One of the many beautiful beaches on Providenciales. |
Providenciales has some of the best beaches in the world. Because the
Turks and Caicos are of coral origin, the sand is light-coloured and
soft. Volcanic islands, such as Hawaii or the eastern Caribbean, tend to
have
hard coarse sand.
Shell collecting is technically illegal, and you will probably not find
anything worthwhile on the main tourist beaches, such as Grace Bay and The
Bight (bight means Bay).
Some beaches have hazards, such as conchs (with dull, but pointy shells)
present in the Long Bay area, and sea urchins in the Thompson Cove and
Northwest Point areas. The main tourist beaches of Grace Bay and The Bight
don't have any hazards, other than power boats.
Conde Nast Traveler magazine rated Grace Bay beach "the best in the
world" and once you step onto it you'll agree too!
About our Beaches
- All beaches are free.
- Every single beach in the entire country is public, including beaches
in front of hotels and private homes. The government has allowed some
private individuals to shut down beach accesses (especially in the
Leeward area), but the beaches in front of the private residences are
still public (just a little harder to access).
- Fishing from the beach (or otherwise) is NOT allowed in the
national
parks (which cover most of coast). There are significant fines
(especially for foreigners).
- Some beaches are better than others for snorkeling. See our
Providenciales snorkeling article for more
information and maps.
- When swimming, be aware of boat movements in your area. Being hit by
a boat can be deadly.
- Public nudity is illegal (i.e. nude sunbathing).
Providenciales Beaches Interactive Map
The map below shows the various beaches on Providenciales. You can
mouse over areas of the map for a description, or scroll down the page
for a text version.
For information, mouse-over a highlighted beach.
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Beach Descriptions
The Bight (
)
Actually a continuation of Grace Bay beach, this beach is just about as nice and is
less populated while still being easy to get to. Great beach for swimming, snorkeling or walking.
The main access has a large paved parking area, children's playground, and
restrooms. Local kiteboarders can be seen here when the wind blows from the north. One
half mile to the east of the main access is the
The Bight Reef snorkeling
site, which has it's own parking area.
Blue Hills ()
This beach fronts one of the three original settlements on
Providenciales. Due to the large amounts of broken coral and sea plants,
this beach is not too good for either swimming or
snorkeling.
Blue Mountain ()
This beach ranges from rather good to poor. Some parts have a
excellent beach, whereas other have little or no beach, just the
rough ironshore. No good
snorkeling or swimming here.
Chalk Sound ()
Not really a beach, the Chalk Sound National Park area is a large shallow
lagoon with hundreds of small rocky islands. The shore here is almost
entirely of ironshore; however, there are a few little sandy patches. One
of the best areas on Providenciales for
kayaking.
Grace Bay Beach ()
The one, the only, the world famous Grace Bay Beach, the best in the
world. This is the best beach on Providenciales.
Leeward Beach ()
Leeward Beach is located at the Leeward (east) end of the island.
Getting to the beach is getting harder and harder as beach access
lanes are removed. However, fear not, remember that ALL
beaches on
Providenciales are free and public BY LAW.
Long Bay ()
This beach is not quite as nice as Grace Bay but is very popular with local
kiteboarders on windy days. The water is
shallow going out for quite a distance.
Malcolm Road ()
This remote beach is located near the Amanyara Resort, and is a long drive
down a dusty dirt road. Not the best for
snorkeling or
swimming, but usually deserted. Can be good for beachcombing.
One
quarter mile down the beach from the point is the inland
Northwest Point
Pond Nature Reserve, which is probably the best bird-watching site on the
island. Several small beaches are interspersed among the ironshore. Lots of
shells and junk wash up here, but be careful in the water as there can be
dangerous currents and waves. Beware of the last
half mile path along the coast to the point as most vehicles can easily get
stuck in the soft sand.
Sapodilla Bay ()
This beach is located in Sapodilla Bay, near South Dock and the
Rock Carvings.
Smith's Reef ()
This is a snorkeling beach near Turtle Cove with a small inshore
reef. The second best for
snorkeling, not especially great for swimming.
Taylor Bay ()
A beautiful 2000ft beach on the south coast of Providenciales. The water here tends to be very shallow and quite calm, so this can be a good beach for children. This area is also fascinating at low tide, as the sandy seabed is usually exposed in interesting patterns.
Thompson Cove ()
A small beach near Thompson's Cove. Generally poor overall; you should swim
with caution due to sea urchins. Good for shell-hunting at times.
Turtle Tail ()
This is a small quiet beach on the southern coast of Providenciales. The
water here is very shallow out to several small islands.
West Harbour ()
This remote beach is located at the scenic West Harbour Bluff area, and is a
great place for day trips and exploring the cliffs,
caves and centuries-old stone carvings. Adjacent to the north is the
Pigeon Pond and Frenchman's Creek Nature Reserve.
The last four miles of the ride out is through unique wetlands and salt
marshes. It's more than a seven mile drive down bad roads to the nearest store,
so be sure to bring drinks and food.