Exploring the Beaches of Providenciales

In March 2017, Grace Bay Beach was once again recognized as one of the best beaches in the world. In this case, TripAdvisor named Grace Bay as one of the world's top ten most breathtaking beaches. The combination of clear water, turquoise and emerald hues, and powdery sand of the beaches of Providenciales captures the heart of anyone who visits our island.

For many people Grace Bay Beach is the main reason to come to Turks and Caicos and the island of Providenciales. However, there are many other spectacular beaches await you here on Provo.

Introducing the Beaches of Providenciales

If you're interested in doing a little exploring, we have created this short guide to the more spectacular beaches of Providenciales.

Providenciales lies at the western end of a chain of islands in the Atlantic Ocean, just east of the Bahamas, about an hour by plane from Miami.

The Turks and Caicos Islands themselves are the tips of banks of sand that rise thousands of feet above the ocean floor.

The bank on which our islands sit is made from the remains of ancient corals and shelled creatures. The chalky limestone has eroded over time to give us the beautiful powdery sand that has made Grace Bay Beach such a desirable vacation destination.

The combination of brilliant white sand and shallow, crystal-clear water creates superb turquoise hues that have made our islands so famous.

Grace Bay Beach

Grace Bay lies on the northeast Leeward coast of Providenciales. As the name implies, the Leeward side of the island is less exposed to the trade winds.

Grace Bay is the perfect beach for relaxing or playing in the surf. The Palms at Grace Bay is located directly on Grace Bay Beach, which makes it popular if you have young children or just want to spend your time relaxing.

Coral Gardens and Bight Reef

Coral Gardens are quite close by to Grace Bay and lie about 15 minutes by foot down the beach to the east. The attraction of Coral Gardens is not just the powdery sand. There is some of the best snorkeling in Turks and Caicos, right off shore.

Bight Reef lies yet further to the west of Coral Gardens. Bight Reef is very close to the heart of town and is very popular with visitors to Providenciales, can get quite crowded.

The great thing about Bight Reef and Coral Gardens is that anyone can wade out to the shallow reef to look at the beautiful fish, including your kids.

The reefs area is well-marked with floats and buoys. When you're finished, cool drinks and snacks can be purchased just off the beach.

Turtle Cove and Smith's Reef

Smith’s Reef is right off the beach, just to the west of the marina at Turtle Cove. This beach is quieter than the area around Coral Gardens and the Bight, but the sand and turquoise waters are just as beautiful.

Smith's Reef extends about 350 feet out from the beach. The reef typically hosts a large number of friendly fish, slow-moving sea turtles, eagle rays and even the occasional spiny lobster. Water depth ranges from 3 to 16 feet, and the Bight Reef also features a snorkel trail. Markers anchored to the sea floor guide swimmers to beautiful corals.

There are three accesses here: one large parking lot, two smaller parking areas and three types of reef formations. Some reefs are close to beach, and some are farther out for more experienced swimmers.

Be sure to contact our concierge when planning a trip to Smith's Reef.

Blue Hills Beach

Continuing west past Turtle Cove, Blue Hills Beach is a pleasant place to spend an afternoon. Located at one of the three original settlements on Providenciales, scenic Blue Hills Road follows the ocean and provides memorable views.

Several popular restaurants are located on this beach, including the world-famous Conch Shack.

Once again, please contact our concierge before planning a trip to Blue Hills Beach.

Other Places to Explore Near the Palms Resort

This is just scratching the surface of all the fantastic places to explore on the island of Providenciales. On top of that, nearby Middle and North Caicos have their own beautiful beaches, all of which can be visited as part of a well-planned day-trip.

If you're looking for more things to do with your family, check out this list of kids activities near The Palms Resort.

‍Images courtesy of Flickr users Daniel Ross, Rian Castillo, Ben Ramirez. Images licensed by Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0).