Experience the Best Turks & Caicos Beaches
Turks & Caicos is known for its incredible white sandy beaches. The beaches here are perfect for relaxing in the sun and taking leisurely strolls between other island activities throughout the day. And they’re of course outstanding places to snap some photos on your trip.
The other thing that makes Turks & Caicos so great is that all beaches across the country are public and free to access. In some cases, you may not be able to access a beach through private land, but all beaches are public up to the high tide mark where vegetation starts growing.
Providenciales Beaches
Of the many islands that make up Turks & Caicos, our home island of Providenciales offers the most beaches as well as the most popular beaches in the country. Of Provo’s many beaches, the most accessible are those on the eastern half of the island. There are still a handful of exceptional beaches on the western half, but they are more remote and harder to access.
Although Provo isn’t a particularly large area, there is decent variety in the types of beaches you’ll come across here. Some beaches are quite wide with deeper, clearer water and sandy ocean floors. Others feature lush seagrass and rockier bottoms just offshore that make for fun snorkeling. And there are a few that have exceptionally shallow waters with fine sand grains on the ocean floor.
Long Bay Beach
Located on the southeast side of Provo is the exquisite 3-mile Long Bay Beach. In addition to generally being a stunning Caribbean sandy beach, Long Bay is immensely popular amongst new and experienced kiteboarders. Conditions on the water are often mild and smooth, with just enough breeze to take off with ease on your kiteboard. Plus, Long Bay Beach has clear shallow waters, meaning that you can back up easily if you fall into the water.
Villa Esenscia’s luxury villas and suites are all located within short walking distance of Long Bay Beach. Whether you’re looking to spend time relaxing on the beach or taking thrill-rides on a kiteboard, a Villa Esencia’s rentals place you in the perfect spot to do so.
Grace Bay Beach
Regarded as one of the finest beaches in the world, Grace Bay Beach is by far the most famous Turks and Caicos beach. The reasons for it’s massive acclaim are the pristine conditions beneath the water’s surface. Under the crystal-clear and calm surface lies a perfect sandy bottom free of rocks, seaweed and debris. These conditions give Grace Bay Beach an incredibly vibrant turquoise glow that’s a magnet for people’s eyes.
Combine those supreme water features with the gorgeous nature of the beach itself, and it’s easy to see why Grace Bay has a reputation as one of the world’s best beaches. For your visit, make sure to make at least two visits to Grace Bay Beach. One visit to walk the shores in the calm morning air, and another visit to catch a glorious Grace Bay sunset.
Leeward Beach
Continuing past east end of Grace Bay Beach is exceptional Leeward Beach. Although Leeward doesn’t have the same acclaim as Grace Bay, conditions here are on par with it’s more famous sister beach. The water is just as clear, the sand just as fine, and there are generally far fewer people crowding the beach. In some ways, you might even enjoy yourself more taking a dip at Leeward Beach.
The one chink in Leeward’s armor is that there are fewer access points to the beach. As mentioned at the top of the page, all beaches in Turks and Caicos are public, but some beaches like Leeward Beach are sparse with public access points. That said, you can still get to the beach with relative by either walking in from Grace Bay, or by using the public access points: Stubb’s Point (Pelican’s Beach), Pelican Point, and Leeward Going Through.
Bight Beach
Just west of Grace Bay Beach is Bight Beach. This is another fantastic beach that offers beautifully clear water and great sandy beaches. Unlike Grace Bay and Leeward, Bight Beach actually has a few features spaced across its sandy bottom. Sea grass grows beneath the surface approximately 75 feet out from the beach, and that sea grass hosts a wide array of aquatic life. At the east end of the beach there is also a famous coral reef called The Bight Reef (Coral Gardens), where more marine life flourishes.
All those elements make Bight Beach a wonderful spot for snorkeling. In addition to many vibrant tropical fish species, you can see sea turtles, starfish, rays, and even Nurse Sharks cruising around. So long as you keep a respectful distance from these animals and don’t provoke them, you should be able to admire them with ease.
One thing to be aware of with all these beaches, especially those close to the big resorts, is the boat traffic just offshore. Unfortunately, there are many careless boaters cruising around off of Providenciales’ beaches, and they can be dangerous to those out enjoying our refreshing waters. Stay alert and aware while swimming, snorkeling, or kiteboarding.