10 Amazing Things: Social Media On The Sand at Beaches Turks & Caicos!
I was fortunate enough to go to the most amazing blogging conference about 3 weeks ago. Social Media on the Sand is held at the Beaches Resort Turks & Caicos, and was the most incredible 5 senses experience...and I'm going to highlight 10 amazing things about the conference...it's a little bit like looking through someone elses vacation scrapbook.
It's not my typical crafting post, but it's who I am as a blogger and hopefully gives you a glimpse into a Beaches resort, if you are looking for an amazing vacation!
Well, let me back up a little. How did I get invited to go to Social Media on the Sand? Honestly, I don't know! I feel so honored that I was selected to go to this event. I did apply and cross my fingers. A month or so later, I received an acceptance letter (like Hogwarts) and I quickly accepted and paid my conference fee. I was given a phenomenal resort rate, so it was irresistible!
I did need to provide my own airfare--and get a passport, but I could also bring a few guests. I really wanted to bring my family, but could not justify the additional airfare costs...so instead, I brought 2 friends (who paid for themselves) and turned it into a Girl's Trip!
Turks and Caicos is a group of islands in the Bermuda/Caribbean area...it's the bottom edge of the Bermuda Triangle. The island that Beaches Resort is on is called Providenciales. It's gorgeous! This picture can't do it justice...but for the record, no filters were used in these photos. It's so Aqua, it makes my heart sing!
Okay, Best things about the Social Media on the Sand event:
#1: Decorations:
Social Media on the Sand is extra. Like super extra. Every event is decorated to the hilt and just glistens with a gorgeous beach or a manicured Beaches resort backdrop.
#2: Parties
During the SMOTS week at Beaches, there was a party every day! The first night had a glorious welcome party with Mermaids, Jellyfish and lots of amazing canapes.
#3: Food
The food at Beaches Resort is amazing! There are 21 restaurants that are all inclusive. You just show up, give your room number and sit down to order. The staff is amazing and trained on all types of allergies and can cater to all of them. Yes, celiacs, shellfish and they even have a kosher kitchen. :) Of the 21 restaurants, my friends and I ate something at 18 of them!Our favorite by far was Barefoot by the Sea. Picnic tables on the sand with a hut over top and open air. The food was amazing!
The food at each party was delicious and amazingly displayed! I really felt like THE QUEEN during my stay at Beaches.
#4: Staff
Oh my goodness, the staff! The staff members at Beaches are the #1 reason you will come back to this resort. They are happy. They are super friendly. Best part is that the employees at Beaches are paid well, and no one accepts tips--so everyone's service is the same. They are happy to help and fun to chat with.
This guy, Nonito, he was our favorite. He served at the SMOTS Welcome party and then was our chef at Kimono's (Beaches Teppanyaki restaurant). Again, the staff is amazing!
This guy, Nonito, he was our favorite. He served at the SMOTS Welcome party and then was our chef at Kimono's (Beaches Teppanyaki restaurant). Again, the staff is amazing!
#5: Classes
Social Media on the Sand did a fabulous job of balancing Blogging Conference classes and events with Beaches Resort vacation. I had lots of free time and the classes I attended were amazing and well worth my time away from the ocean. The conference room was beautifully decorated with awesome boxes of swag at each seat.
My favorite was a color changing pen based on temperature...I love pens. We had amazing speakers from Beaches Resort, designers, cosmetics, representatives from Youtube and Facebook and other amazing motivators and creators.
My favorite was a color changing pen based on temperature...I love pens. We had amazing speakers from Beaches Resort, designers, cosmetics, representatives from Youtube and Facebook and other amazing motivators and creators.
#6: SWAG!
Social Media on the Sand has amazing sponsors. Hapari gave each attendee a $200 gift card prior to the conference so they could buy swimwear to bring! Coola had a station of sunblock set up so no one would get sunburned. DryBar and IT Cosmetics gave us the royal treatment with blow outs, braids and makeovers.
Spin Master Games, Swarovski, The House of Perna, Seasame Workshop, Good2Grow, Air Esscentials (we sat by this family at Kimono's and LOVE them! Their daughter was tired from long days and ate a bite of the food...she said "it tastes like sadness"...we loved that phrase and immediately stole it for our own.), Marco Santini (whom we also met on the airplane and he switched us seats so we could sit together), BLVisuals (body marbling), Bling2O, Snuba, Padi, Abercrombie Kids, Rockabye Baby, and more, Sandals Foundation, plus Hunter Hayes even put on a concert for us! I needed an entire suitcase to get all the sweet swag back home!
Spin Master Games, Swarovski, The House of Perna, Seasame Workshop, Good2Grow, Air Esscentials (we sat by this family at Kimono's and LOVE them! Their daughter was tired from long days and ate a bite of the food...she said "it tastes like sadness"...we loved that phrase and immediately stole it for our own.), Marco Santini (whom we also met on the airplane and he switched us seats so we could sit together), BLVisuals (body marbling), Bling2O, Snuba, Padi, Abercrombie Kids, Rockabye Baby, and more, Sandals Foundation, plus Hunter Hayes even put on a concert for us! I needed an entire suitcase to get all the sweet swag back home!
Turks and Caicos is extremely hot and humid. I would shower at night and sleep with wet hair...and in the morning, it was just as wet! It was so humid, makeup would just slide off the face. I love an environment that strips away the facades and shows real people. Here's the fanciest I looked after getting a fabulous braid from The Dry Bar.
#7: Drinks
Okay, a huge perk of the Beaches Resort is the all-inclusive drinking! I don't drink alcohol, but my friends and I had a fun time ordering all the virgin drinks! Pina Coladas and Tropical Fruit Punch were the favorites! Click here for an amazing knock-off recipe! Also, they serve you drinks right on the beach. It really is paradise!
#8: Scenery
This is why you will never want to leave. The scenery is amazing. The turquoise waters are divine. The ocean is warm, just jump in and float with optimal buoyancy! It's a magical island paradise that was heartbreaking to leave behind.
We watched the sunsets around 7 PM and watched the sunrise around 7 AM. It was sunny and glorious every day. Temperatures in October around 85-90* with all the humidity you can drink! The staff said that not a lot of people visit in July and August, but the rest of the year it's perfect vacation weather! Every building has amazing Air Conditioning too...so it's easy to cool off when desired.
#9: Atmosphere
Kind of mentioned on the scenery, but the landscaping, the attention to details is immaculate at Beaches Resort. Hibiscus flowers of every variety adorn the resort. I love hibiscus the most most...so it is heaven.
The resort has stopped using plastic straws, so all the straws are striped paper straws. Beaches is doing big things to reduce, reuse and recycle. The grounds were always perfectly trimmed and cared for. I never saw any garbage laying around.
Beaches Resort provides giant beach towels at the beach front and at every pool, so there is no need to bring those from home. It is amazing the level of detail they have at the resort. They thought of everything! They provided a shuttle from the airport to the resort as well as shuttling back to the airport on the day of departure. They did all the messy stuff so we could just enjoy, relax, kick back, drink the drinks and float in the ocean--careless and content.
If I could just stress how FRICTIONLESS this vacation destination is, it's worth all the money for this kind of relaxed vacation. Just book the resort, fly there and they do the rest. Seriously frictionless.
#10: Activities
My goodness, there is plenty to do on a Caribbean island! We kept going back to the ocean. I love the salt and the sand. But Social Media on the Sand put on a fun family event each day that was also fun! Spin Master Games set up this cute Upwords display...and yes, I am holding the "HO" sign. :)
Our favorite staff member, Nonito from above, kept saying "Why not!?" when he was the chef at dinner so it became our catchphrase as well.
Our favorite staff member, Nonito from above, kept saying "Why not!?" when he was the chef at dinner so it became our catchphrase as well.
These 2 guys from BLVisuals (Black Light Visuals) killed it with this marbling station! One night they let us dip our arms in the marbling for a cool effect at a black light party. The last night they dipped hats for us to take home. Seriously, so fun!
And Beaches Resort has so many free activities and fun things to do. We went snorkeling at the nearby reef...it was just like Finding Nemo, plus look at our hottie Captain! We sailed, rode the water bikes, paddle boarded, swam, had some professional photographs taken, and more. Beaches also has Snuba and Padi Scuba Diving, and additional cost adventures.
And Give Back. The Sandals Foundation does so much for the locals and the island. On Turks and Caicos, Beaches Resort is 1/3 of the income for the island each year and they put so much back into the community. They build schools and collect supplies. This year we donated books about earth conservation.
There is so much good that happens...and you can see it in their faces. This cute group of youth sang for us at the Welcome Party. There were tables of silent auction items to raise funds as well. I'm happy that I could enjoy an amazing vacation and give back.
I know today's post was just a lot of me talking, but it's like my journal entry. I want to remember everything about this amazing vacation, the awesome SMOTS Blogging Conference and the stellar experience with Beaches Resort. If you are considering a vacation at Turks and Caicos, do it!
This tree sums it up. I wish I could stay here forever.
Any questions?
Click here for my favorite island drink recipe!
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