Salt Cay is a tiny island in the Turks and Caicos — just over 6 square kilometres, with a permanent population of around 100 people. For centuries the island's economy was built on salt, raked from shallow ponds and exported to North America. The salt industry collapsed in the 1960s, and today the island moves at a pace that makes the rest of the Turks and Caicos look busy.
The salt salinas and windmill ruins that cover much of the interior tell the story of that industry: low stone walls, canal networks, and the remains of nine windmills that once pumped water through the system. The Harriott White House in Balfour Town is the grandest survivor of the salt-merchant era, a coral-stone Bermudian house from the early 19th century.
The diving is excellent — the barrier reef drops directly into a 2,000-metre wall with outstanding clarity. Between January and April, humpback whales migrate through the Columbus Passage directly past the island, and in-water encounters with wild whales are possible with Salt Cay Divers. Beyond that, there is very little to do except read, swim, and watch the sunset, which is exactly the point.