Leeward Beach
Providenciales
Found on the northeast end of Providenciales, Leeward Beach is one of the finest beaches in the Turks and Caicos. The coast is adjacent to and continues east from where Grace Bay Beach ends. This beach surrounds the upscale residential region of Leeward.
As one of the top beaches on the island, Leeward Beach typically boasts excellent swimming conditions and plenty of soft white sand.
Unfortunately, various Government administrations have either directly sold or allowed several beach accesses to become blocked, and it can be difficult to access parts of this beach. A map at the end of this article highlights the few remaining accesses.
It’s possible to walk the uninterrupted seven-mile (11 km) stretch along the beach from Leeward Beach—across Grace Bay Beach and the Bight Beach—to Smith’s Reef and Turtle Cove, where the channel into Turtle Cove Marina breaks up the north coast beach.
Leeward Beach has less development and consequently less traffic than Grace Bay, so you’ll likely be able to find a fairly secluded and private section of the coast to enjoy.
Leeward Beach is one of the best beaches on Providenciales, along with Grace Bay Beach, the Bight Beach, Long Bay Beach, and Malcolm's Road Beach. It’s part of the Princess Alexandra National Park.
The View and Sights
Leeward is a very scenic area. From the western end of Leeward Beach, you have a great view of the Grace Bay resorts and hotels to the west. At the eastern end of the beach is Leeward Going Through Channel, the waterway that separates Providenciales from the uninhabited Caicos Cays to the east. There are several exquisite sights here, including the Turks and Caicos rock iguana sanctuary of Little Water Cay, the wetland island of Mangrove Cay, and Blue Haven Marina, which typically shelters an impressive flotilla of yachts.
The Leeward channel is typically quite active during the day. Tour boats are constantly cruising back and forth, wakeboarding and tubing take place between the small islands, and kayak and stand-up paddleboard eco-tours make their way through the shallows.
When there’s a bit of ocean swell, the ocean water in the area becomes a brilliant neon turquoise, especially off the north of the Emerald Point and Leeward Going Through areas. The color is truly breathtaking, and few people believe that the photos of Leeward Beach are real until they experience the coast for themselves.
Suspended limestone particles in the water play a large part in creating the amazing hues of turquoise and blue, similar to the situation at Chalk Sound Lagoon and Bottle Creek.
Leeward Beach is also an excellent place to watch and photograph the sunset, as the setting sun is usually across the bay. See sunset and sunrise times.
Snorkeling
There isn't great snorkeling at Leeward Beach. Several rock jetties are found across the beach, yet these support little more than small numbers of reef fish. If you're looking for more impressive underwater sights, visit the spectacular Smith's Reef and Bight Reef.
Pristine snorkeling sites can be found on the barrier reef in the Leeward area—however, these sites are too far offshore to swim out to. To visit them, you'll have to book a snorkeling cruise or island-hopping boat trip.
Vacation Villas
There are many luxury vacation rental villas found in the Leeward area, and the most impressive of these are the expansive beachfront mansions. It’s quite interesting to walk the beach and see the architecture of these beautiful homes.
There are also a few accommodation options to stay at inland. Many are within a very short walking distance of Leeward Beach.
Leeward Beach Accesses
Leeward Beach has three public beach accesses. Each offers a different atmosphere and beach type.
Stubb’s Point
The Stubb's Point beach access, also known as Pelican Beach or Sunset Beach, is the best of the Leeward Beach accesses for those who simply want beautiful sand and ocean. Several rock jetties interrupt what would otherwise be a spectacular section of coast. There is ample parking space onsite.
Pelican Point
The Pelican Point beach access is often overlooked, so it typically isn’t busy. The beach at this access is less extensive than other sections of the coast, and is framed by stretches of rocky coast. Limited parking space is available onsite.
Leeward Going Through
The Leeward Going Through access opens onto Leeward Going Through Channel and is the closest access to Emerald Point. This is a great point to launch from when kayaking or paddleboarding to Little Water Cay and the wetlands of Mangrove Cay. Beware of currents and boat traffic when swimming.