Frankly, Ambergris Cay in the Turks and Caicos is not for everyone. But for those who can afford it, it’s an unforgettable experience.

A Private Island in the Turks and Caicos

Frankly, Ambergris Cay in the Turks and Caicos is not for everyone.  But for those who can afford it, it’s an unforgettable experience.

The 1,100-acre private island is three miles long and one mile wide, with eight miles of beaches and shoreline.  There’s whale watching at a man-made cove at one end, and world class sport-fishing all around.  The community is conservation conscious – there’s an architectural review board, and a naturalist on staff.

The island is accessible, with its own 5,700-foot runway for 17-minute flights from nearby Providenciales, the sole stop from New York via USAir or American.  For private aircraft, it’s a two hour and fifty minute direct flight from Westchester Airport.

Its developers, DPS Sporting Club Development Company, are seasoned professionals, with a track record at Ford Plantation near Savannah and Greenbriar Village at The Greenbriar.  They say they’ve already invested about $150 million in infrastructure for the private club at Ambergris Cay – with a desalinization plant, road construction and electricity.

“It’s seemingly untouched because most of that infrastructure is underground,” said Campion Platt, designer for the first round of 15 homes built there.  “It’s all been planned very much in advance.  They’re years ahead of the competition down there.”

Most of its clientele is looking for second or third homes, which generally feature pods made up of a master suite and two guestrooms.  Three different interiors are offered – contemporary, transition or classical.  “It’s a one-stop shop,” Campion said.  “It can all be done in a year – and it’s convenient because owners don’t have to ship everything in.”  Of the 500+ home sites available, 200 have been sold.

To say the homes he’s built from concrete block there are sturdy is an understatement.  He’s adhered to Dade County hurricane codes, with impressive results.  During last year’s hurricane – the first in 40 years – winds reached 140 miles per hour, but his houses stood firm.  “We only lost one gutter and one shutter,” Campion said.

For more information on Ambergris Cay, visit http://www.tcsportingclub.com