Turks and Caicos, without a doubt, now ranks among the most desirable Caribbean destinations. Its appeal is obvious. An archipelago of 40 islands and cays, Turks and Caicos offers visitors secluded white-sand beaches, an expanse of sparkling ocean, incredible diving and fishing opportunities, awe-inspiring preserves and parks, high-quality restaurants and spas, and now a number of chic, luxury real estate developments. Best of all, the island chain, with two international airports, is easy to reach via regular direct flights from the U.S.

With an eye on style, amenities, service, and the ever-intangible wow factor, weíve assembled a list of the top three luxury real estate developments on Turks and Caicos that have either recently opened or are set to roll out soon.

Molasses Reef Island Villas at West Caicos Reserve

This exclusive, environmentally responsible resort community on the previously-uninhabited island of West Caicos will be completed in late 2008 and features 75 oceanfront Ritz-Carlton-branded Island Villas. In order to ensure that the island remains unspoiled, the development will be accessible only by helicopter, small plane, or a 20-minute boat ride from the nearest international airport. Electric vehicles and bicycles will transport owners and guests throughout the island.

The villas, ranging from 2,700 to 6,000 square-feet, start at $3.05 million. The custom homes, with a Caribbean plantation-style architecture, will have panoramic ocean views, spacious master suites, and bathrooms with soaking tubs and stone-tiled showers. Owners have access to a fitness room, pool, restaurant and bar, concierge service, and personal butler who can handle any pre-arrival arrangements. Villa owners can also secure priority reservations at Molasses Reef, an adjacent Ritz-Carlton Reserve resort with restaurants created by renowned New York City chef Grey Kunz, and a full-service spa.

Amanyara Villas

Tucked between a coral reef and an 18,000-acre nature preserve, the recently-opened Amanyara, an Aman Resorts development, is located on the island of Providenciales and offers the convenience of being a 25-minute drive from an international airport. Curved around one and half miles of beach, the resort features a constellation of shingled, open-air pavilions linked by walkways that ìfloatî over tranquil reflecting pools, creating a vibe of secluded, barefoot elegance.

The Villas, developed by Indonesian hotel magnate Adrian Zecha, range in price from $11 million to $20 million. The 33 villas resemble pristine Asian temples outfitted in discreet luxury. Spread throughout the resort, the villas feature reflecting pools, Zen-like stylings, and views that fill floor-to-ceiling windows. Owners have complete access to the resort facilities, including a restaurant, bar, 164-foot infinity-edge pool, tennis courts, fitness center, library, boutique, and cinema.

Dellis Cay Villas

Situated on the island of Dellis Cay, the eponymous resort and real-estate development managed by Mandarin Oriental is comprised of sleek, modern structures and infinity-edge pools that seamlessly integrate the indoors and outdoors.

Designed by Piero Lissoni, the 17 Dellis Cay luxury villas, with five to six bedrooms, are the epitome of modern sophistication. Each will have spacious layouts, luxurious master suites, state-of-the-art kitchens, pools, pool houses, and outdoor dining areas. Six renowned architects are currently developing additional villas. Owners have access to the entire resort, including restaurants, bars, pools, a 30,000 square-foot spa, fitness center, cigar room, and concierge services. Opening in 2009, there will be additional residences at the Mandarin Oriental available starting at $1.2 million.