The Ultimate Providenciales Travel Guide (Escape to T&C)
This is the The Ultimate Providenciales Travel Guide (Escape to T&C)!
Endless tones of turquoise, crystal-clear, calm, beautiful warm water with white sandy beaches and bright sunny skies = paradise found in Turks and Caicos. The Providenciales, Turks and Caicos is arguably one of the most, if not the most stunning Islands in the Caribbean.
I have visited Turks and Caicos twice and plan on going back for many years to come because of how much I love it. I have been in late December and in late April. Both times were equally incredible. Between December and April are the best times to go.
Here, I give you an ultimate guide to Turks and Caicos, Providenciales edition! I share some great places to stay, what you should do while in Turks, where to eat and shop and more!
Let’s get into it!
The Ultimate Providenciales Travel Guide (Escape to T&C)
Overview
Turks and Caicos is broken up into multiple Islands. Providenciales, North and Middle Caicos, South Caicos, Grand Turk (where cruise ships go), and Salt Cay.
A lot of people get confused with Grand Turk and the Providenciales. The difference between Grand Turk and Providenciales is Grand Turk is a popular diving area of the Islands and where the cruise ships dock. The Providenciales is known for its long, white sandy beaches with big resorts. The two are on opposite ends of the Turks and Caicos Islands.
The best times to travel to the Providenciales are between December and April. Weather is almost always hot and sunny, especially if you visit closer to April.
The Island is safe, I’ve never been worried while traveling there as a young woman. The locals are all so friendly. A lot of the locals speak broken French but can also speak English. I’ve never had a hard time communicating with anyone.
The currency used in Turks and Caicos is USD. Overall it’s pretty expensive to travel to Turks and Caicos, especially as of recently with how popular the Island is getting but believe me, it’s SO worth it!! Once you travel here you’ll be hooked!
Getting there
Fly into Providenciales International Airport.
When you arrive either take a shuttle to your resort, (most likely provided by the resort) or jump into one of the dozens of taxis waiting outside the airport.
Another option is to rent a car. I recommend doing so if you like to explore outside of our resort/rental. Driving in Turks is on the left but is safe, not too aggressive. Book your rental car ahead of time or you most likely won’t get one.
Where to stay
On the Providenciales, most of the resorts are located along the ocean on Grace Bay which is a great area of the Island to stay on. Travel and Leisure even named Grace Bay as the best beach in the world!
Looking to stay right on Grace Bay? Stay at the beautiful Alexandra Resort located right along the ocean’s edge with five star quality and service, great staff, beautiful and clean rooms; this is a great place to stay.
Another resort on Grace Bay I recommend staying at is the Seven Stars Resort & Spa. The Seven Stars is also in an awesome location and absolutely beautiful, you will not be disappointed staying here.
Another option is to check out VRBO or AirBnB, Turks and Caicos has so many beautiful rentals if you are looking to have more of your own space. I have done both; a rental and stayed at a resort and have been so happy with each.
If you are looking for a more quiet area to stay at, check out Leeward Settlement on Airbnb. A beautiful beach around the corner from Grace Bay. This area has more rentals and less big resorts.
Things to do
There is so much to do in Turks & Caicos. Home to one of the most beautiful beaches in the world you just have to decide how you want to experience it!
Spend your vacation relaxing all week long on the beach working on your tan and enjoying the blue water. Spend it exploring the Island to see all it has to offer and experience something new each day. Or spend it doing a nice mix of both! However you decide to spend your time here in Turks & Caicos you’ll have a blast.
Relax on the beach
Grace Bay is roughly three miles long, there is plenty of beach to find your own perfect slice of heaven on it. It’s truly a dream.
Bright white sand and endless shades of turquoise water, you’ll have the most amazing view relaxing here.
Grace Bay is so large it can’t be a crowded beach as a whole but it can get crowded in sections. In front of the very popular resorts you will see more people than other places. If you do feel like you need more space this beach is so big you can find it with just a short walk.
The sun is strong and the ocean water is very salty; make sure to wear lots of sunscreen and sunglasses!
Parasailing
Parasailing! Such a fun activity and what a beautiful place to do it in Turks & Caicos.
Book this excursion with Grace Bay Water Sports and they’ll come right to your hotel on the beach to pick you up, very convenient.
Great staff and they do a really good job keeping everyone safe and having fun. Enjoy the boat ride out and when it’s your turn to go up really take in those views! You can see a lot of the island from up there, keep an eye out for big fish in that clear, turquoise water!
Don’t forget to bring a GoPro and some cash for a tip.
Snorkeling
Book you snorkeling excursion with Caicos Dream Tours!
You will have a lot of fun and the staff does a great job. There are two time slot options: 9:00am – 1:00pm or 1:30pm – 5:30pm and they run everyday.
I’ve always done the 9am one and loved it. If you are staying along Grace Bay, they’ll come right to your hotel and pick you up and the closest dock.
On this tour you will snorkel in the third largest barrier reef in the world. The snorkeling is so good…clear, calm, beautiful and bright fish, so much to see!
The staff often dive down for conch, they show you how to harvest the meat and even make conch salad right on board! Light and delicious, the perfect snack out on the water.
You’ll visit Half Moon Bay, which is absolutely amazing… it’s hard to believe how beautiful it really is and you’ll come across iguanas which is cool. Beer, rum punch, soft drinks, water, snacks, fruit and lunch are all provided on board! A “must do” excursion!
Search for seashells
Turks and Caicos is home to the most beautiful, bright white shells I’ve ever found. There is roughly three miles of Grace Bay to walk…a lot of opportunity for shells and they are out there.
As you walk the coast you’ll come across quiet areas that have quite a bit of shells sitting along the ocean’s edge. Always bring a little backpack or tote because you never know when you’ll find an area that is full of beautiful shells!
I’ve gone on a walk more than once in Turks and came back with my hands full.
Get on a boat
At some point during your time in Turks & Caicos get out on a boat! Whether it’s the boat that takes you out for snorkeling, the boat to go parasailing, fishing, sunset sail or if you charter your own for a day; it doesn’t matter how just try and get on one!
Being on a boat shows you so much more of the beautiful Island and it’s a lot of fun being out on the water! If you are interested in chartering one for the day check out Lady K Luxury Charters.
Explore town
In town you’ll find beautiful art galleries, gift shops, little cafes and ice cream shops, jewelry stores, local shops, cigar and liquor stores, a nearby grocery store and more.
The little downtown area is a lot of fun to check out. These shopping plazas are mostly on Grace Bay Road, the Seven Stars Resort is a good landmark to look for to find the general area.
There is the Salt Mills Plaza, Graceway Plaza, Grace Bay Plaza, Le Vele Plaza, Ports of Call, and a few more. As you drive or walk down the street, you’ll see they are all located close by.
The town area is usually pretty quiet and laid back during the day. You can easily walk if you are staying close to the Seven Stars, if not it’s a quick bike ride. Venture into town to start off your day or in the afternoons for something new to do, it’s fun to see everything.
Rent a bike
The Providenciales is one of the Caribbean Islands where riding a bike around is just what you do! Since the first time I visited we realized this and found bikes right away and now whenever I return the first thing I do is rent a bike for my stay.
No matter where you are staying you should rent a bike if you are someone who likes to explore. Some of the resorts have them for guests to use but if not where you’re staying it’s very easy to rent one during your time there. Caicos Cyclery is a good place to rent from. Some of the bikes come with a basket on the front so try and ask for one of those, it’s nice to have.
A lot of the roads have very wide sidewalks that you can pop up onto a ride on to feel more safe in the busy areas but there are lots of quiet areas where you have the entire road to yourself.
Where to ride?
Ride your bike over to the grocery store if you need something or take it to get breakfast in town. I don’t recommend riding it actually on the beach, the sand is way too soft. You can ride it along the road down the coast and cut into beach access roads!
We found the most amazing secret beaches off the beaten path doing this that we definitely wouldn’t have found otherwise. When we first rented the bikes, unsure where to ride we would head in the direction toward the Seven Stars Resort and just keep on going until we arrived at Blue Haven Marina. This became one of our favorite rides that I would recommend doing.
Bring lots of water an wear your bathing suit under your clothes on your ride, it gets hot and feels so good to cool off in the ocean. You can explore and ride through beautiful neighborhoods, there is so much to see.
Walk the beach
With Grace Bay being over three miles long this is the perfect beach to go for long walks on!
Lather up with sunscreen, grab your sunglasses, some water and just start walking! The beach is always big enough to walk on no matter the tide.
Walk for hours if you want…check out all of the beautiful resorts along the beach and keep an eye out for cool things like sting rays swimming along the shoreline and beautiful shells.
Where to eat & drink
There are all kinds of different restaurant and bars on the Providenciales! If you decide to stay at a resort they will most likely have at least one restaurant and bar on site with amazing views of the beach. Some resorts even offer dinner on the beach, barefoot, in the sand…it’s the best.
For dinner, make reservations for places you really want to check out to assure you’ll get a table. There are restaurants all down Grace Bay, some in town and others off the beaten path. Cool little cafes and ice cream shops you have to checkout. You’ll see bars at most resorts where you can pop in and grab a drink.
Know that if a resort is all inclusive they might not allow you to eat or drink at their restaurants if you aren’t a guest.
Restaurants
- Shay Cafe: Located at Le Vele Plaza, E101, Grace Bay Rd, Grace Bay TKCA 1ZZ, Turks & Caicos Islands. An awesome breakfast place! Coffee, breakfast, lunch, smoothies and a great variety of gelato flavors. The owner and staff are very nice. Indoor and outdoor seating. Great vibes overall.
- Somewhere Cafe and Lounge: A T&C favorite of mine! Located next to the Coral Gardens Resort on Grace Bay. Great food, lunch or dinner or to just grab a drink. Often have live music at night, really nice staff and great vibes. Ask if you can sit up on the roof for some amazing views!
- Flamingo Cafe: Located next to the Ocean Club Resort. Laid back and fun place to stop in anytime of the day. Great food!
- Da Conch Shack: Located at: Blue Hills Rd, TKCA 1ZZ, Turks & Caicos Islands. A really fun restaurant with delicious, fresh food and awesome drinks!
- Cook at home: The Graceway Gourmet grocery store is a fully stoked grocery store with everything you’ll need to fill your kitchen on vacation. Stock up here on day one so you can make a meal at home if you don’t feel like going out.
Know before you go
- No alcohol sales on Sundays at stores
- The sand is really soft but so HOT so always have shoes with you during the days
- Island kitties roam around the resort and restaurants, they are so sweet
- Ask locals/staff about parties happening in town they are a lot of fun- The Island Fish Fry is my favorite!
- USD is the currency
- 20% tips are expected
- The ocean water is so beautiful but the salt is very strong
- Credit cards are accepted everywhere
- The weather is hot and the sun is strong here; don’t forget to reapply sunscreen often!
Turks and Caicos is one of the most special places in the world. The most perfect island escape. A destination I hope so many people can experience at least one time in their life.
The ocean is more beautiful than anywhere else I’ve been, it’s just amazing. There is just so much to explore, great people who make you feel at home and overall really good times on this Island.
Have you been to Turks and Caicos? If you what do you think of it!?
Comment below, let me know your thoughts and follow along on Instagram!
sierra
Hello there! It's wonderful to have you here. I'm Sierra, a NH native with a love for travel and adventure. I have a constant desire to explore beautiful places around the world and go on awesome adventures! I seek to inspire others to travel to see all the beauty and culture the world has to offer! 🌞⛰️🌼🫶🏼🦋🌲📸🥾💛
3 Comments
kmf
Love this informative guide on the Providenciales. I wasn’t aware of the differences between the islands. Good to know as I would prefer the white, sandy beaches.
Linda (LD Holland)
We have visited a lot of Caribbean islands but have sadly missed the Turks and Caicos. As underwater enthusiasts, we need to put Providenciales on our travel planning board. I might too want to visit over and over again. We would be headed underwater for some scuba diving for sure!
Rhonda
I have been to various countries in the Caribbean but not to Turks and Caicos. I do hear they have fabulous diving spots.