Things to do
Things to Do in Turks and Caicos: 15 Experiences Worth Your Time
The best things to do in Turks and Caicos: boat days to Iguana Island and Half Moon Bay, Chalk Sound, snorkeling, kiteboarding, Middle Caicos caves and more.
Most people come to Turks and Caicos for the beaches, and fair enough. But the islands reward anyone who looks a little further: uninhabited cays, a lagoon full of tiny limestone islands, shipwrecks, reefs, caves and a weekly street party. Here are our favourite ways to spend your days, most of them easy to arrange from Providenciales.
On the water
1. Spend a day on a private boat
If you do one thing, make it this. A private charter lets you set the pace: snorkel a reef, anchor off a deserted beach, walk a sandbar and come back for sunset. There are more than a hundred named cays, rocks and islands around the country, and the best of them are only reachable by boat.
2. Meet the rock iguanas on Little Water Cay
Little Water Cay, better known as Iguana Island, is a protected sanctuary for the Turks and Caicos rock iguana, a species found nowhere else in the world and listed as endangered. Boardwalks let you see them without disturbing their habitat. Please do not feed or touch them.
3. Swim at Half Moon Bay
Between Water Cay and Little Water Cay, Half Moon Bay is a crescent of soft sand with a calm lagoon, and one of the most beautiful spots you can reach by boat from Provo.
4. Visit the La Famille Express shipwreck
This rusting cargo ship sits in shallow water off the island's south side and has become one of the most photographed sights in the country. It is reachable by boat and makes a striking stop on a charter.
5. Snorkel the reefs
From shore, Smith's Reef and the Bight Reef are the easy options (see our beach guide). By boat, the barrier reef and marine parks offer clearer, deeper water and more marine life. Visibility is best on calm days.
6. Try kiteboarding at Long Bay
Steady trade winds and shallow, flat water make Long Bay one of the best places in the Caribbean to learn. Lessons are available for complete beginners; the winter months are usually windiest.
7. Go diving
The walls around Providenciales and West Caicos drop into deep blue water and are known for healthy reefs, turtles, rays and reef sharks. Dive shops on the island run trips for every level, including introductory dives.
8. Watch for whales (late December to early April)
Each winter, humpback whales pass through the Turks Island Passage on their migration. Grand Turk and Salt Cay are the best places to see them, and some tours also run from Providenciales. See when to visit for timing.
9. Paddle the canal at home
Some of the best moments need no booking at all. At Below Deck, kayaks and paddleboards are included, and turtles, rays and fish are often right off the dock.
On land
10. Explore Chalk Sound National Park
Chalk Sound is a shallow lagoon on Provo's southwest side, dotted with hundreds of small limestone islands rising from water so bright it looks unreal. It is free to visit, and the views from the road along its edge are spectacular. Paddling is the best way to see it up close.
11. Day trip to North and Middle Caicos
A short ferry ride takes you to North Caicos, quiet and green, and a causeway links it to Middle Caicos. With a rental car you can see a completely different side of the country in a day.
12. Walk the cliffs at Mudjin Harbour
On Middle Caicos, a coastal trail runs along limestone cliffs above Mudjin Harbour, with a hidden cave that opens onto the beach and the dragon-shaped Dragon Cay offshore. It is one of the most dramatic views in the islands.
13. Go underground at Conch Bar Caves
Also on Middle Caicos, Conch Bar Caves is the largest dry cave system in the Bahamas–Turks and Caicos archipelago, with large galleries and miles of passages. Visits are guided and there is a fee.
14. Ride, golf or go off-road
Horseback rides along the shore, buggy and UTV tours, and 18 holes at the Royal Turks and Caicos Golf Club all offer a break from the water. Your concierge can arrange any of them.
15. Thursday night at the Fish Fry
Every Thursday evening, locals and visitors gather in the Bight for the Fish Fry: food stalls, live music, local crafts and, of course, fried fish. Entry is free; arrive early because parking fills up, and bring some cash. More in our food guide.
A note on safety
Book boats, tubing and watersports with licensed, insured operators, keep a close eye on children around boat traffic, and do not leave valuables in cars at remote beaches. Every experience we arrange for guests is with operators we know and trust.
