney Spears, Ben Affleck, Taylor Swift, and Brad Pitt are just a few of the cay's many famous visitors.
The property offers a multitude of amenities. The full-service COMO Shambhala Retreat spa has a range of treatments and wellness therapies. There are daily yoga classes and Pilates classes. An indoor air-conditioned gym and fitness center are also available.
The resort also offers babysitting and activities for children through its Play by COMO program.
Rooms and Villas
There’s a variety of accommodations to choose from, including beachfront and garden-view rooms and suites and standalone beach villas with their own private pools.
One-bedroom rooms and suites are available at the main resort complex. These rooms feature light modern décor within a colonial Caribbean setting. All rooms have verandas or decks and a serene view.
Private villas are perfect accommodation for those looking for a little more space and privacy. These houses feature an outdoor pool, 24-hour butler service, and tranquility. The options range from one-bedroom cottages to five-bedroom beachfront mansions. Given the extra space, villas are better suited for families.
Parrot Cay is home to several of the finest rental homes in the Turks and Caicos, some of which are owned by celebrities. These luxury properties include the Balinese-inspired Point House, The Sanctuary, and the contemporary Tamarind Villa.
All beaches in Turks and Caicos are public, yet many homes on the island effectively have their own private beach, as the island is relatively secluded and much of the coast is difficult to access by boat due to reefs and shoals.
Dining and Restaurants
The resort has two fine dining restaurants: The Terrace and Lotus, which together offer Caribbean, Asian, Italian, and world cuisine. Many of the ingredients used are locally sourced organic produce and fresh seafood.
The Terrace offers modern Mediterranean and southern European fusion food in a combined outdoor and indoor setting. Breakfast is served every morning until 10:30 AM.
Lotus is a poolside terrace restaurant that serves Asian flavors for dinner and a Caribbean and local blend menu for lunch.
Private dining and room service can be arranged at your accommodation, on the beach, or in a secluded and candle-lit tiki hut overlooking the ocean. In the evening, light food and drinks are served at the COMO Beach Club.
Booking and Reservations
Rates at the luxury COMO Parrot Cay are higher than at many other hotels in Turks and Caicos and on Grace Bay Beach.
Throughout the Turks and Caicos, there are predictable fluctuations in tourist arrivals throughout the year. Prices are often highest in the winter high season. Specials and discounts are sometimes offered during the late spring and late summer low season.
Reservations may be made through the resort’s management or with a third-party reseller. Some resorts match or do better than posted online rates at common booking sites—compare before you book.
Government tourism tax (12%), service charge (10%), and other resort fees apply.
Check-in and check-out times typically accommodate ferry arrivals for convenience.
Celebrity Visitors
Parrot Cay boasts a truly impressive list of celebrity and famous visitors from around the globe. See Celebrities and Famous Visitors to the Turks and Caicos.
Getting Around
There typically isn’t much need to get around the island, yet electric golf carts are available when requested. The cars, trucks, and machines on the island are those required to operate and maintain the island and resort—there are no rental cars.
Activities and Attractions
Every place on Earth offers its own atmosphere and draw, and Parrot Cay’s is tranquility and seclusion. The top thing to do is to essentially do nothing.
If you tire of lounging at the beach or infinity pool, there’s a massage or treatment at the spa, tennis, kayaking and paddleboarding, and Hobie cat sailboats. In the evening, the cay is particularly nice for stargazing.
Exploring the island’s exquisite natural environment is a great way to spend some time. Birdwatching is excellent, and it’s common to spot yellow-crowned night herons, green herons, great blue herons, ducks, grebes, and kingfishers. An underwater cave in one of the interior ponds simply adds to the diversity of the wetland systems that attract so many species.
The resort works closely with several of the top water sports operators on Providenciales, and the onsite concierge can arrange scuba diving, snorkeling charters, boat excursions, and deep-sea sport fishing. For guests wanting the ultimate luxury, a day aboard a super yacht or luxurious catamaran is hard to beat (see Turks and Caicos yacht charters).
A guided tour to the adjacent and expansive islands of North Caicos and Middle Caicos is another option.
Nature enthusiasts will appreciate the secluded paths and coastlines of the island, which are home to an interesting collection of wildlife, including Bahamas woodstar hummingbirds, mangrove cuckoos, bananaquits, green herons, yellow-crowned night herons, warblers, and the unique Cuban crow.
History of Parrot Cay
The name Parrot Cay originated from the island’s history with pirates. Previously known as Pirate Cay, over time this was distorted to the less threatening name that the cay holds today.
During the mid-1600s to 1700s, the small cays between Providenciales and North Caicos proved to be a haven for pirates. Several reasons account for this: sources of “fresh” water in ponds, natural sheltered harbors, and the command of important channels and ship routes.
It’s always difficult to get an accurate picture of this type of history, but accounts suggest that famous buccaneers, including Anne Bonny, Mary Read, and others, likely operated from the cay.
Eventually, the British constructed an outpost and cannon battery on nearby Fort George Cay (the “fort” was decommissioned in the early 1800s) and the area has remained relatively crime-free since.
Although a rather sandy island, various agriculture attempts took place on the island, including the planting of cotton, citrus trees, vegetables, and possibly sisal.
In more recent times, the island has had interesting ownership, passing between plantation owners, a Greek sea sponge exporter, and others. COMO Hotels and Resorts, a Singaporean hotel group, currently owns the resort.
Parrot Cay Map
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Getting to Parrot Cay
There is no airstrip on Parrot Cay and no causeway connecting the cay to any other island. The only way to get to the island is by boat. It is about a 30-minute trip from Providenciales and approximately 5 minutes from North Caicos.
Guests visiting Parrot Cay Resort are usually picked up at the Providenciales International Airport (PLS), take prearranged transport across Providenciales to a dock in Leeward, and then take the resort's passenger ferry to the island. Fees usually apply for this service.
International Flights
Nearly all scheduled international flights to the Turks and Caicos land at the Providenciales International Airport. The island welcomes arrivals from major cities across the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, and the United Kingdom, including New York, Miami, Boston, Toronto, Philadelphia, Dallas, Chicago, and London.
Once you're on Providenciales, the resort can typically handle further transport at extra cost.
Private Flights
Providenciales features three modern and full-service fixed base operators (FBO). If you’d like to arrive by private plane, it's advisable to choose one of these sites, then travel by boat from Providenciales to Parrot Cay.
The North Caicos Airport (NCA) is not an international airport, so initial entry to the country must be at either the Providenciales International Airport, the South Caicos Airport (XSC), or at the Grand Turk Airport (GDT). North Caicos doesn’t see many flights, so services are quite limited and the runway may not be suitable for many jets.
Yachts
There is no deep-water marina at Parrot Cay and no port of entry. Visiting yachts must first stop at one of the marinas on Providenciales.
You have the choice of anchoring in the bay fronting Parrot Cay or mooring at one of the Providenciales marinas. The luxury and full-featured Blue Haven Marina is the closest complex to Parrot Cay.