I have visited quite a few islands in the Caribbean, and one of the things that stands out most about them is their exceptional beaches. However, I can honestly say there is no other beach quite like the beaches found in Turks and Caicos. Today, I’m taking this even further and introducing you all to the best of the best beaches in Turks and Caicos.
I like to describe Turks and Caicos beaches as what you would imagine a Caribbean beach to be but multiplied. If you’ve seen every beach in the Caribbean except for Turks and Caicos beaches, you have not seen anything. Before I talk about Turks and Caicos up too much, though, I should probably tell you which beaches in Turks and Caicos are what I have just described.
Best Beaches Up Front
If you’re looking for which island has the best beaches for you to stay on during your Turks and Caicos vacation, Providenciales has them. There is the famous Grace Bay Beach on Providenciales that you have most likely seen in photos. Plus, Bight Beach for some fantastic snorkeling and Long Bay Beach for great beginner kite surfing.
Turks and Caicos Islands
There are six different islands that you can stay on in Turks and Caicos, and while they all have mesmerizing beaches, they all have their own unique features. I have included beaches from each island in my list of best beaches below. To help you decide which island is best for you to stay on, I have gone over the main differences between each here.
Providenciales
If you are looking for strictly a beach vacation and not much else, this is the island to stay on. You’ll find the best of the best beaches here, and each one has its own unique activity to go along with it, from beachcombing to kite surfing. The award-winning Grace Bay Beach is also found on this island.
Grand Turk
Grand Turk is the island that the cruise ships stop on, so it is not one that I would prefer to stay on for its beaches. They get busy when ships are at the port with tourists, but there are a few unique things you can do here. They have some remarkable history, like Her Majesty’s Prison and the Grand Turk Lighthouse. They also have a sting ray encounter at Gibbs Cay.
North Caicos
North Caicos has some of the windiest beaches because of the Northeast trade winds, but it also has some unique coastal features. You can find flamingos off King’s Road, Bottle Creek Lagoon with their ultra turquoise waters, and Three Mary’s Cay (a lineup of three small islands). I may not choose North Caicos for their beaches, but they definitely have a few things I would love to see.
Middle Caicos
Middle Caicos is an explorer’s dream compared to the other Turks and Caicos islands. It is home to one of the largest cave systems in all of the Caribbean, the Conch Bar Caves. It also has some of the prettiest coastal terrains with limestone sea cliffs and sea caves you can walk to. You can also find one of the largest ocean blue holes in the world here, double the size of Belize’s Great Blue Hole.
South Caicos
South Caicos has the most difficult-to-reach beaches, with many needing four-wheel drive vehicles are a long hike to get to them. That being said, it is one of the most tranquil and secluded islands in Turks and Caicos. You can also find some remains from the Turks and Caicos salt industry and unique coastal landscapes.
Salt Cay
Salt Cay is known for its salt salinas left over from when the salt industry was still active here. It is now abandoned, and you can take a tour that tells you about its history and find salty reminisces all over the island. The beaches here are not its main feature, so they can be slightly challenging to get to, but if you don’t mind walking a little, it’s not that bad.
Criteria for the Best Beaches
I don’t think you could go wrong with any beach in Turks and Caicos, but there are a few things that I like to point out that differentiate Turks and Caicos beaches. Below I will go over what I looked for when finding the best beaches in Turks and Caicos. You’ll also see that I included beaches from each island, so you can find the best beach no matter where you’re staying.
Variety in Activities
There is so much that you can do at a beach other than the typical relaxing on sun-warmed sand with the waves crashing at your feet. Turks and Caicos have a little bit of everything regarding beach activities, such as kite surfing, snorkeling, and kayaking. No matter what you’re ideal beach day looks like, there is a beach for you here.
Clean
When I say “Clean,” I mean more than there’s no trash on the beach. Personally, I’m not too fond of a beach full of seaweed, rocks, and anything else that could obstruct the beautiful waters and sand associated with Caribbean beaches. The best beaches I’ve chosen are clean of trash, ocean junk, and super rocky sea floors.
Not too Crowded
One of the biggest annoyances of any beach vacation is being unable to find an open spot to place your beach chair and umbrella. I like to have at least a ten-foot diameter all to myself when choosing a place to plant myself on the beach. You won’t find a beach here that doesn’t allow you to have the same space.
Easy to Get to
While most of the beaches on Turks and Caicos islands are pretty accessible, a couple of islands have difficult-to-reach beaches. You either have to have a four-wheel drive vehicle or hike to some of these beaches. I don’t know many people who want to deal with that on their beach vacation, so all the beaches I’ve included are accessible by any car and a short walk.
The Best Beaches in Turks and Caicos
While nearly all of the beaches in Turks and Caicos are some of the best in the world, several are the best of the best. It was challenging to narrow this list down to the nine I have included because I wouldn’t say any of the beaches in Turks and Caicos are bad.
1. Grace Bay Beach, Providenciales
If you typed Caribbean beach into your search engine and looked at the photos, you will probably scroll by a picture of this beach. It is the epitome of a stereotypical Caribbean beach, with some of the most pristine white sands and the bluest waters you’ve ever seen. It also has many activities, like boat excursions to the nearby coral reef, sailing, and sunset cruises.
Pros:
- It has been awarded the number one beach in the world multiple times.
- The coral reef a mile out keeps the waters calm and safe.
- One of the cleanest beaches you will ever find.
- It runs into numerous other beaches, making it seem highly long.
- Almost all of the beachfront resorts in Providenciales are on Grace Bay.
Cons:
- It can get a little crowded because it is the most famous beach in Turks and Caicos.
2. Bight Beach, Providenciales
Bight beach is home to the Bight Reef and is connected to Grace Bay Beach on the west. Unlike Grace Bay, you can do some really great snorkeling on Bight Beach, where you may find turtles, stingrays, starfish, and nurse sharks. The water here is just as calm and clear as the water at Grace Bay, so you won’t have any trouble swimming around the reefs and seeing all the ocean life.
Pros:
- Home to the Bight reef, where you can see different types of coral and marine life.
- The beach is super clean with white sands until you start swimming into the reef.
- Calm waters make it easy to float on the surface while snorkeling.
- Easily accessible with a huge parking lot.
- If you want more snorkeling, Smiths Reef is connected to the west side of the beach.
Cons:
- If snorkeling, stay aware of boat users in the area.
3. Long Bay Beach, Providenciales
If you are looking for an exciting adventure during your beach vacation, try kite surfing at Long Bay Beach. This beach is exposed to the Northeast trade winds that, when mixed with Turks and Caico’s spotless beaches, create perfect conditions for this sport. You can also see the La Famille Express shipwreck from this beach.
Pros:
- The Northeast tradewinds go through this beach, making it perfect for kite surfing.
- Shallow beach, so it’s excellent for beginner kite surfers.
- Spotless, with no rocks or seaweed to obstruct your kite surfing.
- You can spot a shipwreck about a mile off the coast here.
- This beach is a bit more secluded than the others on Providenciales.
Cons:
- Not ideal for swimming because of the kite surfers and choppy water.
4. Governor’s Beach, Grand Turk
Grand Turk is the island in Turk and Caicos that cruise ships stop at, and there is a beach at the port the ships stop, but it is dreadfully crowded when there is a ship at the port. Governor’s beach is only a mile away from the cruise center, is a lot prettier, calmer, and has little snorkeling. If you are visiting Turks and Caicos via cruise ship, this is definitely the beach to visit.
Pros:
- Only a mile away from the Grand Turk Cruise Center.
- You can snorkel here to see some reef fish and a little bit of coral.
- Much less crowded than the cruise center beach
- Super clear, clean, and calm water
- Plenty of free parking at this beach.
Cons:
- It can get crowded for a couple of hours a day when tours from cruises are running.
5. Pillory Beach, Grand Turk
This is the beach to go to if you want a quiet, relaxing beach day on Grand Turk. The visitors from cruise ships don’t typically visit this beach, and you can find ample shade from shoreline trees to rest under. It also has calmer, shallow water, making it perfect for simply floating or wading around.
Pros:
- The most relaxing beach on Grand Turk.
- You don’t get the crowds here like at Governors Beach or Cruise Center Beach.
- Calm, shallow waters make it perfect for children or wading.
- Easily accessible from Cockburn Town or drive down a road until it hits the coast.
- You may see some small reef fish.
Cons:
- The sand isn’t super clear in the water, with sea grass covering a lot of the ocean floor.
6. Whitby Beach, North Caicos
The problem with North and Middle Caicos beaches is they are relatively rocky. Whitby beach is one of the cleaner beaches, with little ocean junk and only a few rocky patches here and there. This is also one of the least crowded beaches you’ll find on this list due to there being no large resorts located on this beach. You’ll also find one of the only snorkeling spots on this beach in North and Middle Caicos.
Pros:
- One of the quietest beaches you will find in Turks and Caicos.
- Much cleaner than other beaches in North and Middle Caicos.
- You can snorkel at Pelican Point, located in the middle of this beach.
- Easily accessible through the town of Whitby.
Cons:
- The weather here can cause swells of seaweed. Make sure to check weather conditions before visiting.
7. Mudjin Harbour, Middle Caicos
Mudjin Harbour has some of the most exciting terrains out of all of the beaches in Turks and Caicos, with limestone sea cliffs, caves, and rocky islands. There are many sandy beaches at Mudjin Harbour, broken up by limestone walls, so you could have your own beach if you’re lucky enough to find one. However, many explore the coastline here instead of sitting on the beaches due to all its fascinating features.
Pros:
- It has some of the most exciting landscapes out of all these beaches.
- Instead of one continuous beach, it’s broken up by limestone sea cliffs.
- A hiking trail lines the entire coast on top of the cliffs.
- Home to two flank margin caves, one along the hiking trail and one visible when you enter the beach.
- It can be accessed from the Dragon Cay Resort.
Cons:
- Not suitable for swimming because of rocks, waves, and reef sharks (not dangerous, but scary for some).
8. Long Beach, South Caicos
You get a little bit of everything at Long beach with spotless white sands, miles to walk, seagrass home to marine life, and incredible landscape features. This is a pretty secluded beach with only one resort on the entire coast. You can enjoy exploring the surrounding wetlands and sea cliffs, snorkeling with sting rays and turtles or relaxing on calm waters here.
Pros:
- Very secluded, being surrounded by wetlands and only one resort nearby.
- Most of the beach is clear, white sand, with seagrass a little way out in the ocean.
- You may be able to find sting rays and turtles in the seagrass.
- There’s an abandoned U.S. coast guard station nearby.
- Connected to two other beaches on each end, giving you lots of room to walk.
Cons:
- There’s no road going directly to the beach. You’ll have to walk a bit.
9. North Bay, Salt Cay
Although Salt Cay is known for their salt salinas left over from the salt industry, there are a few beaches you can also explore. North Bay is the longest and the best beach on Salt Cay, in my opinion. It’s the clearest and calmest beach on the island. It also has a little snorkeling where you can see reef fish and maybe a stingray. You may even be able to see a whale during the whale season from this shore.
Pros:
- The longest beach on Salt Cay
- You may be able to see whales from shore during the winter months.
- There are a few reef spots where you can see coral, fish, and maybe a stingray.
- The cleanest and least choppy beach on Salt Cay.
- Only a few vacation rentals are on this beach, making it feel secluded.
Cons:
- There’s no official beach access, so you must walk a little.
FAQ’s
Question: Which part of Turks and Caicos has the best beaches?
Answer: Providenciales has the best beaches in all of Turks and Caicos. They are the easiest to get to, the cleanest in terms of ocean junk, and have the best of all beach activities. You’ll also find that the beaches on this island are a lot calmer, other than Long Bay Beach, which was basically made for kite surfing.
Question: What is the best month to visit Turks and Caicos?
Answer: I suggest visiting Turks and Caicos between February to May. During these months, you will find fewer crowds, lower prices, and great weather. You should try to avoid June to November because of the possibility of hurricanes. Also, December seems to get quite busy with tourists, and prices tend to rise.
Question: Do Turks and Caicos have the best beaches in the world?
Answer: Turks and Caicos beaches, specifically Grace Bay Beach, has won multiple awards for being the best beach in the world. They have some of the whitest sands and bluest waters and are the best to enjoy various activities. Between all of their beaches, there is something for everyone to enjoy.
Which Beach is Right for You?
Overall, I find that the best beaches are in Providenciales, and the beach you choose depends on what kind of beach activities you want to do. I like to do a mixture of everything when I’m on my beach vacations, so I would choose Grace Bay for my relaxing beach day, Bight Beach for a snorkeling day, and Long Bay Beach for a new experience in kite surfing.
Although Providenciales has some of the best beaches in Turks and Caicos, I’m intrigued explicitly by Mudjin Harbour on Middle Cay. I love beautiful landscapes, and this beach made me gasp when I saw it. There are so many little adventures and sights to take in at this beach that are unique.
