Turks and Caicos beaches are some of the most gorgeous places you will ever visit and some are consistently ranked as some of the top beaches in the world. Some are the very image of Caribbean paradise (powder soft white sand that gently slopes to meet the calm and clear turquoise water) while others are perfect for fun and exciting water activities.
Read the rest of this article and familiarise yourself with the best Turks and Caicos beaches that are available to the public. Some are easy to get to while others require a little adventure.
Grace Bay, Providenciales Island
Grace Bay Beach is probably the most famous of the Turks and Caicos beaches. It’s frequently in the top five of various “Best Beaches in the World” lists by many travel publications, including Condé Nast, CNN Travel, Forbes, and many more—and for good reason.
The entire length of the three mile long beach is dotted with luxury hotels and resorts. While this is the case, there are few peddlers and it’s large enough that it never seems crowded. This Turks and Caicos beach is part of the Princess Alexandra National Park and offers a wide range of nature-friendly water sports, including snorkeling, kayaking, and stand up paddleboarding.
There are also opportunities to kiteboard, but it is for expert riders only as riders must be accomplished in riding upwind and water relaunching their kites.
Long Bay Beach, Providenciales Island
Long Bay beach is a great alternative to Grace Bay beach. With much fewer hotels in the immediate area, Long Bay beach is less populated and more relaxed. The beach is naturally sheltered from sea waves so the water here is calm and practically waveless.
The calm water is perfect for kiteboarding. Long Bay beach is in the path of consistent tradewinds and is only waist-deep for hundreds of yards, which makes it great for beginners since instructors can walk next to you while you learn.
If you are an advanced kiteboarder, you can kick off at Long Bay Beach and ride all the way to the end at Five Cays—an eight mile trip.
Chalk Sound National Park, Providenciales Island
While Chalk Sound isn’t a usual Turks and Caicos beach, it still offers a lot to see and do. It just takes a little fun adventure to get to the beach. Chalk Sound National Park comprises a large part of Providenciales’ uninhabited western half and has a shallow, warm-water landlocked lagoon.
It’s a great place to kayak and see one of the island’s best natural attractions. You’ll be able to launch tandem kayaks to cruise the inland waters and actually arrive in a normally inaccessible beach.
Leeward Beach, Providenciales Island
Leeward Beach is one of the best Turks and Caicos beaches that isn’t Grace Bay beach. It’s much quieter and much less crowded and offers fantastic swimming conditions and plenty of perfect white sand real estate.
As it is part of the Princess Alexandra National Park, Leeward Beach makes a great launch off point for kayaking. There’s a long stretch of calm water where you can paddle between islands and cays and seeing a wide variety of marine ecosystems. From mangroves to lagoons to reefs to Iguana Island, there are numerous sights to see.
Sandy Point Beach, North Caicos Island
Sandy Point Beach is an easily reached beach for those staying on Providenciales island. It’s a secluded, crescent shaped, white sand beach with crystal clear blue waters. It is quiet and is surrounded by island wilderness.
North Caicos island has some of the best smaller Turks and Caicos beaches because of its proximity to a labyrinth of mangrove channels. It is recognized as an international wetland area and there are opportunities to explore Sandy Point beach and the surrounding area by kayak or stand up paddleboard.
Hidden Beaches, West Caicos Island
Some of the best beaches are unknown to the “Best Beaches of the World” lists simply because few people have seen them. West Caicos is one of Turks and Caicos uninhabited islands and access to its beaches need to be earned.
There are private charters that will take you to some of the best diving and snorkeling sites around West Caicos, and the captains of the boats will happily swing by some of the most beautiful beaches on the island.