Colibri Oasis
Gated 3-bedroom villa with a semi-private pool, about a 7-minute walk to Grace Bay Beach.
Local guide · Providenciales
Things to Do in Grace Bay & Turks and Caicos
Here’s what we tell guests at Colibri Oasis in Grace Bay and Shore Thing Condo in Turtle Cove, from easy beach mornings to day trips across the cays.
Providenciales (“Provo”) is small enough to explore in a week and beautiful enough that you’ll want longer. Most days start at the beach, but there’s a lot more to the island: reefs you can swim to from shore, an island run by iguanas, a turquoise lagoon, a Thursday-night street party and two sleepy neighbouring islands a short ferry ride away.
Header photo: Grace Bay Beach by Coolcaesar / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
Beaches
Beaches in Grace Bay & Providenciales
Grace Bay Beach
The island’s famous stretch of soft white sand runs along the north shore of Providenciales and sits inside Princess Alexandra National Park. The water is usually calm and clear enough for easy swimming, so it’s the beach most visitors return to again and again. From Colibri Oasis it’s about a 7-minute walk.
Long Bay Beach
On the southeast side of Provo, Long Bay is remarkably shallow, with a sandy bottom you can wade across for a long way. It’s also the island’s kiteboarding hub.
Sapodilla Bay & Taylor Bay
These two sheltered bays near Chalk Sound have calm, shallow water, which makes them a favourite with families travelling with small children.
Turtle Cove & Smith’s Reef
Staying at Shore Thing Condo? The beach by Smith’s Reef is close by, and it doubles as one of the island’s best shore-snorkel spots.
Boat tours · our partner
Book a boat day with Sand Dolla Tours
Our friends at Sand Dolla Tours run private boat tours from Blue Haven Marina in Leeward: island hopping to Iguana Island and the barrier reef, snorkel and sandbar trips to Half Moon Bay, sunset cruises, Noah’s Ark floating beach club and Twin Island days to North & Middle Caicos.
Tours
See all Sand Dolla tours
Website
sanddollatours.com
Also see Island Hopping, Sunset Cruise and Twin Island on our Experiences page.
Snorkeling
Snorkeling from shore
Bight Reef (Coral Gardens)
The easiest and most popular shore snorkel on Providenciales. A coral ridge lies a short swim off the beach in The Bight, and turtles and rays are often seen. Reach it from Penn’s Road or Stubb’s Road off Lower Bight Road; parking is free. Stay outside the buoyed conservation area and remember there’s no lifeguard.
Smith’s Reef (Turtle Cove)
A little more challenging, with healthier coral and three public access points. Keep well clear of the Turtle Cove Marina channel, where boats come and go.
Reef tips: go early on a calm day, never touch coral or turtles, and wear reef-safe sunscreen.
On the water
Boat days & island hopping
Little Water Cay (“Iguana Island”)
A protected sanctuary for the endemic Turks and Caicos rock iguana, managed by the Turks and Caicos National Trust. Boardwalk trails let you see the iguanas up close. A small visitor fee applies, and please don’t feed or touch them.
Half Moon Bay
Right next to Little Water Cay, this lagoon and sandbar is a classic stop for swimming and wading in impossibly clear water.
La Famille Express shipwreck & the barrier reef
A popular photo stop on boat tours, plus snorkel stops along the barrier reef that you can only reach by boat. A private charter lets you set the pace.
Nature
Chalk Sound National Park
On the southwest side of Providenciales, Chalk Sound is a shallow lagoon of startling turquoise water dotted with small limestone islets. It’s free to visit. The best way to see it is from a kayak or paddleboard, or over lunch at one of the spots that overlook the water.
You’ll need a car to get there. Pair it with an afternoon at nearby Sapodilla Bay or Taylor Bay.
Active days
Water sports
Kiteboarding at Long Bay
Shallow water and steady trade winds make Long Bay one of the best places in the Caribbean to learn to kite, and several schools work right on the beach. (Chalk Sound is not suitable for kiting.)
Paddleboarding & kayaking
Grace Bay is glassy on calm mornings, and the mangroves around Leeward are a peaceful paddle.
Parasailing & scuba diving
See Grace Bay from above on a parasail, or dive the walls off Providenciales and the West Caicos Marine National Park with a local dive operator.
Food & local flavour
Thursday Fish Fry & where to eat
Thursday Fish Fry
Every Thursday evening the island gathers at Stubbs Diamond Plaza on Sibonne Road in The Bight for local food, live music and Junkanoo. Entry is free; bring cash.
Da Conch Shack, Blue Hills
Conch prepared every which way and rum punch with your toes in the sand. Hours vary, so check before you go.
Grace Bay & Turtle Cove dining
Around Grace Bay, Regent Village, Saltmills Plaza and the Grace Bay Road strip are packed with restaurants and cafés, many within walking distance of Colibri Oasis. In Turtle Cove, Shark Bite, Baci and Mango Reef are a short walk from Shore Thing Condo.
Day trip
North & Middle Caicos day trip
A passenger ferry runs from Heaving Down Rock Marina in Leeward to Bellefield Landing on North Caicos in about half an hour. Pick up a rental car when you land; a causeway links North Caicos to Middle Caicos.
- Mudjin Harbour: dramatic cliffs, a hidden beach cave and a coastal trail
- Conch Bar Caves: the largest dry cave system in the Bahamas–Turks and Caicos archipelago, visited with a guide
- Indian Cave, Cottage Pond (a blue hole) and the ruins of Wade’s Green Plantation
- Quiet beaches: Bambarra, Pumpkin Bluff and Hollywood
Tips: avoid Sundays (limited ferries, many places closed), bring bug spray, and fill up on gas. North Caicos has few gas stations and Middle Caicos has none. Prefer to leave the driving to someone else? Sand Dolla Tours’ Twin Island day covers North and Middle Caicos, including the Conch Bar Caves.
On land
History, golf, riding & shopping
- Cheshire Hall Plantation: the stone ruins of a late-1700s Loyalist cotton plantation on Leeward Highway, managed by the Turks and Caicos National Trust
- Golf: the Royal Turks and Caicos Golf Club
- Horseback riding on the beach
- Exploring by jeep or e-bike to the island’s quieter corners
- Shopping: shops and restaurants at Regent Village and Saltmills Plaza
Where to stay
Stay close to it all
Walk to Grace Bay Beach from our villa, or stay by Turtle Cove Marina and Smith’s Reef at our condo.
Shore Thing Condo
Modern condo with a balcony, rooftop pools and jacuzzi, near Turtle Cove Marina and Smith’s Reef.
FAQ
Good to know
Do I need a car in Grace Bay?
Not for everything. From Colibri Oasis you can walk to Grace Bay Beach, shops and restaurants. For Chalk Sound, Sapodilla Bay, Long Bay, the Fish Fry or the North Caicos ferry, plan on a rental car or taxi, since there’s no public transport on Providenciales.
Can you snorkel from the beach in Grace Bay?
Yes. Bight Reef (Coral Gardens) in The Bight is the easiest shore snorkel on Providenciales, with a coral ridge close to the beach. Smith’s Reef in Turtle Cove, near Shore Thing Condo, is a little more challenging and has healthier coral. Neither has a lifeguard, so go on calm days and snorkel with a buddy.
How do I get to Iguana Island?
Iguana Island is Little Water Cay, a nature reserve managed by the Turks and Caicos National Trust. You reach it by boat, usually as part of a tour. Sand Dolla Tours’ island-hopping trips stop there. A small visitor fee applies, and you explore along boardwalk trails.
Can I visit North Caicos in a day?
Yes. A passenger ferry runs from Heaving Down Rock Marina in Leeward to Bellefield Landing on North Caicos in about half an hour. Rent a car when you land and cross the causeway to Middle Caicos. Avoid Sundays, when ferries are limited and many places are closed. Or let Sand Dolla Tours take you on its Twin Island day.
When is the Fish Fry?
Every Thursday evening at Stubbs Diamond Plaza on Sibonne Road in The Bight. Entry is free; bring cash for food and drinks.
Hours, fees and ferry schedules change, so check with operators before you go. Ideas for this guide came partly from Visit Turks and Caicos Islands. Location photos on this page are by the photographers credited under each image, used under the Creative Commons licences linked there; photos were resized, not otherwise altered.
Make Grace Bay your home base
Tell us your dates and group size and we’ll confirm what’s open at Colibri Oasis or Shore Thing Condo.
Inquire