The 10 Best Beaches in the Turks and Caicos
The Turks and Caicos is home to some of the best beaches in the world, yet many of the archipelago’s top coasts go without recognition.
This guide highlights the best beaches in the Turks and Caicos and how to get to them. To explore a full list of beaches, see Beaches of the Turks and Caicos.
Quite a few factors account for the amazing beach sand and unrivaled water that is common throughout the Turks and Caicos Islands. See Why the Turks and Caicos Has the Best Beaches.
Many of the finest beaches are located on the island of Providenciales, which is also home to the majority of hotels and infrastructure in the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Boat charters and tours from Providenciales are a great way to visit the many secluded beaches and coasts. There’s an incredible array to discover, from the long white-sand beaches in the Caicos Cays to hidden gems on tiny uninhabited islands. They can’t all be named here, yet there’s something special about exploring the unique and often overlooked beaches found across the 100 islands that make up the Turks and Caicos.
Grace Bay Beach
The world-famous Grace Bay Beach is often ranked as the best beach in the world, so it’s no surprise that it tops this list.
Found on the north coast of Providenciales, Grace Bay is home to many of the country’s luxury resorts and is part of the Princess Alexandra National Park. The bay is protected by a beautiful barrier reef system that hides some great scuba diving sites.
The soft white sand and clear water of Grace Bay really has to be seen to be fully appreciated, as photos really don’t do it justice.
To the west of Grace Bay is the likewise amazing Bight Beach and the snorkeling sites of the Bight Reef and Smith’s Reef.
Leeward Beach
Found to the east of Grace Bay is the tranquil Leeward Beach. There’s perfect white sand and incredibly turquoise water.
This region doesn’t have any large luxury resorts, so the atmosphere tends to be very quiet and secluded. If you’re interested in staying on this exquisite beach, there are quite a few expansive luxury rentals to choose from. The sheltered channels off the eastern side of Leeward are ideal for kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, and wakeboarding.
Leeward Beach can also be a great spot for beachcombing and finding seashells.
Several accesses lead to this coast, though they can be difficult to find. Visit the Leeward Beach page for detailed information on how to get there.
Mudjin Harbour
Breathtaking Mudjin Harbour is the top attraction on the island of Middle Caicos. The high limestone cliffs, white sand beach, Dragon Cay, caves, and breaking surf of this natural attraction come together to create what some consider to be the top landscape in the Turks and Caicos Islands.
The name Mudjin Harbour is a local evolution of Bermudian Harbour, as the coast is reminiscent of the bluffs and cliffs of Horseshoe Bay Beach and Stonehole Bay Beach in Bermuda. Bermudians who came over to the Turks and Caicos during the 1600s and 1700s to rake natural sea salt gave the coast its name.
Nearby to Mudjin Harbour are the Conch Bar Caves—the largest dry cave system in the Bahamas–Turks and Caicos island chains—and the sheltered and scenic Bambarra Beach.
The two central islands of North Caicos and Middle Caicos are connected by a road causeway, so it’s possible to explore both islands by car. There are many great nature and outdoor sites to discover on these two laid-back islands. A day trip to North Caicos and Middle Caicos is one of the top-rated activities for visits to the Turks and Caicos.
Long Bay Beach
The Turks and Caicos is home to several coasts christened Long Bay. This page refers to the unparalleled kiteboarding spot of Long Bay Beach on Providenciales.
Long Bay features fine white sand and shallow, brilliant turquoise water that continues out for miles across the Caicos Banks. The constant eastern trade winds create the perfect conditions for kiting, and the shallow depth allows kiters to stand when they’re not ripping across the water (which is great for beginners and pros alike). Long Bay Beach is also the top coast for horseback riding.
Offshore on the horizon is the wreck of the La Famille Express, a Soviet oil rig service vessel turned Dominican freighter that was grounded during Hurricane Frances in 2004. This wreck is a very popular stop for boat charters.
If you’re looking to stay on beautiful Long Bay, there is the luxury Shore Club resort, H2O Resort, and many vacation rental villas to choose from.
Half Moon Bay
Half Moon Bay is found between Water Cay and Little Water Cay. It is a beach and sandbar lagoon that filled in over time in the channel between these two islands.
This piece of paradise is the top boat excursion destination in the Turks and Caicos. There's a great beach, the unique Turks and Caicos rock iguana scurrying about the dunes, and a picturesque shallow lagoon on the southern side of the beach.
Half Moon Bay is a really beautiful area and a great site for nature lovers. In addition to the iguanas, tiny lemon sharks can be seen in the lagoon. Groves of the most common palm tree—the small thatch palm—frame the bay.
Water Cay and Little Water Cay are uninhabited and undeveloped. A boat cruise or yacht charter is the typical way to visit Half Moon Bay, yet it’s also possible to kayak over from Providenciales and explore on your own.
Governor's Beach
The beautiful Governor's Beach on the island of Grand Turk features some of the clearest ocean water in the country. Named after Waterloo, the governor’s mansion that’s hidden on the beach, this coast is located just north of the Grand Turk Cruise Center and Cruise Center Beach. If you're staying on Providenciales, you may want to consider a day trip to Grand Turk.
This beach was notable for the imposing wreck of the Mega One Triton, a cargo ship from the Dominican Republic that wrecked on the beach in 2012. It was finally removed in early 2020.
North Bay Beach
The often-overlooked North Bay Beach on the quiet island of Salt Cay is one of the finest coasts in the Turks and Caicos. It brings together everything you want in a beach: perfect white and peach-colored sand, crystal-clear water, small reefs for snorkeling, little wave breaks for stand-up paddle surfing, and seclusion.
Very few people visit this beach, so you’re likely to have the entire coast to yourself if you make the trip. It’s possible to visit this beach by staying overnight on Salt Cay (day trips from the island of Providenciales currently aren't feasible).
Pine Cay Beach
The beach fronting the north coast on the private island of Pine Cay has to be seen to be believed. There’s calm water, pristine sand, and exquisite ocean water.
The small Pine Cay Resort is the only resort on the coast, yet there are some rental villas as well. The north coasts of Pine Cay, Water Cay, Half Moon Bay, and Little Water Cay are connected by sandbars, so it’s possible to trek the entire six-mile (9.7 km) beach and coasts of these islands.
Pine Cay Beach is the best destination in the country to recreate a Maho Beach style photo of an airplane landing over the beach, as the Pine Cay airstrip is located just over the dune. Just keep in mind that there won’t be any large jets landing, and you may have to wait quite a while for a plane to come by.
Cedar Point Beach
Typically only visited by the adventurous due to their remote location, the spectacular Cedar Point and Wild Cow Run are located on the far eastern side of Middle Caicos. Here, shifting sandbars and shallow channels create unbelievable vistas. The crystal-clear water goes on for miles. Several uninhabited cays frame the setting.
The route to Cedar Point can be rough, so it’s best to take a 4x4 (see Exploring North Caicos and Middle Caicos by 4x4) and plenty of drinking water. Plan to spend a few hours visiting the area.
Sapodilla Bay Beach
The small Sapodilla Bay Beach on the southwest side of Providenciales features some of the calmest ocean water of any beach in the Turks and Caicos, as the coast is nestled between sheltering hills.
Sapodilla Bay is a nice stop when exploring the incredible Chalk Sound region of Providenciales. Adjacent to the beach is the historical site of Sapodilla Hill, where centuries-old rock inscriptions and great views can be seen.
Some luxurious vacation rentals are located on both Sapodilla Bay and nearby Taylor Bay. These beautiful villas have plenty of space and privacy, as well as pools and full kitchens.
Other Great Coasts
There are several coasts not on this list of Top 10 Turks and Caicos Beaches that deserve mention.
The West Caicos Marine National Park off the uninhabited island of West Caicos is home to some of the best dive sites in the country, coves with great cliff jumping, and unparalleled underwater visibility. However, due to the lack of sandy beaches, it doesn’t quite qualify as a Top 10 beach.
The remote Malcolm’s Road Beach on Providenciales is a really beautiful coastline, yet the difficulty of access and occasionally rough ocean conditions make the coast a little less predictable. Malcolm’s Road Beach is located close to the deep Atlantic depths off the underwater Caicos Islands plateau, so the water hue here tends to be more vivid blue rather than the brilliant turquoise of the shallower beaches.
The centrally located Bight Beach on Providenciales is another great beach with sheltered water, sugar-soft white sand, and lush seagrass snorkeling. The onsite children’s playground and covered picnic tables make this beach a favorite with locals.
Taylor Bay, situated near Chalk Sound, is also a great beach. Unfortunately, it’s a little difficult to find the access path and parking is limited. A great way to visit this coast is by renting a jet ski from Five Cays Beach and making the short journey over by water—a fun trip in itself.
Big Sand Cay, located south of Salt Cay, is one of the most scenic spots in the Turks and Caicos. However, it’s quite a journey to access, especially from the island of Providenciales. The few who make it out to this remote cay will discover a sheltered and truly spectacular beach.
)