Where Providenciales is Located
The Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) are located to the southeast of the Bahamas, and north of the Dominican Republic. Providenciales is found on the western edge of the Turks and Caicos island chain. The Turks and Caicos welcomes direct flights from many eastern US cities.
Providenciales is the most populated island in the Turks and Caicos Islands, which is a British Overseas Territory.
There are several populated islands in the country, and our capital city is Cockburn Town on the island of Grand Turk.
Providenciales All-Inclusive Resorts
If you’re looking for the height of luxury and seclusion, consider one of our all-inclusive hotels. We have some exceptional choices.
The exclusive Amanyara fronts the Northwest Point Marine National Park on the remote west coast. This exclusive property offers chic open-air pavilion suites and impeccable service.
Parrot Cay, a private island that's just a short boat ride from Provo, is home to COMO’s COMO Parrot Cay Resort. Far away from the crowds, it doesn’t get more tranquil than the suites and beachfront rooms in this exclusive paradise. Adding to the relaxation options is the full-service Shambhala Spa and Yoga Retreat.
Four all-inclusive resorts are located on Grace Bay: the family and kid-friendly Beaches Turks and Caicos and Alexandra Resort, and the adults-only Club Med Turkoise and The Windsong at the Bight Reef.
Part of the Sandals family of resorts, the Beaches property includes five village enclaves and offers an impressive array of things to do. 21 restaurants are onsite along with the island’s only water park, a favorite for families with children.
Several of the all-inclusive hotels offer day passes, which can be a fun way to spend the day for guests staying at a vacation rental or a smaller hotel.
Providenciales Vacation Villas
Vacation rental villas are a great option for those seeking privacy and more space. These boutique rental homes are often found on our smaller and often overlooked beaches, and are secluded from the bustle of central Provo. There’s a plethora of amenities offered, from relaxing infinity pools to the complimentary use of water sports equipment, including Hobie Cat sailboats, kayaks, and stand-up paddleboards.
Looking for your own private patch of sand and sun? Several of the finer villas are ideally located on secluded and pristine beaches.
For those looking to get married right on the beach, Providenciales is fast becoming a popular destination for weddings and honeymoons. Many local resorts offer bespoke packages and deals, for both couples and their guests. For tips and ideas, see Great Wedding Hotels and our Honeymoon Guide.
Providenciales features several coasts, so you’ll be able to choose between staying near great snorkeling reefs, kiteboarding beaches, hills with great ocean views, or tranquil wetlands.
Professional concierge services, private chefs, and butlers are also available and can cater to any requests you may have, and are the perfect complement to stays at our finest and most exclusive rental properties.
Water Sports
There’s a wide offering of fun things to do on and in the spectacular Turks and Caicos ocean. Activities range from wetland eco paddleboarding and kayaking, to the challenging sport of kiteboarding. Want to do something a bit more exciting? Try jet skiing, parasailing, wakeboarding, or tubing.
The Turks and Caicos has some great snorkeling too. At the Bight Reef (Coral Gardens) near Grace Bay and Smith's Reef at Turtle Cove, fish, turtles, and coral reefs can be seen right off the beach. Snorkeling boat tours are another option, and visit exquisite sites on the Turks and Caicos Barrier Reef, which is the second largest reef in the Atlantic.
The Turks and Caicos is a great destination for sport fishing. Providenciales is likewise the perfect place to launch from. Due to the island’s location on the edge of the Caicos plateau, deep water, teeming with pelagic fish, is found only minutes from the dock.
The shallows in the Caicos Banks are one of the last bonefishing frontiers. Bonefish are plentiful, and there's even tarpon and permit to be found. Take a fishing trip to a remote sound, or DIY at one of the island's central marine ponds.
If you’re just looking to catch dinner and have some fun, there are quite a few reef and bottom fishing tours to choose from. There’s plenty of snapper, grouper, jacks and more waiting!
Snorkeling and Diving
Divers and snorkelers will appreciate the undersea world of the Turks and Caicos. With over 70 miles of barrier reef within easy access of Provo, you’ll see fish, turtles, dolphins, rays and sharks as they were meant to be seen: in the wild. Because the country sits on an elevated underwater plateau, some of the best wall dive sites in the region are only a short boat ride away.
If scuba diving is your main focus, many of the local dive operators and hotels offer deals and packages to maximize your budget.
It’s not necessary to travel far to see spectacular coral, as beautiful snorkeling sites can be found close off of the beach as well as offshore by boat trip. The incredible Smith's Reef and Bight Reef offer aquarium-like sightings within easy access of the coast.
Boat Charters and Excursions
On the relaxing side of the activity spectrum, a snorkeling and beach boat cruise is the ideal way to experience uninhabited cays and secluded beaches. It's also a great way to spot the unique Turks and Caicos Rock Iguana.
Grace Bay and the ocean off of the uninhabited Caicos cays are home to a famous marine mammal: JoJo the Dolphin. Although a wild animal, this Atlantic bottlenose dolphin has shown a special trait: he freely interacts with humans. Often seen playing in the wake of passing boats, spotting JoJo is the highlight of any boat tour.
A combined beach cruising, snorkeling, and barbecue tour is a kid-friendly and perfect family activity.
If you’d rather discover the wild side of the Turks and Caicos Islands, a custom boat charter can take you to the reefs, cliffs, and historical sites of West Caicos, the wildlife sanctuary of French Cay, or what was once the site of Fort Saint George, where cannons can still be seen in the water.
Sights and Attractions on Providenciales
On land, we are home to an award-winning 18-hole golf course at the Royal Turks and Caicos Golf Club, beautiful wetlands and nature reserves, and the unique and highly scenic turquoise Chalk Sound Lagoon.
The breathtaking Princess Alexandra National Park found on the northeast coast of Providenciales protects the top-rated Grace Bay Beach, Leeward Beach and several nature reserve cays near Leeward Going Through channel. It’s difficult to surpass this exquisite area as a place for day trips and boat tours.
Cheshire Hall Plantation, a Loyalist cotton plantation built in the 1700s, is the foremost historical site on Providenciales. Today, quiet footpaths lead through the ruins of the Great House, kitchen, slave quarters and field walls.
There are several smaller points of interest across the island, including a giant Karst Process sinkhole, historical rock inscriptions, nature trails, and pristine coastlines.
If you’re looking to pick up a gift or souvenir, the shopping plazas of Grace Bay are the perfect place to start. There are local and international jewelry, art, designer fashion, Turks and Caicos food and alcohol products, T-shirts, and more. For nightlife, we have some popular bars that feature live music, casinos, beach BBQ and bonfire events, glowworm and sunset cruises, and more.
Providenciales Flights and Airport Information
It’s very easy to get here. We’re located only 90 minutes by air from Miami, and direct flights to the Providenciales International Airport are offered from more than twenty cities across the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, and the Caribbean, including New York, Boston, Philadelphia, London and Toronto.
As an English-speaking British territory that uses the US Dollar, booking your vacation is also simple.
For those looking for a bit more convenience, a concierge is able to guide you with all aspects of your travel, including finding the right place to stay, making dinner reservations, and shopping.
Once your flight has landed in the Turks and Caicos, it’s easy to get around. A rental car or fun jeep is the perfect way to get around, and there's a wide selection of companies to book with.
Island Tours and Day Trips
A day trip to one of our less-populated islands is a top activity. The islands of North Caicos and Middle Caicos neighbor Providenciales, and offer a unique perspective. Once the home of Loyalist cotton plantations, the islands today are an ideal destination for those who love the outdoors.
There’s so much to see, including secluded beaches, caves, and historical sites. Many of the natural attractions on North and Middle Caicos feature free entry as well. Discover the spectacular Mudjin Harbour, Bambarra Beach, Sandy Point Beach, Hollywood Beach, and Three Marys Cays.
It’s simple to plan your day. Reserve a rental car, take the ferry, and explore. Exploring these two islands is like a little Caribbean road trip.
Car rental is easy to arrange on many of our outer islands, and there's very little traffic to stress about.
The former sea salt producing islands of Grand Turk, Salt Cay, and South Caicos offer a different scene. Beginning in the late 1600s, natural and shallow marine ponds were converted into salinas, where ocean water was evaporated into salt for export. No longer worked today, the salt ponds remain interesting attractions.
Restaurants and Fine Dining
The culinary delights are another highlight of this island. Freshly caught seafood is of course the hallmark of the island’s fine dining, and the diverse cuisines of local restaurants create wonderful and unique flavors to sample. Gourmet restaurants such as BLT Steak, Coco Bistro, Seven, Caicos Café, and Infiniti are very popular.
If you’d like to try some authentic Turks and Caicos cuisine, choose a local spot such as Mangrove Bay, Omar's, Bugaloo's, or Da Conch Shack. These restaurants are found in the old coastal settlements of Blue Hills and Five Cays, where conch, pan-cooked fish, and peas n’ rice are still the main courses.
There’s an enticing selection of ice cream and desserts at cafés as well. Delicious delicacies are created fresh every day, as well as some great breakfast spots.
The fresh seafood from the Turks and Caicos includes conch, lobster, grouper, snapper, mahi-mahi, wahoo, tuna, and more, all caught in some of the cleanest ocean water in the world.
Car Rental and Travel Information
Our travel information pages cover everything travelers need to know for your Turks and Caicos vacation, including practical information, visas and passports, weather, shopping and trip ideas. See our Turks and Caicos budget vacation guide for hints and tips on getting the best price on air travel, lodging, and transport. Rates vary according to the time of year and location, and it's possible to save with planning.
There are many ways to get around the island. Rentals cars and jeeps are the most popular method of transport, and we have taxis and private car services as well. For those that want to get out and explore, renting your own car is a great choice. There’s a full selection on Provo, with everything from upfitted Jeep Wranglers and Land Cruisers, to compact cars, luxury SUVs, and much more!
The Turks and Caicos has great weather throughout the year. Sunny days, clear skies and warm ocean water are the norm. Consult the weather forecast for details on planning your visit, and to get the most out of your trip.
If you're arriving via a private yacht, the island is home to several full-service marinas. These are located in the Long Bay, Turtle Cove, Leeward, and Cooper Jack areas.
