Grace Bay Beach

Located on the northeast coast of the island of Providenciales in the Turks and Caicos Islands, Grace Bay Beach is an immensely popular seven-mile-long white-sand beach. The soft, powdery white sand comprises finely crushed coral and shells. Grace Bay Beach is the symbol of the Turks and Caicos Islands and consistently ranks among the world's best beaches by travel magazines and websites. It has won numerous honors, recognitions, and awards, including the World Travel Awards’ World’s Leading Beach Destination and being ranked second among the World's Best Beaches. In addition, it is a favorite of Randall Kaplan, the world’s foremost beach expert who is known as Mr. Beach.

The beach is positioned between Leeward Beach and Bight Beach along the shores of Grace Bay and has a stunning backdrop of many oceanfront buildings, including upscale restaurants, beach bars, luxury resorts, opulent hotels, condominiums, and villas, offering panoramic views of the turquoise waters of the Atlantic Ocean. Grace Bay Beach is part of the Princess Alexandra National Park, which aims to promote a protected marine environment while emphasizing the importance of sustainable tourism practices. Grace Bay Beach, Turks and Caicos, has been awarded the Blue Flag certification due to its natural beauty, cleanliness, and water quality standards.

Grace Bay Beach does not have lifeguards but offers many other amenities, including restrooms, showers, shaded areas, sunbed and parasol rental facilities, beach equipment, a boat launch, a casino, restaurants, hotels, and shopping centers.

Grace Bay Beach is a family-friendly beach that offers many fun activities, including swimming, sunbathing, snorkeling, diving, hobie cat sailing, parasailing, sport fishing, paddle boarding, banana boating, wakeboarding, watching wildlife, photography, and picnicking. If you plan to go into the water, the waves are usually calm, making it a safe spot to swim. It is worth noting that while swimming, you must exercise caution with the power vessels that frequent the water near the beach, as numerous accidents have been documented. The beach is rarely impacted by sargassum and seaweed deposits since it is protected from east-southeast trade winds. The water near the beach is calm and shallow, which is ideal for canoes, kayaks, and small boats.  

Grace Bay Beach snorkeling is another popular activity. Snorkelers and divers may spot the diverse marine life that thrives in its clear waters, but we recommend being careful, as rocky patches can be found in some areas. It is worth noting that the beach is a designated marine protected area, aimed at preserving its natural beauty and ecosystem. Visitors can also book a snorkeling cruise or a dive boat tour to explore the popular Bight Reef and Smith’s Reef, located on the far western edge of the beach. These famous diving spots offer a full spectrum of coral, sea fans, tropical fish, turtles, stingrays, lobsters, and larger sea creatures.

If you enjoy photography, the spectacular views of this renowned beach make it a photographer's delight, and there are many points near the beach known for taking the best Grace Bay Beach photos. There are numerous beachfront bars that are open late along the beach, making it the ideal location for visitors to enjoy beach parties and a vibrant nightlife. The beach hosts several events and festivals throughout the year, including the annual Turks and Caicos Conch Festival. Also, riding bicycles is a popular mode of transportation around the island, allowing visitors to experience the calm surroundings at their own pace. Visitors can enjoy a tropical climate with warm temperatures year-round. Dogs are not allowed on the beach, which is open from sunrise until sunset.

Grace Bay Beach Providenciales offers manys access paths for people with disabilities.

Getting to Grace Bay Beach is easy - the beach has a free parking lot located at Grace Bay TKCA 1ZZ, Turks and Caicos Islands. Alternatively, the beach has another parking lot located near Princess Drive, The Bight Settlement, TKCA 1ZZ, Turks and Caicos Islands. You may refer to the Grace Bay Beach map for locational details. In addition, there are many hotels along the beach that provide parking for a fee.

Grace Bay Beach bears the name of Grace Jane Hutchings, wife of Hugh Houston Hutchings, who served as the Commissioner of the Turks and Caicos from 1933 to 1934. The beach is a popular spot for watching sunsets and allowing visitors to relax and unwind in a tranquil tropical setting.

There are many attractions near Grace Bay Beach.  Princess Alexandra National Park is a protected area aimed at preserving the natural beauty and biodiversity of the region. It is home to the third-largest barrier reef system in the world and a rich diversity of marine life, including tropical fish, sea turtles, and other marine creatures. Visitors can enjoy many fun activities, including snorkeling, scuba diving, kayaking, paddleboarding, sailing, watching wildlife, and eco-tours. The Caicos Conch Farm is renowned as the world’s only conch farm, dedicated to the cultivation of queen conch (Aliger gigas). Visitors can take informative guided tours that offer an interesting insight into the life cycle of the queen conch, from egg to adult, emphasize sustainable aquaculture practices, and educate visitors on the importance of conservation efforts for the queen conch.

The Turks and Caicos National Museum is housed in one of the oldest stone buildings on Grand Turk Island and aims to preserve the culture and history of the Turks and Caicos Islands through diverse exhibits and educational programs.  Little Water Cay is an uninhabited island situated just off the northeastern coast of Providenciales that serves as a sanctuary for the endangered Turks and Caicos rock iguanas (Cyclura carinata). There are boardwalks and walking trails to observe the iguanas in their natural habitat. Visitors can access the island via a short boat ride and take guided tours that provide information about the iguanas, their behaviors, and the conservation efforts to protect them. If you are looking for another nearby attraction, Chalk Sound National Park is a beautiful natural reserve known for its turquoise waters and numerous small rocky islands scattered throughout that create a spectacular view. These small cays are home to iguanas, and you may spot bonefish, barracudas, stingrays, and small lemon sharks that can occasionally be sighted. Visitors can enjoy many fun activities, including kayaking, canoeing, paddleboarding, picnicking, swimming, watching wildlife, and photography.

If you get hungry, there are many great restaurants near Grace Bay Beach.  The Deck is an upscale restaurant positioned right on the beach that serves amazing salads, pizzas, pasta, sandwiches, wraps, seafood, meat, and poultry dishes.  Solana Restaurant is another waterfront restaurant that serves incredible soups, salads, pizzas, sushi, sashimi, wraps, seafood, and meat dishes.  Infiniti Restaurant & Raw Bar serves amazing salads, sushi, sashimi, nigiri, seafood, meat, poultry, vegan, and vegetarian dishes.  The Grill at Grace Bay Club serves amazing salads, soups, pizzas, burgers, beef, seafood, meat, and poultry dishes. If you are looking for another good nearby restaurant, Casa Nonna serves incredible Italian cuisine, including salads, bruschetta, burratas, pasta, short ribs, steaks, seafood, meat, and poultry dishes. 

If you are looking for Grace Bay Beach hotels, there are many great options nearby. If you are looking for an upscale hotel, the 5-Star Grace Bay Club is on the beach and offers many amenities, including two outdoor pools, a spa, a fitness center, hot tubs, bars, and many restaurants. A more affordable hotel is the 4-Star Seven Stars Resort and Spa, which has a few amenities, including a saltwater pool, a spa, bars, and many restaurants. Another moderately priced option is the 4-Star Point Grace Resort, which has many amenities, including an outdoor pool, sun loungers, a spa, a fitness center, a bar, and complimentary breakfast. A more reasonably priced option is the 3-Star Villa Del Mar Resort, which offers several amenities, including two outdoor pools, a hot tub, a restaurant, and complimentary breakfast. If you are looking for another affordable hotel, the 3-Star Island Club Turks offers a few amenities, including an outdoor pool and a dining area.