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Providenciales holidays
Caribbean beaches are, by their nature, beautiful… But none are voted the world’s prettiest as often as Grace Bay. And Providenciales is the island it calls home, where high-end spa hotels see you moments from white sandy shores and the blissfully calm big blue. Heaven on earth? As close as it gets.
- Flight time
- 12h
- From London
- Currency
- US$
- United States Dollar
- Time zone
- GMT -4h
Getting to Providenciales
Regular flights run from London Gatwick (LGW), stop briefly at Antigua’s V. C. Bird International Airport (ANU) and finish up at Providenciales International Airport (PLS) about 12 hours later. There isn’t a port here for cruise passengers, the main terminal is on Grand Turk. You will find marinas on Providenciales for private boats, including Turtle Cove, Leeward, South Side and Caicos Marina & Shipyard.
A lot of hotels include airport transfers with the cost of your stay. If not, taxis run from the air and seaports, which are metred and operate on a rate fixed by the government. Make sure yours is an official taxi, and not an unlicensed jitney before you get in. You can also rent cars from a number of companies like Avis and Sixt, which a lot of people opt for as a cheaper and more flexible way of exploring the island (driving is on the left, like in the UK).
For island hopping, the TCI Ferry runs between North, Middle and South Caicos. You can also charter boats for private transport. Domestic flights run from Providenciales to Grand Turk, which is ferry-linked to Salt Cay.
Average weather in Providenciales
- Temperature (°C)*
- Rainfall (Inches)*
Holidays in Providenciales
The brilliant thing about Provo is that the balmy evenings here can be as calm or crazy as you make them. Grace Bay has the liveliest and most diverse nightlife, home to the longest bar in the Caribbean – Infiniti Bar, at 90 feet – and the Casablanka Casino. Irish Bar Danny Buoys has TV screens for sports events, while beachside Somewhere gets bands and DJ’s in on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. There’s a growing evening scene at the Turtle Cove Marina - spend happy hour (usually 5-7 pm) at Shark Bite and you might see the sand sharks swimming below the balcony.
If you want to watch the sunset, our favourite places are Northwest Point, Malcolm's Road Beach and West Harbour Bluff. This is supposed to be one of the greatest places to spot the green flash, which shoots across the sea just as the sun drops below the horizon. With clear weather, close attention and a spot of luck, you could be in for a real treat.
One of the best ways to experience the food this island has to offer is the Thursday Fish Fry in the Bight Park. Local restaurants set up stands where they cook fresh street food, sell souvenirs and play music – it’s a super get together of tourists, Belongers and expats (and the conch fritters are incredible).
As you’d expect, there are some awesome beach restaurants on Providenciales - Bugaloo’s serve a delicious mix of grilled meat and seafood on the beach in Five Cays, while Somewhere on Grace Bay is a favourite for its pulled pork and sunsets. The Turtle Cove Marina has some lovely eateries on the waterfront, including Baci (tasty Italian), Shark Bite (BBQ) and Tiki Hut (try their Caribbean nachos) – and the ice creams at Jammin Gelato must be sampled at least once.
It’s possible to really push the boat out in Grace Bay, with Caribbean fine dining surrounded by palms (and surveyed by Coco the cat) at Coco Bistro and incredible Italian under twinkling festoon lights at Via Veneto. They create mesmerising masterpieces with fresh seafood and local flavours at Magnolia but don’t let that stop you from enjoying the view out to sea which will blow your socks off when the sunsets.
Though this island has a rep for expensive, posh eateries, there are tons of places where you can tuck into good food in a more chilled out environment. We love the lobster quesadillas at Mis Amigos and crack conch at Macky’s, while for pizzas, Mother’s do delivery to most of the hotel areas.
You’ve come to the right island if you want to shop in Turks and Caicos, as the bulk of browsing and buying takes place in the Grace Bay area. Neighbouring Salt Mills Plaza and Regent’s Village are your main hubs – in the former, check out Anna’s Art Gallery, where local artist Anna Bourne displays and sells her paintings, silk scarves, jewellery and other goodies. We like the Blue Surf Shop too, selling all the big beach brands and local brand Konk Apparel sunglasses. Regent Village has a similar collection of stores, with creative masterpieces at Art Provo and Making Waves, jewellery at Jai’s and clothes at Caicos Wear. There’s also the pirate-themed Ports of Call plaza, Le Petite Place and Caicos Café Plaza, which together have a collection of restaurants and gift shops. East of Grace Bay, Alverna’s Craft Market on Dolphin Drive sells a range of bags, toys, jewellery, art and souvenirs made all over the Caribbean.
Activities in Providenciales
We could easily spend all week snoozing on the beach in the Providenciales, but when you see the number of activities available, sitting still isn’t so easy...
Watersports
Diving in Providenciales
The diving is incredible in this neck of the woods – most local instructors have been exploring these waters for decades, to the point that wild dolphins recognise them and swim up to say hello. Companies like Big Blue Unlimited and Dive Provo provide PADI lessons and run trips near and far, from the reefs and cays surrounding the island to West Caicos and French Cay. One of the closest sites is the Grace Bay area, where Graceland is good for spotting reef sharks and Aquarium brims with grunts and snappers.
At North West Point, the Amphitheatre has a dramatic vertical wall and mix of pillar coral, black coral and elephant ear sponges. As its name suggests, Hole in the Wall is a crack in the rock face that you can swim through. Further out, there’s awesome visibility around Pine Cay, where Football Field unveils the colourful ocean floor with a steep wall for contrast.
French Cay’s Half Mile Reef stretches out from the east of the island, with barracuda, snappers and enormous sponges. Trips also run over to West Caicos which has dozens of sites – we love the Highway to Heaven dive, a deep site featuring arches of coral, swim through holes, rays, eels and sharks.
Snorkelling trips are easy to find, taking you to the reef off Bight Beach and Smith’s Reef near Turtle Cove – both areas burst with colour, often visited by hawksbill turtles, rays, eels, parrotfish and lionfish.
Surfing in Providenciales
Though a few Belongers and expats make a beeline to certain spots when the wind’s up, there’s not much of a surf scene on Provo. If you bring your own board (we haven’t found anywhere offering hire yet), and pray for good swell, the spot off Leeward Beach sometimes sees 3-6 foot waves and has soft sand underneath. It’s also possible to ride the reef off the north of the island, but with coral and changing tides you’ll want someone watching out for you.
The SUP scene however grows more and more each time we visit – paddleboarding races are now part of the Windvibes competition and a lot of companies provide hire, tuition and tours. Our favourite place to paddleboard is Chalk Sound, with its insanely blue water and hundreds of tiny cays to roam around. You’ve also got the stunning mangroves of the Princess Alexandra Nature Reserve (to the east), which includes Donna Cay and its residents the Turks and Caicos Rock Iguana. And there’s Frenchman’s Creek (to the west), where sharks, turtles and pelicans can be spotted. All in all - you could come back here for years and still find new, spectacular places to paddle.
Windsurfing & kitesurfing in Providenciales
Conditions here are amazing for kite and windsurfing – the former’s become one of the most popular island activities (there’s even a yearly festival celebrating it called Windvibes), while windsurfing’s less in demand but still an absolute blast.
All the kiteboarding companies – including Kitesurf TCI, TC Kiteboarding, KiteProvo and Big Blue Unlimited – are based on Long Bay, where you can hire equipment, book an IKO certified instructor, join jet-ski assisted lessons or set off on safaris (to the Caicos Cays and Middle Caicos) and downwinders (to Turtle Tail). Kitesurf TCI also offer windsurfing lessons here. If you could dream up the prettiest beach with the smoothest conditions, it would look a lot like Long Bay. The waters are shallow and almost still, with consistent side-on south-easterlies giving terrific on and cross-shore conditions. And the beach suits its name, with plenty of space to roam (even in the rare event that there are over a dozen kiters at one time).
When the north easterlies come to town, Grace Bay is amazing. The water is slightly deeper here, and the bay stretches for miles and miles with some choppy bits for chop hopping and wave riding. Experienced riders can play on the waves of the north shore reef (about a mile offshore), which is awesome when the swell’s up. If you’ve hired a car, head to the crazy calm waters of Turtle Tail or the incredibly blue Chalk Sound on the south coast. North West Point also gets strong side offshore winds, with waves breaking on the reef when the wind’s up. Getting a boat or kayak to Half Moon Bay’s another brilliant option – the south side is calm-as-can-be and the experience of surfing a deserted beach between two cays is something special.
Sailing in Providenciales
Sailors, rejoice – this is the main island for sailing in all Turks and Caicos, and navigating the waters near and far is but a dream. The Turks and Caicos Sailing Association are based in Grace Bay, where they provide tuition and sailing supervision. Waterplay Provo can be found here too, running Hobie Cat lessons – trust us, learning on one of the prettiest beaches in the world makes for a magnificent start to a sailing career. If you’re sailing into Provo, you can dock at the Turtle Cove Marina and nearby Blue Haven Marina on the north of the island, Heaving Down Rock Marina on the east (where ferries to North and Middle Caicos run from), or South Side Marina and Caicos Marina (the place for repairs) on the south. Companies like Sail Beluga and Sun Charters run catamaran charters if you’d like a qualified crew running things, with half and full day options available as well as evening tours. For festivities and friendly competition, head here during the Fools Regatta in June and watch – or join – the laser and Hobie races.
Fishing in Providenciales
Within a couple of miles of the coast, the seabed suddenly drops thousands of feet down - which when it comes to deep sea fishing is fantastic. Tuna, marlin, mahi mahi, wahoo, sailfish and swordfish are common catches, and plenty of Provo based companies (like Sea Spice, Grand Slam, Bite Me and Hook Em) provide charter with all the gear you’ll need from the Blue Haven and Turtle Cove marinas. Shore fishing is permitted in a few locations, Heaving Down Rock being the easiest to access and Bird Rock and South Dock being quieter but further out. For bone fishing, head to the shallows off the south coast – Flamingo Lake, Juba Sound, Turtle Lake and Cooper Jack are the top spots. Local company Catch the Wave from the Heaving Down Rock Marina provide guided bone fishing as well as reef fishing. Seasonal activities include diving for lobster (August – March) and conch (November – July). If you like the buzz of competition, come here for the Winter Wahoo Fishing tournament at Turtle Cove.
Canoeing & kayaking in Providenciales
There’s something about Providenciales that makes kayaking nothing short of fantastic. Scrap that, there are a LOT of things. Top notch companies (like Big Blue Unlimited) for one, who operate from Grace Bay, Long Bay and a number of the beach hotels with a fleet of fine kayaks (mostly sit-ons) and could paddle the prettiest, most exciting routes blindfolded. Secondly, there’s the simply gorgeous water you’ll paddle through – turquoise and tranquil around the Princess Alexandra Nature Reserve on the north coast, flanked by tropical mangroves around Frenchman’s Creek to the west and peppered with tiny weeny islands down south in Chalk Sound. Animals contribute fabulously, from the herons and pelicans overhead to the turtles, rays, lemon sharks, dolphins – even whales – you can see in the water. It’s a terrific way to see the islands from the water, and you could spend months paddling here and still find new sights.
Land activities
Golf in Providenciales
Providenciales is home to the only 18-hole golf course in Turks and Caicos: the Provo Golf Club in Grace Bay (6729 yards, par 72) was designed by Karl Litten and opened in 1992. Home to herons and flamingos and featuring rugged limestone, a thousand tall palms and seven lakes in play on twelve holes, it’s a spectacular course with a classic Caribbean feel. There are ten bunkers, and hole 14 has been crowned the signature, also happening to be the most challenging par four you’ll play with wind, water and a lake to navigate. Investment and a devoted upkeep have seen the course grow to include a practice green, chipping areas and an excellent club house. Tournaments throughout the year include the President’s Championship (in January), the Provo Ryder Cup (October) and the Club Championship (November). Other than that, the rest of the nation’s golfing takes place on the 9-hole course of the Waterloo Golf Club on Grand Turk, which you can reach by plane.
Cycling & mountain biking in Providenciales
Mountain biking’s a no-go on Provo – the top height of the island is a gently sloping 50 metres – but if you’re seeking coastal cruising, you’re in luck. The roads are safest in the Grace Bay, Bight and Turtle Cove areas to the north, and though you can still cycle elsewhere, be prepared for rougher roads and faster drivers. Caicos Cyclery in Grace Bay’s Saltmills Plaza is the island’s main bike shop, providing tours and rentals (MTB, hybrids, kids bikes, cruisers, triathlons, tandems). There’s a good twelve-mile route from the shop to Turtle Cove, and they also run an Iron Man 42-mile circuit of the island. One of our favourite bike routes is from northwest point to Heaving Down Rock on the east edge of the island, which takes a couple of hours via Down Town and Grace Bay. You can also ride from Wheeland to West Harbour or from Down Town to Sapodilla Bay for a glimpse of the south coast. Cycling isn’t limited to this island, and if you take a day trip to North Caicos (Big Blue Unlimited run tours, or you can get the ferry from the Heaving Rock Marina), there’s a gorgeous route along the western end of the island, passing the Sandy Point and Pumpkin Bluff beaches as well as the tiny villages of Kew and Whitby, the historic Wades Green Plantation and Cottage and Flamingo Ponds. Another option is to take a 20-minute flight to South Caicos, where you can cycle around salt ponds and beautiful, empty beaches.
Walking & hiking in Providenciales
From walks along the sandy beaches to fabulous coastal viewpoints and fascinating caves, Provo has plenty to explore a pied. Bight Beach, Grace Bay and Leeward Beach merge into one another on a glorious stretch of white sand and gentle water, with dozens of restaurants and beach bars to stop off at along the way. The island’s official hiking trail takes you 1.3 miles through the bushland and wetland of the Bird Rock Heritage Field, leading to a limestone lookout point over Bird Rock on the eastern edge. There are also some paths near Northwest Point, featuring saltwater ponds, fossils and lots of bird-spotting opportunity (pelicans, herons and osprey are common sightings). Around Frenchman’s Creek, you can explore wetlands, cliffs and karst sinkholes. To the southwest, West Harbour Bluff (aka Pirate’s Cove) is the site of fascinating cliffs, caves (some used as pirate hideouts) and rock carvings (maybe leading to long-forgotten treasure…). It’s well worth island hopping to hike further afield, whether it’s flying to Grand Turk to walk the lighthouse path, flying to South Caicos to explore the north peninsular or getting the ferry to Middle and North Caicos for routes to ruined plantations, deserted beaches and lakes.