Splash Into The Many Water Activities At Turks And Caicos
As an island paradise, Turks and Caicos offers up plenty of thrilling water activities that you can take part in during your stay at a Long Bay Beach vacation rental. From scuba diving exotic coral reefs to soaring across air and sea on a kiteboard, there’s something for everyone out in the waters of Turks and Caicos.
Read on to discover some of the many popular Turks and Caicos water activities, and be sure to check out our main Activities page to find more fantastic things to do on vacation!
Kiteboarding on Provodenciales
Provodenciales (Provo for short) in Turks and Caicos is one of the world’s finest kiteboarding destinations. The consistent east southwest trade winds combined with mostly calm, clear, and warm waters make kiteboarding fun and easy for all partakers. Whether you’re trying out the water sport for the first time, or you’re a seasoned kiteboarder, you’ll quickly come to love Provo’s exceptional kiteboarding scene.
Turks and Caicos visitors that are new to the sport should hit up Long Bay Beach. The waters here are extra calm and forgiving for first-timers, and the winds are consistent enough for anyone to start shredding quickly.
Long Bay Beach is also fun for more experienced kiteboarders, but there are other fun spots that offer more challenges to take on. Leeward Going Through at Leeward Beach has several cays and coves that are exciting to explore. However, there can be more boat traffic and currents here compared to Long Bay Beach, so beginners may want avoid this spot.
For more information on kiteboarding at Provo, or recommendations on where to rent gear, head to our Kiteboarding page.
Scuba Dive Turks and Caicos Reefs
Provo and the other Turks and Caicos islands provide exceptional year-round scuba diving opportunities. The waters off the islands are some of the clearest in the world with visibility reaching up to 200 ft on ultra-clear days. Plus, Turks and Caicos hosts one of the largest barrier reef systems in the world, and its dive sites are spread across more than 70 miles of walls and barrier reef.
With all that reef ecosystem comes plenty of exotic marine life. On dives it’s common to see incredible sea creatures such as lobsters, eels, sea turtles, eagle rays, and a variety of tropical fish. Dolphins and several shark species are also seen patrolling the reefs, and humpback whales can be seen in the winter months.
So, as you can see, Turks and Caicos has a lot of fantastic elements for divers to love. If you’re new to diving and want to try it out here, Provo is a great place to learn. There are many dive shops across the island with accredited instructors offering both PADI and SSI certification courses.
Just as with kiteboarding, there’s no bad time to go scuba diving at Turks and Caicos. That said, winter months tend to feature more opportunities for marine life, and summer months tend to have nicer weather (unless a hurricane rolls in).
For more great diving information, be sure to read our blog post, 4 Reasons Why You’ll Love Turks and Caicos Scuba Diving.
Snorkeling at Turks and Caicos
Here at Turks and Caicos, all of the perks associated with scuba diving also apply to snorkeling. However, snorkeling is much more accessible and approachable for all visitors to the islands. Anyone with a mask, snorkel and fins can explore the tropical waters right off of Provo on their own or with a tour group.
If you’re looking for a more budget-friendly activity during your stay, you can’t get much better than snorkeling right off Provo’s beaches. Not only is this completely free (minus any rental costs), but you can find plenty of exceptional snorkeling sites accessible from the beaches. Bight and Smith Reefs on the north coast are the best beach-accessible spots, but you’ll find great Provo snorkeling at Babalua Beach and Thompson’s Cove Reef.
Once you’ve explored all the beach-accessible spots around Provo, you may want to hop aboard a snorkeling tour. Although you’ll have to pay to join one, tours grant you access to the very best snorkeling sites around Turks and Caicos. Not only are the sites more amazing, but the water clarity is often higher due to the distance from the sandy shores. Some common sites for snorkeling tours include West Caicos Marine National Park, coral reefs near French Cay, the barrier reef off Grace Bay, and the Leeward Cut Reef.
TOP TIP: If you’re already on a scuba diving tour and want to max your time in the water, spend your surface interval snorkeling the sites you stop at. Plenty of sites are shallow enough for divers and snorkelers to enjoy.
More Things to Do
Those are just a few of the amazing water sports and activities you can try out during your stay at Turks and Caicos. Discover more incredible water activities on Provo and the other islands at VisitTCI.com’s water activities page. For more general things to do and local tips, be sure to browse our main Activities page as well as our blog.
Lastly, for your Turks and Caicos vacation, be sure to book a luxury villa or condo rental with Villa Esencia! Browse our vacation rentals to begin your perfect Turks and Caicos trip!