This Caribbean island is worth its weight in salt
The now-abandoned salt flats of South Caicos are getting some much-deserved attention from the island’s tourism industry. Here’s how to fully immerse yourself in its “white gold.”
South Caicos, dangling at the southeastern end of the Turks and Caicos island chain, is more than crystal clear water and warm breezes. From the 1700s until the 1960s, this unassuming island was a star of the salt industry. And if you sit high enough on a balcony as the sun sets, you will see the island’s now abandoned salt flats glowing pink.
Mark Kurlansky—author of Salt: A World History, which sits in every guest room of Salterra resort with a forward written by the resort’s managing director—explains that places like South Caicos were monumental during a time when there was a need to safely preserve fish. It wasn’t possible to have a commercial fishery without salt, and as Kurlansky points out, the British had a climate that couldn't produce the much-needed commodity. “It’s the structure of the crystals in sea salt that is ideal for curing, and so, a number of European countries wanted to have Caribbean holdings specifically for supplying salt. Turks and Caicos was one of them," says Kurlansky.
According to Carlton Mills, author of The Turks and Caicos Islands: Our Heritage, Our History, the island of South Caicos in particular had the ideal geography and natural ability to allow sea water to sit inland for long periods and evaporate. Additionally, the island offered trading ships protection that other Turks islands couldn’t with its protected harbor.
The island officially quit the salt industry in the 1960s after 300 years in the business. According to Mills, “there were competing markets, and the Turks and Caicos was unable to compete on that wider scale—we weren’t producing sufficient salt to meet the new global market needs.” Meaning, new technologies were not being used by the island to increase production and streamline the loading of salt onto boats. Kurlansky points out that salt is also not as valuable now because we do not need it for preserving our food, and there is a lot more around than we initially realized.
(From caves to coral reefs, this is how you can discover the wild side of Turks & Caicos)
Where to see it
According to Mills, the boiling hole that sits in the middle of the island, and is frequently visited by pink flamingos, is unique to South Caicos. Although it looks unassuming, simply a square of sea water framed by 20 feet of concrete, it’s what set the island apart from other previous salt suppliers. Named the boiling hole because of the agitated state of the water during high tide, it’s a subterranean cave system created by the karst process—when acidic rainwater dissolves the soft limestone.
Self-guided tours are permitted, and local hotels, including Sail Rock and Salterra, offer guided tours of not only the boiling hole, but the salt flats and historical buildings as well. Be on the lookout for the wild donkeys that roam free, an adorable remnant of the salt industry.
Where to try it
Executive chef Agnelo Goés—also known as “Chef AG”—at Salterra's Brine restaurant has no intention of letting the island’s natural resource go to waste. Between the months of June and early August, contingent upon weather conditions and the progression of the evaporation process, he goes out with a rake and fills buckets with the white gold. “The dry season is pivotal, as the salt requires intense sunlight and minimal rainfall to crystallize effectively,” says Goés.
The salt then undergoes a cleaning process by being rinsed with fresh water and sun-dried on clean surfaces to eliminate any residual moisture, and finally his bounty is hand-sifted and cured without any additives. This is when Goés begins to play. “I have created 101 flavors,” he says, noting that odd numbers, especially those that end in a one, have significance in his Indian culture. “It is believed to bring the recipient luck, prosperity, and an unbroken journey ahead,” he says.
Goés’s journey in bringing the island’s salt to hotel guests is off to a rich start. Some of his favorite creations include tamarind and scotch bonnet, coconut and pink peppercorn, and smoked dry conch. For Goés, using salt from South Caicos extends beyond seasoning. “It encompasses preserving the island’s history and flavor in each crystal. The flats once served as the backbone of the island’s economy, and they now hold a place in its culinary identity. My aspiration has always been to elevate local ingredients in ways that are globally inspired yet deeply rooted in South Caicos.”
How to do it
When to go: The best months to head to South Caicos are between February and April as these months offer the most consistent and calm weather patterns, more resort availability, and best prices. With Turks and Caicos within the hurricane belt, these months also avoid the Caribbean’s hurricane season.
How to get there: In March 2025, American Airlines made it easier to get to South Caicos with direct flights leaving from Miami on Saturday and Wednesday. Otherwise, you can connect in Providenciales, also known as “Provo,” to catch daily flights to a number of U.S. cities.
Where to stay: While the island only has two large resorts, Sail Rock and Salterra, they are both well-equipped with fine dining, luxurious accommodations, and adventures on land and sea. Salterra is a stand out with its sustainability efforts including solar energy, composting, and conservation partnerships with the School for Field Studies Center for Marine Resource Studies and FisherFolkFirst.
(How much salt is too much? The answer isn't as clear as you may think)
