Hotel Indigo Turks & Caicos Grace Bay Local area

This pristine beach is the hallmark of the Turks and Caicos Islands, and the recipient of many designations and accolades. Grace Bay Beach has won numerous awards, including the World Travel Awards’ World’s Leading Beach Destination and the Tripadvisor Travelers' Choice Awards' World’s Best Beach. It has taken first or second place in these two competitions around a dozen times. The entirety of Grace Bay is excellent and breathtaking, with clean turquoise water, soft white sand, and no rocks,

There’s a wonderful collection of small cays between Providenciales and North Caicos that are well-worth exploring. Known as the Caicos Cays, these islands offer miles of spectacular and deserted white-sand beaches where you'll discover serene turquoise water, snorkeling reefs, and the indigenous Turks and Caicos rock iguanas.A great way to see these quiet islands is by booking a private charter or the popular shared half-day and full-day boat tours.

The reefs around the Turks and Caicos are amazing, offering an abundance of crystal-clear water, fish and sea animals, and healthy coral. Going on a boat snorkeling cruise or private charter often makes for a great underwater experience. You won’t have to search for the reefs, and the offshore sites are often livelier than reefs near the beach. On snorkeling boat trips, you also may encounter one of the friendly wild Atlantic bottlenose dolphins that call the Turks and Caicos home.

Turks and Caicos sunsets are truly spectacular, and one of the best places to watch them is on the ocean. Sunset cruises in Turks and Caicos depart daily, and typically include refreshments, snacks, and a two-hour sail along the coast. These cruises can be booked privately or as a shared cruise with other guests. Around the full moon, glowworms light up certain bays and channels on Providenciales, a natural phenomenon for which several charters offer dedicated tours.

The Bight Beach is the most popular snorkeling beach on Providenciales, with a system of vibrant coral heads directly offshore.

The top kiteboarding spot on Providenciales, Long Bay Beach offers a huge expanse of clear shallow water exposed to the constant east-southeast trade winds. It is a great place to kite or simply watch the action.

Potcakes are the local breed of island dog in the Turks and Caicos. As cute as they are friendly, these animals charm many tourists who choose to adopt them and take them home. Local rescue charity the Potcake Place has about a dozen puppies at any given time that you can sign up to walk on Grace Bay Beach during your vacation. Be sure to line up early—spots book up quickly.

The Bight Reef (Coral Gardens) is the most popular shore snorkeling location in the Turks and Caicos islands, and starts about 30 feet (9 m) off the beautiful Bight Beach. It consists of a protected conservation area surrounded by buoys, around which you can snorkel and spot parrotfish, Nassau grouper, porcupinefish, Caribbean spiny lobster, stingrays, and the odd nurse shark. This reef is the best place for beginner snorkelers to try shore snorkeling, given it has a relatively shallow depth.

Smith's Reef is a great place for spotting green turtles, southern brown stingrays, eagle rays, and the occasional hawksbill turtle. This beautiful snorkeling location includes several distinct reef systems that you can swim to from shore. Smith's Reef is located near Turtle Cove, about 3.5 miles (5.6 km) from Grace Bay. A little more remote than the Bight Reef, this site is best for moderate to advanced snorkelers.

Providenciales is a great vacation destination for saltwater sport and recreational fishing, with prime conditions for deep-sea fishing less than 15 minutes from the dock. Numerous private fishing charters offer the opportunity to reel in reef and game fish on vessels ranging from large and luxurious sport fishing boats to smaller wahoo boats. Some tours also allow you to try diving for Queen conch and Caribbean spiny lobster, the staple seafoods of the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Turk’s Head Brewery is a small yet interesting brewery. The onsite shop and taproom is a fun place to spend some time, with unique and exclusive special beers and great locally made gifts.

A trip to the islands is not complete without immersing oneself in the local culture. The Fish Fry, a popular weekly event, affords visitors an opportunity to do just that. The Fish Fry is a place to sample local food and drinks and experience live music. you’ll find a number of stalls featuring local artists selling handmade crafts ranging from jewelry to art, as well as imported clothing and gifts, all inspired by the Turks and Caicos.