The island guide
Where to take
the Jeep.
Beaches, reefs, ruins and back roads. Everything worth your holiday on Provo, from the people who drive it every day.
Before you go
Island basics.
Drive on the left
Traffic keeps left, and you give way to the right at roundabouts. It feels natural after the first one.
US dollars
The official currency here, so there is nothing to change and cards work almost everywhere.
Peak sunshine
December to April is dry, breezy and gorgeous. Hurricane season runs June to November.
Small island, big variety
Provo is easy to cover in a few days, from resort beaches to wild bluffs at the end of a dirt road.
Strong sun
Even on a cloudy day. Pack reef-safe sunscreen, a hat and more water than you think.
Island time
Things move at a gentler pace. Lean into it. That is half the reason you came.
Our top picks
Six places you can’t leave without seeing.
If you only have a few days, start here. Every one is an easy drive from anywhere on Provo.
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01North shore
Grace Bay Beach
Why it’s a top pick. The postcard. Miles of soft white sand and water so clear and calm it barely looks real, thanks to a barrier reef about a mile offshore that breaks the Atlantic swell.
Fun factGrace Bay sits inside Princess Alexandra National Park, which protects the beach, the water and the reef beyond it.
Paved. Public beach accesses run between the resorts.
- 02
Southwest
Chalk Sound
Why it’s a top pick. The most unreal colour on the island. A shallow national park lagoon, sprinkled with tiny rocky cays, glowing turquoise from end to end.
Fun factThat colour comes from very shallow water over pale limestone and sand. The higher the sun, the brighter it gets.
Paved the whole way along Chalk Sound Drive.
Read the full guide -
03Southeast shore
Long Bay Beach
Why it’s a top pick. Knee-deep water for what feels like forever, steady trade winds and room to breathe. Kitesurfers love it, and so does anyone who wants a quiet stretch of sand.
Fun factThis is where Provo Ponies take riders on horseback straight into the sea.
Paved to the beach accesses. Minutes from our base in Long Bay Hills.
Read the full guide -
04Southwest
Taylor Bay
Why it’s a top pick. Calm, shallow and warm, with soft sand underfoot. You can wade out a long, long way and the water barely reaches your waist. Perfect with kids.
Fun factIt sits on the far side of Chalk Sound, so it pairs perfectly with the lagoon drive and a sunset at Sapodilla Bay.
Paved, with a short sandy lane at the end.
- 05
The Bight, Grace Bay
Bight Reef
Why it’s a top pick. The easiest great snorkel on Provo. Walk in from the beach and you are over coral within minutes, often alongside turtles and rays.
Fun factLocals call it Coral Gardens, after the resort it sits in front of. Buoys mark the protected snorkel area.
Paved. Park at the public access in The Bight.
- 06
Long Bay Hills
The Hole
Why it’s a top pick. A giant natural sinkhole, hidden in a quiet neighbourhood, dropping straight down through the limestone to water far below. Strange, striking and practically on our doorstep.
Fun factIt is roughly 50 feet across and about 60 feet down to the brackish water at the bottom.
Paved. Stay well back from the edge and keep children close.
More beaches worth the drive
Grace Bay gets the fame. These get the people who know.
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Southwest
Sapodilla Bay
A small, calm half-moon of sand that faces west, so it is made for sunset. Shallow and gentle enough for floating for hours.
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Northeast
Leeward Beach
The quiet end of the Grace Bay coastline, with soft sand, fewer people and views across to the little cays.
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West coast
Malcolm's Beach
At the end of a long, rough road, a beach you might have entirely to yourself. Clear water, reef offshore, nothing else for miles.
The Malcolm's Road and Northwest Point guide
Reef and water
Some of the best of Provo is just under the surface.
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Near Turtle Cove
Smith's Reef
A shore snorkel with an underwater trail to follow. Head out past the shallows to the deeper reef off the point, and keep an eye out for boats.
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Northwest
Mangrove Cay
A small mangrove island that is best explored from a kayak or paddleboard. Calm water, quiet channels and the occasional ray gliding by.
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Little Water Cay
Iguana Island
A short boat ride away, boardwalks wind past hundreds of rock iguanas basking in the sun.
Fun factThe Turks and Caicos rock iguana lives nowhere else on Earth.
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Off the north shore
Glow worm nights
A few nights after each full moon, tiny marine worms light the shallow water up green just after sunset. Evening boat trips go out to see it.
Nature and history
Old ruins, sailor graffiti and birds you won’t see at home.
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Central Provo
Cheshire Hall Plantation
Stone ruins of a cotton plantation built by Loyalists in the late 1700s, now looked after by the National Trust. A shady, fascinating hour.
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Above Sapodilla Bay
Sapodilla Hill carvings
A short, steep climb leads to names, dates and little ships carved into the rock by sailors stranded here centuries ago. The view is a bonus.
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North shore
Frenchman’s Creek and Pigeon Pond
One of the best birdwatching spots on the island. A tidal creek runs behind the dunes, and wading birds, sometimes flamingos, feed in the shallows.
Proper Jeep drives
The roads the Wrangler was made for. Each has a full guide.
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Far southwest
West Harbour Bluff
Limestone cliffs, sea caves and open ocean at the end of a bumpy track. Isolated, so go in daylight and leave nothing in the Jeep.
The West Harbour Bluff guide -
West coast
Malcolm's Road and Northwest Point
A long, rough road into a marine national park. Brilliant snorkelling when it is calm, beachcombing and birding when it is not.
The Malcolm's Road and Northwest Point guide -
Southwest
Chalk Sound Drive
The easy one: smooth tarmac along the rim of the lagoon, with a view at every bend. Best with the top off.
The Chalk Sound guide
Did you know?
Things to tell everyone back home.
- 01
A cactus named the islands
The Turks Islands take their name from the Turk’s head cactus, whose round red top looks like a fez.
- 02
“Caicos” means islands
The word is thought to come from the Lucayan “caya hico”, meaning a string of islands.
- 03
Conch is king
It is the national dish, served cracked, frittered and in salads, and it gets its own festival every November.
- 04
Pelicans on patrol
The brown pelican is the national bird. Watch for them diving at the harbours.
- 05
Whale season
From January to April, humpback whales pass through these waters on their yearly migration.
- 06
A one of a kind iguana
The Turks and Caicos rock iguana is found here and nowhere else in the world.
Plan your days
Three perfect Jeep days.
Steal one, mix and match, or use them as a starting point. Every stop is in this guide.
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Day 1
The easy, unforgettable day
- MorningSwim at Grace Bay while the water is glassy and the beach is quiet.
- MiddayLunch under the palms at Coco Van, then the top comes off.
- AfternoonCruise Chalk Sound Drive and wade into Taylor Bay.
- SunsetFinish at Sapodilla Bay as the sky turns orange.
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Day 2
The adventure day
- EarlyBump out to West Harbour Bluff before the heat for cliffs and caves.
- Late morningCool off in the shallows at Taylor Bay.
- AfternoonClimb Sapodilla Hill to find the old sailors’ carvings.
- EveningIf it’s Thursday, head straight to the Fish Fry.
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Day 3
The reef and wind day
- MorningSnorkel Bight Reef while the water is calm.
- MiddayPeer into The Hole, just up the road in Long Bay Hills.
- AfternoonWatch the kites fly at Long Bay, or book a lesson.
- EveningConch, rum punch and toes in the sand at Da Conch Shack.
Where to eat
Eat like you mean it.
Beach shacks, sunset decks and a Thursday night party. Conch is everywhere, and you should try it at least twice.
Thursday Fish Fry
Bight ParkProvo’s weekly street party: local food stalls, live music and Junkanoo. If you are here on a Thursday, go.
Da Conch Shack
Blue HillsThe island classic. Tables on the sand, conch every way, ribs and fresh catch, and desserts you will make room for.
Magnolia Restaurant and Wine Bar
Turtle CoveOn a bluff above the marina with views right along the north shore. Start on the sunset deck.
Coco Van
Grace BayCasual plates under a canopy of palms, served from a 1974 Airstream. The menu changes with what is best that week.
Mango Reef
Turtle CoveFresh local flavours and seafood, with a few international favourites.
Caicos Cafe
Grace BayMediterranean and Italian with a Caribbean touch, built around local seafood and cooked to order.
Somewhere Café and Lounge
The BightTex-Mex on the beach for breakfast, lunch and dinner, with desserts made from scratch.
The Deck at Seven Stars
Grace BayEasy alfresco dining under umbrellas and palms, looking straight out over the beach.
Flamingo Cafe
Grace Bay BeachRicky’s, as everyone calls it. Walk in from the sand for local and American bar food.
Turks Kebab
Grace BayTurkish, Greek and Mediterranean, made fresh. Outdoor seating fills up, so call ahead at busy times.
Things to do
When you’re ready to leave the sand.
Our favourite ways to spend a few hours on the water. Tell us which you’ve booked and we’ll point you the right way.
Kite Provo
Learn to kite
Long Bay’s shallow water and steady wind make it one of the friendliest places anywhere to learn kitesurfing or wing boarding.
Provo Ponies
Ride a horse into the sea
Trot along the sand at Long Bay, then wade right into the turquoise water on horseback.
SUP Provo
Paddle the mangroves
Guided tours or board rental, into hidden waterways only a paddleboard can reach.
Catamaran day trips
Sail to the cays
Spacious cats cruising to secluded beaches and reefs, often with a stop to meet the iguanas.
Beyond Provo
Got a spare day? Island hop.
Two easy day trips for when you have seen Provo top to bottom.
- A short ferry ride from Provo
North and Middle Caicos
The green, quiet islands. North Caicos is known as the garden island, with Flamingo Pond and empty beaches. A causeway leads on to Middle Caicos, home to the cliffs and turquoise lagoon of Mudjin Harbour and the vast Conch Bar Caves.
- A short flight from Provo
Grand Turk
The historic capital. Wander Cockburn Town’s Bermudian-style streets, see St Thomas’ Church from 1823 and the old prison used from the 1830s until 1994, and visit the lighthouse above the reef, a great whale-watching spot in winter.
Where to stay
TKCA Vacation Rentals
Relax, recharge, reconnect. A collection of luxury villas and homes across the Turks and Caicos, with property management to match. Tell us which villa is yours and the Jeep will be waiting in the driveway.
Go deeper
The full guides.
Turn-by-turn honesty for the four drives we get asked about most.
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Paved Chalk Sound
The lagoon rim drive, impossibly blue, minutes from Long Bay.
Read the guide -
Paved Long Bay
Kite country, shallow water for miles, and home turf.
Read the guide -
Rough track West Harbour Bluff
Cliffs, caves and wide sea views at the end of the rough track.
Read the guide -
Rough track Malcolm's Road and Northwest Point
The long, rough road to one of the island’s quietest beaches.
Read the guide
All of it is better with the top off.
Your Wrangler is ready when you are, delivered to your villa or waiting at the airport.
Book your Jeep