Discover Beautiful Pine Cay
Situated in the string of cays between Providenciales and North Caicos, Pine Cay is privately owned and has low-density residential development. The main feature of the cay is its spectacular two-mile-long (3.2 km) north coast beach, which ranks as one of the top beaches in the country. The beach is a popular stop for boat charters.
This cay offers a very quiet and laid-back atmosphere. Today, the private island is home to the secluded Pine Cay Resort and approximately 40 private residences and vacation villas. The island has a no-car policy, so electric golf carts and bicycles are the main means of transportation.
Pine Cay is named after the small forest of native Caicos pines (Pinus caribaea var. bahamensis, a subspecies of the Caribbean pine) that surrounds the interior freshwater ponds.
Fort George Cay and Dellis Cay are located to the northeast.
Pine Cay Resort
Pine Cay is home to an often-overlooked and tranquil resort destination: the Pine Cay Resort. This secluded Relais & Châteaux retreat (formerly the Meridian Club) offers the atmosphere of the old Caribbean—laid-back exclusivity. There’s a selection of beachfront rooms, cottages, suites, and private villas to choose from at the private island resort.
The resort isn’t extensive, yet it offers the perfect collection of amenities for those looking for a quiet tropical vacation. Onsite is the Bistro restaurant, which serves a cuisine of international classics. There’s also the resort’s Sand Dollar Spa, offering massages, facials, scrubs, and wraps.
In addition to the spectacular beach fronting the hotel, complimentary guest use of kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, Hobie cat sailboats, and bicycles is offered, and scuba diving, snorkeling, fishing, and boat cruises can be easily arranged from the nearby island of Providenciales. There are also tennis facilities, hiking paths, and an entire island to explore.
The resort also manages vacation rentals for some of the villas and homes on the cay.
Due to the secluded nature and small size of the resort and island, the destination can be a great choice for a wedding or intimate corporate retreat.
Booking and Reservations
As is the case with accommodations and activities throughout the country, room rates will typically be lowest during the end-of-summer “low season” months.
Terrain and Natural Environment
The terrain of this cay is quite flat, with the low-density salt-resistant vegetation common to the coastal areas of the country. The island supports a small population of endangered Caicos Pines (not to be confused with the common and invasive casuarina that thrives on much of the coastline), but the populations of this rare tree have been declining. The total landmass of Pine Cay is approximately 800 acres (324 hectares).
Pine Cay is actually connected to Water Cay by a 450-foot-wide (137 m) patch of sand and light vegetation, and Water Cay is likewise connected to Little Water Cay (Iguana Island), so it’s possible to walk along the beach for the entire 5 miles (8 km) to Little Water Cay. Historically, these channels have been opened and closed by occasional hurricane events, such as the 1866 Great Nassau Hurricane.
As Pine Cay is connected to Water Cay and the iguana sanctuary of Little Water Cay, conservation work being done to protect the iguanas spans all three islands.
Like nearby Parrot Cay, the island has several brackish ponds (an unusual sight in the dry Turks and Caicos). These ponds are a haven for a diverse range of bird life.
The group of small islands between Providenciales and North Caicos was reputed to be the sanctuary of pirates in previous centuries. Pine Cay was very likely a base for them, due to the semi-freshwater ponds in an otherwise parched archipelago.
Pine Cay Map
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Getting to Pine Cay
The usual way to get to Pine Cay is via a 20-minute boat ride from the Leeward area of Providenciales. There are no regular public passenger ferries, though the resort operates a ferry for arriving and departing guests. Boat tour excursions from Providenciales often visit the island’s north coast beach.
The island also features a 2,500-foot (762 m) paved airstrip for private planes and charter flights. There are no fuel facilities or immigration or customs personnel onsite, so international flights must land at either the Providenciales International Airport (PLS), the South Caicos Airport (XSC), or the Grand Turk JAGS McCartney International Airport (GDT) when entering the Turks and Caicos.
The Providenciales International Airport is the closest airport for Pine Cay guests, and welcomes the vast majority of international flights to the country.
There are three FBOs on Providenciales that offer fuel and flight services.
Real Estate
Pine Cay is one of the oldest boutique and private island developments in the country. The island was once owned by Count Ferdinand Czernin of Austria-Hungary, who saw the potential of the isolated cay as a luxury tourism destination. After his death, his wife Countess Helen Czernin continued with the concept, with the result evolving into the Meridian Club, marina, infrastructure, and Pine Cay Airport (PIC).
Existing home and undeveloped real estate is available, both beachfront and inland. The resort oversees the Pine Cay Homeowners Association, which offers management, maintenance, and vacation rental services for privately held residences.
There isn’t an extensive selection of properties available on the island, yet properties do appear on the market every once in a while.
Tours and Charters
