Ambergris Cay: A Private Island in the Turks and Caicos

Ambergris Cay in the Turks and Caicos may not be for everyone – but for those who can afford it, it’s unforgettable.

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 on one end, and world class sport-fishing all ’round. The community is conservation-conscious – with a naturalist on staff, plus an architectural review board.

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’ve 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, architect 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 with 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 concrete-block homes Platt has built there are study 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 an hour, but his houses stood firm. “We only lost one gutter and one shutter,” Campion said.

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