What to Do on Providenciales

Culture, Heritage and Attractions

For those interested in history, Providenciales has a few ruins from the 1800's scattered around the island.  Cheshire Hall is the main area and the only one easily accessible for tourists.  At Sapodilla Bay Hill there are rock carvings left by sailors in the 1800s, but these aren't easily accessible.  Note, however, that all these historic sights are rather insignificant and the average tourist will probably not find them worthwhile. 

Natural beauty areas exist, but these are usually not 'developed' for tourists (rough unpaved roads and no guided trails), and thus only suitable for the adventurous.  If you like exploring, be sure to visit some of the remote areas of the island such as Northwest Point or the Pirates Cave at West Harbour Bluff.

At the eastern end of the island is the world's only conch farm, with tours available plotting the life of this large and unusual marine snail that features in many local dishes.

Land Activities and Sports

Land sports include golf (both a professional 18 course and miniature golf), horseback riding, and tennis.  There are two sports centres with indoor basketball courts, and the National Stadium, which hosted the 2007 CARICOM Games.

Golfers will appreciate the beautiful 18-hole course designed by Karl Litton, which is ranked as on the 10 ten in the Caribbean and is the only 18-hole course in the country.

The Turks and Caicos are one of the few places where you can ride a horse on the beach and in the ocean. This is a highly recommended activity, both for those who've never ridden a horse and professional equestrians.

Water Activities and Sports

The geographical layout of Providenciales lends itself perfectly for all types of water activities. The huge Caicos Banks, which extend for miles south of Providenciales and about a mile north, provide calm shallow water that's just the right depth for boating, snorkeling and swimming. Divers can go beyond to the barrier reefs which sink into the abyss.

The main attraction is our truly beautiful beaches, the main and best one being Grace Bay Beach.  Once you get tired of laying on the beach or splashing about the water, try out our water activities, which include parasailing, hobi-cats, kayaking, paddleboarding, and much more. 

Fishing is one activity that takes a bit more planning and can cost a lot more than the others.  Three main types of fishing exist: sport fishing, bone fishing, and bottom fishing.  Bottom fishing is for edible fish, and there are several restaurants that will clean, prepare, and cook any fish you've caught for your dinner.

Tours, Excursions, and Island Day Trips

Several taxi operators provide general tours of the island, and there is another off-road style tour that takes visitors to the remote parts of the islands, mostly down rough, unpaved roads. 

Providenciales is just one of the 8 main islands in the Turks and Caicos. We recommend the short ride or paddle to the nearby Little Water Cay, also known as Iguana Island. Iguanas used to cover all the islands in the country, but the introduction of dogs and cats by humans has wiped them out on the islands populated by people and as a result small cays are their only homes now.

More adventurous visitors staying a bit longer might be interesting in day trips to North and Middle Caicos, and also Grand Turk or Salt Cay. These will take the entire day and are more expensive, especially Grand Turk and Salt Cay (as they are part of the further away Turks Islands and only accessible by plane), but they do have an entirely different feel and history to Providenciales.  Day trips to our other islands are highly recommended, especially to our capital island, Grand Turk.  Grand Turk has a completely different character and style to Providenciales, and is definitely worth a visit.