PARROT CAY, TURKS AND CAICOS, CARIBBEAN ISALNDS

Welcome to Parrot Cay!

 This is not a picture postcard- I took this photo!

Parrot Cay (pronounced 'key') is a private island in Turks and Caicos in the Caribbean. It is owned by the Como Shambala group and supported by fashion designer Donna Karan (you can find her Urban Zen clothing in the boutique!) who also owns a group of villas in the property.

Me in the docks!

Parrot Cay had been a distant dream for me. I admire anyone who combines fashion and holistic human growth as two distinct yet parallel careers, because I am of the same ilk. In fact the design team at Urban Zen once bought some designs from my collection in PV, Paris. Since then I have followed the initiatives of Urban Zen and of course, living in Asia, and doing the kind of work I do with Mystic-Asia, I am familiar with the holistic concepts of Como Shambala.

So here I was, dream fulfilled, excited to experience this exotic private island dedicated to the philosophy of the Como Shambala Group. We were picked up from the airport and transferred to a very stylish waiting room to catch our private boat to the island.  The boat ride was almost an hour long across very very blue sea with the wind catching our faces. Beautiful!

Boat to Como Shambala

The whole resort felt like a natural spa. What struck me me most was that the hotel has understated its style, from architecture to furniture to interior design, in order to allow the beauty of the natural surroundings to take full precedence over man made holistic/sensual experiences. It has a mile long white powdery beach, sea water that you can walk on endlessly (see below), large decks to do your own Yoga, Tai Chi etc and whatever you need is at your service with the very discreet butler who was ever willing to spoil us.

Como Shambala is known for its emphasis on health and wellbeing. Its the only hotel I know that offers an ancillary menu from which one can order healthy food without having to sift through long lists of exotic but unhealthy options. I was specially happy to have that option after having travelled with my boys to other Caribbean islands where vegan food is unheard of! Their fresh juices are also divine!

We were five of  us travelling and were assigned a three bedroom villa with a private butler and an expansion of beach and sea literally as we tumbled out of bed!

   

Yoga, moonlight and boatyard at the resort

Yes thats me!

At the spa, I decided to go for a Deep Tissue massage as I had been travelling for the past three weeks and my body had gone through many time zones. My therapist was Asian (as are lot of their staff) and she handled my body with great expertise and ease. The massage was a restorative massage helping to release deeply held tensions and toxins. She said she was using the techniques of deep muscle compression and cross fibre friction to increase blood and lymph flow. My 60 min experience went so fast I didnt realise I was done. It was deeply relaxing and she really got into some of the knots in my back from carrying too many pieces of luggage, me thinks.

I relaxed off in the steam room and then had a cup of ginger honey tea by the lounge area staring into MORE sea!!!

I need to thank you Lynda for organising this amazing experience for me!