Grace Bay Providenciales
The Grace Bay region on the island of Providenciales is the center of tourism, upscale shopping, and dining in the Turks and Caicos. It's also home to the country's best beach: Grace Bay Beach. Many of the island’s resorts and hotels are situated in this area.
Grace Bay is located on the northeastern side of Providenciales and spans an area roughly 0.5 miles (0.8 km) by 2 miles (3.2 km). It’s bordered by The Bight community on its west side, Leeward on its east side, and the Long Bay area to the southeast.
Abstractly, the expansive Beaches Turks and Caicos family all-inclusive resort defines the region's western edge, while the Venetian condo-resort and Leeward Beach define its eastern edge.
Grace Bay Beach
World-famous Grace Bay Beach is the top attraction in the Turks and Caicos and on Providenciales. On a calm and sunny day, the brilliant white sand and crystal-clear turquoise water of this coast are simply breathtaking. The beach is perfect for many water sports and activities, including boat tours, kayaking, paddleboarding, sailing, and parasailing.
There isn't any great snorkeling accessible from shore, though the barrier reef off Grace Bay—only accessible by boat—offers spectacular corals, fish, and underwater sights. The closest beach reef is the Bight Reef (Coral Gardens) on the western end of Grace Bay.
Beach Accesses
There are many established public beach accesses, all with free parking. There is no admission fee to use the beach.
The largest accesses are the Central Access near Seven Stars Resort & Spa and the Grande Court Access near Royal West Indies Resort.
Resorts and Hotels
There are around 25 resorts and hotels located in the Grace Bay area. This includes a large selection of both beachfront and inland properties, as well as all-inclusive and luxury options.
The large beachfront resorts typically have a better collection of amenities than the smaller properties—this can include everything from the typical resort pool to a spa, one or more onsite restaurants and bars, and even butler service. Most beachfront properties, as well as a few inland resorts, have loungers and umbrellas reserved for guests on Grace Bay Beach.
Another benefit of staying at the larger resorts is access to complimentary water sports equipment like Hobie Cat sailboats, kayaks, and paddleboards you can launch right off the beach. Some properties also have bicycles you can use to explore the district.
Compared to other Caribbean destinations, the Turks and Caicos Islands is home to relatively few large global hotel chains. Each Grace Bay resort offers its own ambiance and style. Some, such as Seven Stars, The Palms, and the Grace Bay Club, specialize in luxury stays, while other boutique resorts such as Point Grace are perfect for weddings, honeymoons, and intimate getaways.
Grace Bay Resorts
Villas and Vacation Rentals
Grace Bay is the most convenient location on Providenciales for villa and vacation rental stays, as most visitors don't really need to rent a car or take a taxi to get around. Some rentals include a beach cart for getting to and from the beach.
While there are many villas and vacation rentals in Grace Bay, very few are actually located on the beach. More often, rental properties here are located a little bit inland and are a 5–10 minute walk from the coast.
Properties that are advertised as beachfront on Grace Bay may actually be on the neighboring Leeward Beach to the east or Bight Beach to the west (both of which are a bit far for walking to the shopping, restaurants, and other amenities of the district).
Restaurants
This region is the center of fine dining in the Turks and Caicos, and there's an impressive number of restaurants located in walking distance of its central area.
A few great picks that are walkable from the central resorts are Seven, Terra Mar Restaurant, Coco Bistro and Cocovan Airstream Lounge, Castaways Conch Bar & Island Grill, and Yoshi’s.
Many restaurants here are located at resorts—however, nearly all (with the exception of those located at the all-inclusives) are open to the public.
Places to Eat
Shopping
This district has the largest selection of souvenir shops and art galleries in the Turks and Caicos Islands. Most are located in small plazas like the Saltmills, Regent Village, and Ports of Call.
You can also find luxury shops selling jewelry and high-end goods, water sports stores selling snorkeling equipment and water toys, and a few specialty food shops that stock local spirits and snacks.
Graceway Gourmet supermarket is located in the center of the Grace Bay area, not far from the Seven Stars roundabout and the Ritz-Carlton. Along with a wide selection of fresh groceries, this store also serves prepared foods, sandwiches, salads, cold drinks, coffee, and pastries.
Attractions
There aren't many natural attractions in this area beyond the beach, though there are a few points of interest. The award-winning 18-hole Royal Turks and Caicos Golf Club is found on the eastern side of Grace Bay. Located at the club is 19 Bar and Restaurant and several tennis courts.
The Potcake Place is a charity dog rescue operation is located at the Saltmills Plaza and welcomes visitors to take adorable potcake puppies for a walk on the beach.
There's also the National Museum & Heritage Site. You can explore various interesting artifacts spanning centuries of Turks and Caicos history at this museum, which is a short drive from the central strip.
Nightlife
This district is the center for the country's laid-back (and relatively small) nightlife scene. Most nightlife is centered around restaurants, pubs, and bars, some of which have live music. A few resorts, such as the Somerset and Wymara, host regular beach bonfire and BBQ events around sunset.
Popular nightlife establishments in the area include Aziza, Cielo, and Blu Bar & Lounge. An evening resort pass to the all-inclusive and adults-only Club Med Turkoise is another option and a great value.
The best nightlife options for families are Stingrays Social—a huge sports bar with a full arcade and duck-pin bowling—and Castaways Conch Bar & Island Grill, where live musicians perform several nights per week.
There are two casinos: The Casino at the Ritz-Carlton and Casablanca Casino.
Our top recommended thing to do in the evening is to take a sunset cruise. Some include guest pickup right from Grace Bay Beach.
Services and ATMs
A handful of law firms, real estate agencies, and other professional services have offices in the area. There is one private bank and a small police station (located at the Saltmills Plaza).
Grace Bay Medical Center is a private walk-in clinic that provides emergency services and non-urgent care. It is located in central Grace Bay and near Graceway Gourmet, as are two pharmacies: Grace Bay Pharmacy and Flamingo Pharmacy.
ATMs can be found inside the Graceway Gourmet Supermarket. For a full list of ATM locations, see Money, Currency, and ATMs in Turks and Caicos.
Getting Around Grace Bay
As is generally the case throughout Turks and Caicos, transportation options are largely limited to rental cars, taxis, cycling, and walking. The main tourism area is generally confined and navigation is simple. A map is typically not needed.
Grace Bay can experience significant traffic at times, particularly in the morning and evening from 8:30 AM to 9:30 AM and 4:30 PM to 6:00 PM. Driving is more pleasant if you avoid these times of day.
From the Airport
The Grace Bay region is located approximately 10–20 minutes by car from the Providenciales International Airport, depending on traffic. It's strongly advised that you pick up your rental at the airport to save on time and expensive taxi costs if you're renting a car.
If you would prefer not to rent a car or pick it up at the airport, taxi and private car services can provide transfers to your accommodation (see Airport Transfers). Taxis from the airport are typically shared, with wait times between departures. Private car services will pick up guests directly outside the airport with no delay.
Some of the all-inclusive resorts offer complimentary airport transfers for their guests.
Walking Distances
It's a viable option to walk to some restaurants, shops, and plazas from many of the central Grace Bay resorts. Keep in mind that the sun and heat in Turks and Caicos are often intense, so it can be unpleasant to attempt longer distances (15-minute walk or more). Most roads in Grace Bay have concrete pedestrian sidewalks.
The central Grace Bay ‘strip’ is considered to span roughly from Le Vele Plaza to One Season Plaza. Inside this zone are the Regent Village, Grace Bay Plaza, Caicos Café Plaza, many restaurants, and the Graceway Gourmet grocery store.
Car Rentals
All guests should consider renting a car or jeep for the duration of their stay. This allows you the freedom to visit the many beautiful beaches, attractions, and restaurants, as well as save on costly airport transfers.
Grace Bay Car Rentals has a car rental location in central Grace Bay.
Most roads here, and on Providenciales in general, are paved and sufficient for compact cars to navigate. If you're interested in visiting the remote and scenic west-coast beaches and national parks, it’s best to choose a Jeep Wrangler or other 4x4.
Parking in Grace Bay is free and typically readily available. Read Driving in the Turks and Caicos Islands for important safety and road information.
Taxis
Taxis, which traditionally in the Turks and Caicos are large passenger vans, can usually be found waiting at some resorts and often at the Graceway Gourmet supermarket. If a taxi is called to a location, the delay is typically 10–30 minutes.
Cycling
Cycling is a popular way to get around Grace Bay. Many resorts and hotels have bikes for guests to use. Bicycles and e-bikes can also be rented from a few locations in the area.
There are no dedicated bicycle paths, so we generally recommend riding on the sidewalks if there are no pedestrians present, as drivers typically exceed the (in most areas 20 mph or 32 km/h) speed limit. Per the UK Highway Code, when on the road, travel with the direction of car traffic. Take great care at roundabouts.
The Grace Bay area consists of very flat terrain, so it’s easy to get around by bike.
Bike racks are found at several of the shopping plazas in the area.
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