A Perfect Day on Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos
The last time there was much excitement here was in 1962, when John Glenn splashed down offshore. Indeed, as you puddle-jump in from Provo, you get the feeling that the 30-minute flight is transporting you back in time to that era. With no stoplights and a population of just 4,500 permanent residents, parts of tiny Grand Turk can feel like a small-town Main Street, island-style. Although a cruise-ship port opened in early 2006, you can hardly tell in Cockburn Town, the capital of the Turks and Caicos Islands. Most of the cruise-ship passengers confine themselves to the duty-free shopping area and the stretch of beach nearest the port; in town, if you find yourself in the company of more than 10 people at any one time, consider it a crowd. Front Street is where you'll find all the "action" and the pretty-in-pink oceanfront Osprey Beach Hotel. Rubbing up next to weathered wooden shacks and elegant British colonial architecture dating from the turn of the 20th century, the inn's breezy rooms and tiny courtyard pool overlook the shimmering blue expanse 
beyond, offering the perfect place to hole up and shun the modern world.
You'll likely spend most of your time in or on the island's crystal clear waters. Divers will never feel crowded, even at the most popular sites, like the Tunnels and the Amphitheater, where you'll spot plenty of rays, snapper, Nassau grouper and the tiny, polka-dotted flamingo-tongue snail, clinging onto sea fans swaying in the current.
Come lunchtime, stroll a few steps from the Osprey down Front Street to the Sandbar, an open-air restaurant with a wide wooden deck. Sisters Tanya and Katya Vieira, refugees from colder climes, write the day's menu on a weathered chalkboard. Order some fish bites or grilled grouper with a healthy side of local gossip (if you've been around since morning, you're already a local).
You'll probably feel lazy after lunch, and plenty of uninhabited sand awaits. The easiest way to while away the afternoon is to hike or bike over to . Its seven miles of uninterrupted white sand stretch languorously along the island's western shore and are completely undeveloped, so bring your own provisions. If you prefer a livelier beach scene, try pretty Pillory Beach at Bohio Dive Resort. There's a great restaurant and plenty of beach chairs to go around. If you'd rather work off your meal, hike up to the lighthouse, built in 1852. It's no longer in use, but you can wander the grounds and take in the view from this, the highest point on the island at all of 119 feet. Evenings are even more low-key, but you'll find a healthy pulse back at the Osprey, where dive instructor Mitch Rolling and his High Tide band break out the guitars every Wednesday and Saturday night. The Osprey's restaurant puts on a great barbecue spread both nights, with steaks and fresh-caught fish. After the show, the only night life is the view of the stars from the balcony.
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A twinkling bioluminscent bay is the signature attraction of this next location on our AWAY FROM IT ALL list...
