Providenciales Kiteboarding Locations
Providenciales features a collection of spectacular beaches, each with its own ambiance and appeal. The famous Long Bay Beach is of course the most popular kiting spot in the Turks and Caicos, yet there are several other great kite spots on the island to discover.
The Turks and Caicos generally experiences a consistent eastern wind direction, which is why the regular kiteboarding locations tend to be on the south-eastern facing beaches. During abnormal wind conditions, north and west coasts, including Grace Bay, the Bight Beach, Northwest Point, and West Harbour Bluff may be viable.
See Wind, Waves, and Tide Forecast for weather predictions.
Long Bay Beach
Without question, Long Bay Beach is the top kiteboarding spot on Providenciales. This white sand beach offers shallow chest-high turquoise water that continues offshore for miles, which makes it easy for pros and beginners alike to stand up, take a break, or adjust equipment.
Long Bay also offers a few sights further out, including the La Famille Express shipwreck in the Caicos Banks, and the downwind destinations of Turtle Tail and Five Cays Beach.
Long Bay is the best kite spot for those learning the water sport, as the location is very forgiving and there’s likely to be skilled kiters in the area who can offer input and advice.
Turtle Tail Beach
Turtle Tail is a small, quiet, and secluded beach in the luxury residential of Turtle Tail. This picturesque coastal region is accessed by the long and winding Venetian Road off of Leeward Highway.
There are several small beaches at Turtle Tail, the largest of which is found near the Little Five Cays of Bristol Cay, Bird Egg Cays, and Dick Penn Cays (not to be confused with Five Cays!).
Turtle Tail isn’t a great kite spot for beginners, as sharp limestone ironshore lines much of the coast, and can damage equipment if control of the kite is lost.
Leeward
The Emerald Point and Leeward Going Through area of Providenciales is a beautiful place to explore, and a great additional location for experienced kiters.
Nearby is Little Water Cay and the scenic and shallow Half Moon Bay Lagoon, a very popular flat water site with local kiters.
Wind direction and conditions are typically not perfect near the point, yet improve near Half Moon Bay. Leeward Going Through is the main entry channel to Blue Haven Marina and Heaving Down Rock Marina, so it’s best not to linger in the navigation route.
If you’d rather not try to tack your way upwind to Half Moon Bay, several of the local kite schools often visit the area when the wind is right.
Five Cays Beach
Five Cays is a small fishing community on the central south coast of Providenciales. The area offers conditions similar to Long Bay, with shallow water and semi-onshore wind being typical.
A great place to launch from is at the beachfront Bugaloo’s Restaurant, a favorite island seafood and conch establishment. Offshore are several limestone cays, and there are a few shipwrecks in the area as well.
Grace Bay and the Bight Beach
The world-famous Grace Bay Beach, albeit amazingly beautiful, isn’t often the best kiting location due to wind direction, crowds, and wind disturbance caused by the resorts.
However, when the wind’s a bit more northern, conditions at Grace Bay and the Bight Beach become more viable.
It’s best to pick one of the quieter stretches of the beach so you’ll have room to set up. Beach access locations such as the public access to the east of the Sands resort are the best due to the fewer persons around.
The West Coast
The wild and remote west coast of Providenciales, which includes notable spots such as West Harbour Bluff, Bonefish Point, and Northwest Point, can be a beautiful place to kite when the wind direction is right. Due to the isolation, we highly advise visiting with a knowledgeable kite guide.
The western coast of Providenciales is only suitable for kiting when there’s a western wind, which doesn’t occur very often, especially without hazardous storm conditions.
It’s important to be aware that wind is typically offshore at the west coast and unsuitable for safe kiting, as there can be dangerous conditions where kiters are blown into deep water and towards the Bahamas.
