I have been fortunate to visit the beautiful island of Providenciales, Turks & Caicos three times in the last five years. The first time I visited Providenciales was in September of 2017 with my husband as a much-needed getaway trip. I brought my mom, Angelica, and Paola on a girls’ trip in August of 2018 because I loved it so much the first time around, I knew I had to bring other people to experience this incredible island! My husband & I recently went back together in July of 2021 so it’s safe to say I know this island pretty well and have had the opportunity to see tons of different beaches, restaurants, and things to do! Provo, as the locals call it, is the perfect low-key getaway whether you are with family, friends, or just your partner. While there are plenty of places to see, I would describe Provo as a much calmer Caribbean Island, and is perfect if the going-out party scene is not for you. It is an amazing island to relax and soak up the sun and stunning views!
1. When is the best time to visit Providenciales, Turks & Caicos Islands?
Typically, February to April is the best time to visit if it is your first time due to climate, availability, and best prices however I went during July and August and still had an amazing time. One call out I want to mention is to really think twice before booking a flight during hurricane season (Late Aug – Nov). The first time I went with my husband, we were naïve about hurricane season and almost got ourselves stuck on the island during Hurricane Irma. Our flight departed two hours before Hurricane Irma was supposed to hit the island and thankfully, we were able to escape one of the most catastrophic hurricanes to ever hit the islands as a Category 5 hurricane. While the islands were hit hard during Hurricane Irma, they were stuck by a second category 5 hurricane two weeks later known as Hurricane Maria. My point here isn’t to scare you, I would highly recommend Providenciales as my top Caribbean Island to visit, however, I do want to give you a heads up that you should avoid this time of year.
2. What is the language and what country does Turks & Caicos belong to?
English is the sole official language of Turks & Caicos, so it is super tourist friendly for that very reason! Turks & Caicos is a self-governed British Territory, meaning they do drive on the left side of the road. This was a bit hard to get used to at first, but luckily the roads are quite easy to drive on and there isn’t much traffic at all.
3. Is Providenciales, Turks & Caicos Safe?
Overall, yes, it is a safe island to visit with a very low crime rate. The only warning, we ever had was to not leave any of our belongings inside of our rental car or valuables unattended at the beach, which would make sense anywhere we go. We would not recommend walking alone at night, especially because every location is far to get to on foot and spaced out between resorts and neighborhoods.
4. Where to stay in Providenciales? Airbnb vs Hotel
Airbnb
Airbnb is our preferred method of lodging while staying in Providenciales due to pricing and flexibility to explore the whole island. Personally, we like to indulge in the culture and experience our trips as if we were locals. Staying in an Airbnb allowed us to rent a car without having to pay for parking at a hotel and drive around the whole island at our leisure. There are no taxis, buses, or Ubers on the island so renting a car is the only way you’ll get to see what the whole island has to offer. It’s very economical to rent a car, we paid roughly $18 a day to rent. The other large determining factor in picking Airbnb over a hotel is largely due to how expensive it is to stay at a hotel or an all-inclusive resort. We paid $80-$120 a day for our Airbnb and it was conveniently located close to Grace Bay by car and restaurants/shops. Our Airbnb even had a rooftop where we got to watch the sunsets while sipping on some bubbles! Of course, if you want to go all out and get a big Airbnb it will cost roughly the same as a hotel but if you’re splitting the cost of the Airbnb with a few people, it will be cheaper than a hotel. Staying at an Airbnb will allow you to save some money on lodging AND allow you to see as many places as possible at your own pace!
The only downside (although I don’t see this as a negative thing) is that you’ll have to grocery shop to make food at home if you’re staying in an Airbnb (or eat out for every meal which can get expensive). The grocery store prices (and everything in general) are very expensive due to having to import all their goods (you will have sticker shock) however, this option is still significantly cheaper than staying at a resort. We personally preferred to pick up some essentials for breakfast, snacks, and stuff to make sandwiches on the beach. We also picked up some drinks and made pitchers to take with us to the beach. We went out for dinner each night and that was a nice balance of experimenting with their food while being conscious about our budget.
Hotel
There are tons of beautiful hotels to stay at on Grace Bay Beach. Almost all the resorts are on a strip right in front of Grace Bay Beach, which is on the North-East side of the island. We personally did not see many hotels, if any, on the south side of the island which is unfortunate because it is absolutely stunning, and you don’t want to miss it! More on that is below. While many of the hotels are all-inclusive, they average $500+ per night. It’s extremely pricey if you’re used to Mexico prices! While they are beautiful resorts with amazing service and food, you’re more inclined to stay at the resort during your whole stay since you’re paying top dollar to be there. We personally would not recommend this just because there is so much beauty on the south side of the island! If staying at a resort while having unlimited food and drinks at your fingertips is your thing, then a hotel would be best suited for you! It is really up to personal preference, and I totally understand the decision to go the hotel route – life is hard and I’m sure you’re probably considering taking this trip for a much-needed break! This may also be a good option if you have kids since a good number of hotels are kid friendly.
5. Is Providenciales a good destination for kids?
Absolutely! Providenciales is a great destination for kids. One of my favorite things about Provo is that there are no waves! The ocean is very calm so you can walk right in with your kids without having to worry about rough waves. Also, the water is crystal-clear with a stunning shade of turquoise blue! Your kids can easily see their feet which is always a plus if you have kids who are afraid of the water. The beaches, especially on the south side of the island, are very shallow so your kids can walk quite far without having to worry about how far your kids are playing in the water. They can sit and play in the water, and you will have peace of mind that they are safe! Also, at the Coral Reef Hotel, there is a large coral reef in Grace Bay Beach where you can rent snorkeling gear if your kids are old enough and see tons of amazing colored fish all just a few steps from the shore.
6. Best things to do
Best Beaches in Providenciales
- Grace Bay Beach
Grace Bay Beach is easily the best beach I’ve ever been to! It is located on the northern side of Providenciales near where all the hotels are. The color of the ocean is just out of this world! Completely clear turquoise hue water and super calm. You can just lay there and float all day! The sand is a true white color and incredibly soft! You will never have to worry about stepping on rough shells. No wonder Grace Bay Beach won multiple awards for the best beach in the world back-to-back. It’s a must-see!
2. Sapodilla Bay Beach
Sapodilla Bay Beach is located on the south side of the island, near Chalk Sound about 10 miles away from Grace Bay Beach. This is the most unique beach I’ve ever been to! It is extremely shallow here, causing the water temperature to be warmer. It really is a true bay and due to its shallowness, boats cannot pass through here making the water very calm. Every time I have come here, it is a lot less busy than Grace Bay Beach. There are a few vendors for food and drinks, but we personally brought our own drinks and ate lunch at Las Brisa’s Restaurant (more on that below). This is an amazing beach for small children, and they have some rocks off to the left side of the beach that leads up to an area where you can oversee the whole beach and take some great pictures! You can only get here by car, which is why we highly recommend renting a car!
3. Taylor Bay Beach
Taylor Bay Beach is located right next to Sapodilla Bay Beach. This beach access is located right off Ocean Point Drive which is a residential area. You will see some amazing villas as you drive through! You can easily find parking on the main street and walk onto the beach. This is the least busy beach of the two other options above, but it is equally as beautiful as Sapodilla Bay Beach. You will have the whole beach to yourself, and it has all the same properties as Sapodilla Bay Beach. Shallow, warm water, clear, calm, and quiet!
Best Experiences (No particular order)
- Kayaking on Chalk Sound
The entrance to the kayak rental is at Las Brisas Restaurant. The rentals are very affordable, and you can rent them for a few hours. You cannot miss this activity! If you thought Grace Bay and the other beaches were stunning, you won’t believe the water at Chalk Sound! It looks like heaven! You can’t actually swim here due to how deep it can get, and the current can get really strong depending on the time of day. Funny story, my sisters and I actually got ourselves stranded here in the middle of our kayak because the winds picked up making the current very strong in the opposite direction of our way back that we had to call for help for a boat to pick us up. Highly recommend checking with the restaurant on the wind speed and current that day to make sure you will be ok to kayak that day.
2. Provo Ponies on Long Bay Beach
Provo Ponies is an incredible experience! Please do not miss this rare opportunity to ride a horse INSIDE of the ocean. All the horses are rescues and very gentle. We paid $169 each for a 75-minute group ride. You can only ride alone; however, you will be with a large group and guides to help you along the way. You will ride from the stable to Long Bay Beach with your horse and due to the shallowness of the beach, the horses will walk inside of the ocean along the shoreline. There is an area where your horse can get in deeper if you would like but you can also choose to stay in a shallower area. These rides are magical!
3. Half day Boat Tour Snorkeling and visiting Iguana Island/Half Moon Bay
We booked our half-day tour with Island Vibes Tours. It included lunch, alcoholic drinks, snorkeling in the open ocean along the third largest barrier reef, and visiting Iguana Island and Half Moon Bay Beach (only accessible by boat). Along the snorkel we got to see all kinds of fish from different sizes and colors and sea turtles. We even saw star fish! Iguana Island is uninhabited and home to thousands of iguanas. You will be sure to spot iguanas lounging along the beach. Next to Iguana Island is Half Moon Bay with stunning ocean views and a beautiful place to take pictures. We recommend doing this tour in the morning before it gets too hot. They also offer sunset tours!
4. Parasailing on Grace Bay Beach
You will see tons of vendors that offer parasailing off of Grace Bay Beach. This was our first time ever doing this and honestly, I can’t imagine doing this anywhere else because the views of the ocean were absolutely BREATHTAKING! I mean the pictures speak for itself, but you can see all the amazing blue hues of the ocean!
Best places to eat
- Infiniti Restaurant & Raw Bar ($$$$)
We discovered this place on our third visit and wow, the atmosphere is absolutely amazing. The way it was lit up and decorated along with the sunset views was just 10/10. We would recommend this place for sunset drinks but would skip dinner here. It was pricey and the food was just ok, but the atmosphere with live music is one you don’t want to miss!
2. Seven ($$$-$$$$)
We also discovered this amazing romantic restaurant on our third trip! I wish I knew about this place earlier, but it will be top on my list when we return. It is a really nice culinary experience, the food was soooo good! It’s a great place to eat seafood and the service was the best we had on the island. Definitely worth the money! Be sure to make a reservation beforehand!
3. Las Brisas Restaurant ($$) (video)
I’ve visited Las Brisa’s each time I have visited Providenciales, and I will never miss this place! Its located-on Chalk Sound, on the south side of the Island. This restaurant was destroyed with Hurricane Irma and Maria, but it was rebuilt and its even better than before. The view of Chalk Sound is absolutely stunning and makes the perfect place to have lunch. Their menu has a wide variety of different food and caters to every type of palette. This restaurant is also a villa that offers lodging and has its own pool. Again, don’t miss out on the kayak rentals here after lunch!
4. The Mango Reef ($$-$$$)
I visited this restaurant on my very first visit with my husband and it was very memorable to make it to this list. It’s a great date night restaurant with lots of lighting right on the water. We ate the red snapper dish, and it was soo good! The service was also amazing! I would recommend making reservations in advance.
5. Cocovan ($)
Located in the same vicinity as the Coco Bistro Restaurant. The Cocovan is a food truck with the same ambience and delicious food options at a much affordable price than Coco Bistro. The tacos and fried mac and cheese balls were so good! They also have a great bar with great signature drinks! I always look forward to coming here!
6. Turks Kabob ($)
Delicious kabobs with normal prices. This was the cheapest dinner we had in town. Lots of great gyro and kabob options which is nice because there aren’t a lot of meat & chicken options in other restaurants. They also have salads if you’re looking for a lighter option.