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Visitor
Activities
Scuba Diving
 Excellent
visibility, pristine reefs, abundant tropical
flora and fauna, fish and other marine life, quality
diving services and easy conditions make the Turks
and Caicos Islands a world class dive destination.
World famous walls are lushly landscaped in rich
marine decor and play host to a tremendous variety
of sea creatures. Shipwrecks, old and new further
enhance these islands as an outstanding diving
destination.
Turks and Caicos has assured that for generations
to come, divers will be able to enjoy this underwater
wonderland. A series of marine parks and nature
reserves have been set aside to protect these
beautiful and fragile areas. A system of moorings
is in place which protect the reef from anchoring
damage at popular dive sites.
*From late December through April, the entire
Atlantic herd of 2,500 Humpback Whales pass through
the shores on their annual migration to the Mouchoir
Bank, just 20 - 30 miles southeast. During this
period divers can listen to an underwater concert
of the whale's' songs. Visit
the Dive Services Page
Golf
Grand Turk
The beautifully located course Waterloo is a must
for golfers in Grand Turk. The course is situated
adjacent to Governors House constructed in 1815
and right by one of Grand Turk’s finest beaches,
Governors beach.
Providenciales
At the Provo Golf Club, you can enjoy one of the
best places to play in the Caribbean. The eighteen
hole championship course designed by Karl Litten
opened in 1992. The course features Fairways bar
and grill, tennis, a pro shop, driving range,
professional instruction and a four tee position
system that offers a formidable test to all golfers.
The course watered by state of the art irrigation
system combines lush greens and fairways, rugged
limestone outcroppings and freshwater lakes.
Biking
Most of the islands are quite flat and offer a
nice relaxing ride to enjoy the views. There are
several off road areas with a rough terrain for
the mountain bikers.
Fishing
Many say that Turks and Caicos fishing is the
finest in the Caribbean and this is demonstrated
by the ever increasing numbers of angling professionals
who fish in the annual Bill Fish tournament in
Providenciales and the Heineken Game Fishing Tournament
in Grand Turk in July. The Atlantic Blue Marlin
is plentiful all year and ranges in weight from
100 to 400 pound or more. It is the big game trophy
fish each year when it seems new records are continually
being set. What makes the fishing here extra special
is that on the private charters you can ask your
captain to arrange for your catch to be prepared
at any one of the country’s fine restaurants.
Tennis
Tennis is a popular sport for visitors and residents.
Many hotels and resorts have very nice courts,
some with lighting for early evening play in cooler
temperatures.
Windsurfing
The clear and calm waters offer excellent opportunities
for windsurfers to perfect their technique. Equipment
and instruction is available for all levels.
Sailing
Sail charters are available as well as regular
sail trips. People can sail away for a whole day,
explore an uninhabited island, have a picnic,
go on a sunset or dinner cruise or even a Sunday
brunch. There is a large variety of boats available
from monohull, catamaran and trihull vessels.
Bird Watching
The salt ponds and inland marshes serve as excellent
feeding grounds for resident and migratory birds.
Search for Great Blue Herons, Flamingos, Osprey
and Pelicans alongside Egrets, Terns, Frigates,
Boobies and other water birds. As part of the
National Parks system more than twelve small cays
have been set aside and protected for breeding
grounds.
170 species of bird can be found in the Turks
and Caicos Islands from Pelicans and Flamingos
to Osprey and Cuban Crows. The variety is staggering
and the photographs that have been taken here
have been published across the world. On North
Caicos in particular the tidal flats on the South
side of the island attracts scores of birds including
wild Pink  Flamingos that regularly inhabit
the aptly named Flamingo Pond.
Horseback Riding
Guided horseback riding, trail riding, pony rides
and even sunset riding can be enjoyed in the Turks
and Caicos Islands. Riding lessons can also be
arranged and all ages are welcome.
Shopping
In Providenciales there are three main shopping
centers: Ports of Call; Market Place; Central
Square which all include a place to buy souvenirs
as well as clothing, beach and sportswear. Resorts
also offer boutiques for those in need of a little
‘retail therapy’ during their stay.
For arts and crafts there are a number of places
to visit in Providenciales and in the family islands.
You will notice smaller art and craft outlets
as you travel around the Islands. Innovative work
can be found by artists who use the natural environment
to create designer mirrors, lamps and other household
as well as fashion items. Craft work, especially
the beautiful handmade straw hats, bags and baskets
can be purchased on all the islands. These items
are highly regarded in the region and are extremely
high quality.
Dining
There are about 70 restaurants throughout the
Turks and Caicos Islands offering local cuisine,
seafood, conch, lobster and other specialties
and Caribbean dishes as well as a selection or
restaurants offering more Mediterranean, Italian,
British and American dishes.
Other Activities/Attractions
Little Water Cay, Providenciales
The only place in the world to see the endangered
rock iguana in its natural habitat.
 Caicos Conch Farm & Inland
Sea Centre
This smelly place near the northeastern tip of
Provo claims to be 'the world's only conch farm'.
It strives to protect the Caribbean queen conch
(Strombus gigas) from extinction and also raises
the mollusks commercially for export and local
use. The farm was the brainchild of Chuck Hesse,
an environmentalist who after years of research
can now produce a consumable mollusk in 28 months,
from egg to adult conch. Chuck reckons he has
2 million conchs in the ponds and an additional
1 million offshore in 'pastures' fenced to keep
predators at bay. Annual production is over 750,000
conchs a year, with 10,000 harvested weekly. They're
worth US$1 apiece! You can learn how conchs are
grown from egg to adults on a tour.
Northwest Point Beach, Providenciales
White sand beach with clear, calm waters, best
known for its excellent diving opportunities and
the tiki-huts that line the coast for a South
Pacific atmosphere.
Princess Alexandra National Park, Providenciales
Thirteen miles of undeveloped, protected beach,
part of an effort to preserve the natural beauty
of the islands.
Water Cay, Providenciales
Wildlife is the star attraction on this island,
featuring hundreds of attention-loving iguanas
and the famously friendly dolphin, JoJo.
Island Sea Centre, Providenciales
Center with exhibits on marine wildlife, including
an interesting and unusual conch breeding area.
Conch Bar Caves National Park
This park protects 24km (15mi) of underground
caverns -- one of the largest cave systems in
the Caribbean region. Some have lagoons and stalactites
and stalagmites, often dramatically plaited in
curtains. Most have colonies of bats. They were
used as sacred sanctuaries by the Lucayan Indians,
who left petroglyphs on the walls. There are at
least 38 pre-Columbian Lucayan sites on the island,
many of which have been excavated by archaeologists.
The most notable is the Armstrong Pond Village
Historical Site.
 Middle Caicos
The largest of the Caicos islands is also some
of the least developed, with barely a handful
of vehicles and no convenience stores or nightclubs.
But the fishermen and farmers in the tiny hamlets
of Conch Bar, Bambarra and Lorimers give visitors
a warm welcome.
The southern half of the island is composed of
vast intertidal swamplands. Off-shore, Vine Point
& Ocean Hole Nature Reserve protects a frigate-bird
breeding colony, plus a massive marine blue hole
favoured as a hangout by turtles and sharks. The
paved road from the airfield to Lorimers is good
for bicycling, with plenty of beachside stops
along the way.
The island boasts miles of beaches, large freshwater
lakes and lavish pine forests accessed by trails
along the north coast as part of the Middle Caicos
Reserve & Trail System.
North Caicos
Little-visited North Caicos is of prime interest
to ecotourists. It gets more rainfall than other
islands and hence has lusher (though unspectacular)
vegetation. It has traditionally been the bread
basket of the island chain. Farms evolved in colonial
times and fine sloops were built to transport
the crops to the other fruits and vegetables still
thrive beside sugar apples and sea grapes.
There are four tiny settlements, notably Kew,
near the island's centre, and Bottle Creek, on
a breezy coastal bluff 2 miles south of the airport.
The Kew area has several historic ruins, including
the Wades Green Plantation, granted to a British
Loyalist by King George III. North Caicos hosts
the Festarama Festival each July.
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