The beaches of Turks & Caicos have consistently ranked among the top beaches in the world and rightly so. Smooth white sand, turquoise blue water, palm trees, bounty of marine life, clear skies, peaceful & calm beaches; you name it and Turks & Caicos checks all the boxes for a perfect beach destination. This tropical paradise offers uncrowded beaches with unrestricted views and an abundance of exotic marine life thriving in the vibrant coral reefs surrounding the islands. There are seven main islands and about forty small islands that collectively make up Turks & Caicos. One of the reasons I think Turks & Caicos has been able to maintain its serenity and remain less ‘touristy’ as opposed to other Caribbean destinations is because the government does not encourage the proliferation of mega all-inclusive type resorts that have become the bane of many Caribbean destinations. The only chain resort that we saw right on Grace Bay was Beaches! Turks and Caicos is a British Overseas Territory with US Dollar being is its primary currency. Yes, you guessed it right, no currency exchange to deal with if you are travelling from the US, all major credit cards are accepted and there is no foreign exchange difference or fees to worry about.
Knowing that Grace Bay was ranked one of the top three beaches around the world we picked the island of Providenciales to stay at. Providenciales is more commonly known as “Provo” among the locals and is the most populated among the 7 islands of Turks & Caicos. Most international flights fly in and out of the Providenciales International Airport (PLS). We did not want to stay at yet another all-inclusive resort, so we rented a one bedroom apartment through Airbnb; I am so glad we made this choice. Our apartment was located right on Grace Bay Road and it was just a short walk from the beach. It was in a gated complex with a swimming pool, free bikes to ride around town, snorkeling gear and they provided a daily clean up service so it was as good as staying at a hotel. We made good use of the bikes to ride around town and get our groceries from the Graceway Gourmet Supermarket. There are some really nice restaurants & bars on Grace Bay Road, and in general, the restaurants are expensive. We liked the convenience of making our own breakfast and not having to leave the beach for lunch (there aren’t many beachside restaurants right on the stretch of Grace Bay we stayed at) and explored Providenciales restaurants for dinner. If you eat seafood, you should definitely try Conch (tastes similar to clams) since it’s a local delicacy, conch fritters and conch salad being two most popular dishes on the island.
Provo is famous for Smith’s Reef, Coral Gardens Reef, Turtle Cove, Princess Alexandra National Park, etc. You’ll find one of the best beaches towards the north shore of the island near Grace Bay. There are long coral reefs surrounding the island and they are full of colorful aquatic life and species. We really did not have to do much to have a great snorkeling experience; we just swam 10-15 feet off the beach towards the reefs to observe the beautiful underwater life. If you are new to snorkeling, just be careful to not step on any of the coral. The water is so salty here that your body will naturally stay afloat. We ventured on our own along the beach and went snorkeling near Smith’s Reef and did spot a lot of species very easily. The water is so clear that we were able to spot a few stingrays as we were walking along the shoreline of Grace Bay.
There are many activities available like scuba diving, speed boats, parasailing, jet ski rentals, kayaking, snorkeling, etc. Vendors approach people right on the beach, or there is always the option for getting referrals through your host or hotel. This was the first time we tried parasailing and it was the perfect place to do it. The water was so clear that as the parachute lifted us in the air, we could see the sea bottom and coral reefs. We were very lucky to spot a few dolphins as we were up in the air and it was a really great experience.
Here are some tips –
- If you want to try something other than an all-inclusive resort and want to live more like a local, Turks & Caicos might be a place to experiment – start your search at Airbnb and do check for reviews from previous renters
- Carry your snorkeling gear as there are plenty of spots where you can snorkel on your own
- If you need groceries, shop at Graceway Gourmet. You can find pretty much everything at this store and they even have excellent prepared meals, a large salad bar, etc.
- Try and book your taxi/cab to and from the airport online as it can be expensive if you just hail one upon arrival/departure
Once you visit Turks & Caicos you will agree that it is truly – Beautiful by Nature!
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