North Bay
Salt Cay
Found on the north coast of Salt Cay, this 1.75 mile (2.8 km) beach is the largest and by far the best beach on the island. A few coral heads can be found in the water here, but much of the coastline offers a clean sandy bottom and pristine beach.
Several vacation rental villas are located on this scenic beach.
Due to being on the north side of Salt Cay, this beach is usually sheltered from the ocean swells caused by the eastern trade winds.
During the winter whale season, it’s possible to see humpback whales off the northern coast (but you’ll need to make a dedicated whale-watching trip to get the best view).
Although there are no dedicated public accesses to this beach, the area has very little development and many paths to the coast can be found.
Grand Turk can be seen on the horizon from this coast. On most days, you can also spot cruise ships in the distance going through the Columbus Passage (or Turks Islands Passage) between the Turks Islands and the Caicos Islands.
Snorkeling
Small and distinct reefs, excellent for snorkeling, are found at several spots along the North Bay coastline.
North West Point, the section of North Bay nearest to Balfour Town and Little Bluff Lookout, offers the finest underwater sights.
Ocean surface conditions can be a little choppy at times due to the eastern trade winds. Visibility is, however, typically quite good.
To find a site, simply look for one of the darker patches off the beach. It’s easy to distinguish the reefs against the clean sandy bottom by looking out from the shore.
The reefs off North Bay Beach feature a beautiful collection of yellow sea fans. Schools of bluehead wrasse, French grunts, parrotfish, blue tangs, Queen triggerfish, black durgons, and angelfish can be seen gliding by as well. The larger creatures include the occasional barracuda, southern brown stingray, and spotted eagle ray.
Getting Here
There are two ways to get to North Bay Beach. You can either travel by road (follow the road that heads north 660 feet (200 m) west of the airport) or take a scenic one-mile (1.6 km) walk along the coast from Balfour Town. There is lots to explore, so take plenty of drinking water.
If you're driving to North Bay Beach, take the north turn off the road between North District and the Salt Cay Airport. This road leads straight for 1,500 feet (440 m), then arrives at a T-junction with a road that parallels North Bay. At this point, simply pick a beach path that looks appealing.
The hiking path from Balfour Town leads along an incredibly scenic route, which continues past Balfour Town Beach, Little Bluff Lookout, and through coastal vegetation, at which point it reaches the western side of North Bay.