Best Places to Visit in Turks and Caicos Islands, Top Attractions

The Turks and Caicos Islands are a popular tourist destination lying off the southeastern tip of The Bahamas. Exquisite white-sand beaches fringe this necklace of about 40 islands, where water sports, nature trails, coral reefs, underground caves, and luxury resorts are the main attractions. The Turks and Caicos Islands are a British Overseas Territory, and only eight of the islands are inhabited. Cruise ships glide into the main port on Grand Turk, home to the quiet capital of Cockburn Town. There are some other incredibly scenic locations in the Turks and Caicos, yet they are remote and very difficult to access. Only a few local tour companies have the knowledge, vessels, and wherewithal to get to such locations, so we’ve limited our list to places that are reasonably practical to get to. Grace Bay Beach is of course the top beach and attraction in the Turks and Caicos, yet as it's world-famous, we’ve decided to limit the collection to destinations tourists may not be aware of. This list is in no particular order!

#1- Governor’s Beach
Grand Turk is the capital of the Turks and Caicos Islands, representing the territory’s administrative, cultural, historical and commercial centre. Located between the Cruise Center and Cockburn Town, the famous Governor’s Beach offers a classic Caribbean combination of soft white sand and calm turquoise waters.

#2- Grace Bay Beach
Named the “Best Beach in the World” multiple times (and by multiple entities), Grace Bay Beach is so beautiful that it really needs to be seen to be believed. This is the main beach on the island of Providenciales, in Turks and Caicos, and is lined with upscale resorts.

#3- Sapodilla Bay Hill Rock Carvings
Get a feel for the seafaring history of the Turks and Caicos Islands with a trip to see the rock carvings made by shipwrecked sailors at Sapodilla Bay. The inscriptions on the rocks range from names and dates to carvings of ships and buildings. The unfortunate sailors chose Sapodilla Hill as their lookout as it affords a wide view of the ocean beyond.

#4- Little Water Cay 
Known locally as Iguana Island, Little Water Cay emerges from the crystal clear waters just outside Providenciales. The tiny islet is ringed by white sandy beaches—a tranquil habitat for the endangered Turks and Caicos Rock Iguana, a charismatic green lizard endemic to the islands.

#5- Cockburn Town
Located on the west shore of Grand Turk, Cockburn Town is the oldest town and capital of the Turks & Caicos Islands. This charming and picturesque beachfront settlement offers British colonial architecture, historic landmarks, and easy access to white-sand beaches and crystal clear waters.

#6- Gibbs Cay
Swim and snorkel with stingrays in the warm shallow waters around Gibbs Cay, a beautiful and uninhabited 7-acre (2.8-hectare) island. The best place in the Turks and Caicos to see and interact with southern stingrays, Gibbs Cay also features pristine, white-sand beaches, a scenic shoreline, and a hill with sea oats at its center.

#7- North Caicos
Riven with sea inlets and lagoons populated by pink flamingos, lush North Caicos is the Turks and Caicos’s second-largest island and lies about 12 miles (19 kilometers) from its eastern neighbor, Providenciales. Dotted with small settlements and former plantations, the quiet island boasts long sandy beaches with coral reefs for swimming and snorkeling.

#8- Turks & Caicos National Museum
The Turks & Caicos National Museum in Cockburn Town is a family-friendly attraction that explores the history of the Caribbean with a focus on the Turks and Caicos Islands. Established in 1991, it houses a fascinating collection of exhibits and artifacts relating to the tropical Atlantic archipelago.

#9- Cheshire Hall Plantation
Atop a hill on the island of Providenciales, the ruins of this once thriving cotton plantation offer visitors an essential perspective into the island’s history. Protected by the National Trust, the 18-century Cheshire Hall was named by Loyalist brothers Wade and Thomas Stubbs after their English home county of Cheshire.

#10- Cockburn Town Lighthouse
The only lighthouse on Grand Turk, the Cockburn Town Lighthouse (also known as the Grand Turk Lighthouse) was built in the 1850s to help ships navigate the treacherous shallow reefs off the northern end of the island. Although no longer operational, the lighthouse is one of the top historical landmarks on Grand Turk.