My husband started it. That is, my obsession with tropical beaches with water so blue that you can’t take your eyes off of it. I had always dreamed about experiencing this amazing hue, but hadn’t gotten the chance to see it in person. Until our honeymoon in Hawaii….
Well, let’s just say I was hooked from that first Hawaiian beach we laid eyes on. The clear, azure water was absolutely mesmerizing and just as amazing as I had pictured in my mind. Since then, we have been lucky enough to enjoy many, many other beaches in Hawaii, Florida, the Caribbean, Mexico and the Bahamas. They’re all different and most are beautiful in their own way – but there’s still just something about that blue, blue water.
If you’re looking to find a tropical island to visit with incredibly blue water, here’s our list of 12 Tropical Islands with the Most Amazing Blue Water to start with. Are these the only ones? Heck no. As you can tell by the number of entries, it was very hard to narrow it down and there are so many more islands worthy of a mention. We could have actually named several entire island chains with incredibly blue water – such as the British Virgin Islands, Exuma Cays, Abacos, Turks & Caicos, US Virgin Islands, etc…, but space prohibited listing them all. These are some of our favorites to date for the amazing blue color of their water. Be sure to leave a comment with your favorites below!
Approximately 575 miles southeast of Miami, Florida lies a beautiful tropical archipelago comprised of 40+ small islands. It’s called the Turks & Caicos Islands. The islands are separated into two groups – the Turks Islands to the east, which include Grand Turk and Salt Cay and the Caicos Islands to the west, including Providenciales, North Caicos, South Caicos, Middle Caicos, Pine Cay and Parrot Cay. All in all, there are 8 islands in the chain that are inhabited.
The archipelago is a British Oversees Territory and is home to over 31,000 full time residents. Due to its stunning calm, blue water and white sand beaches, T&C has become a popular beach lovers destination and welcomes more that a million tourists annually.
Have you been to T&C? If not, here are some reasons why you should plan a trip to Turks & Caicos!
Beaches
It’s no secret that we love a beautiful white sand beaches and the islands of Turks & Caicos have some of the prettiest we’ve seen. With miles of secluded beaches to explore, these islands are truly a beach lover’s paradise. Some of our favorites?
Grace Bay Beach, Providenciales
Grace Bay, Providenciales. This stunning beach frequently makes the “Top Most Beautiful Beaches” list and for good reason. At a little over 3 miles long, this white sand beach lapped by beautiful turquoise water just begs you to come in for a swim, float, snorkel or to play. Some areas around the resorts can be busy at times, but we’ve never had a problem finding a quiet, beautiful area to enjoy. And, if you get hungry or thirsty after a day in the sun, there are several restaurants and bars (such as Somewhere Cafe’ & Lounge) to quench your thirst and satisfy your hunger while enjoying the incredible views.
Sapodilla Bay, Providenciales
Sapodilla Bay, Providenciales. Although not as long as Grace Bay Beach, Sapodilla Bay compares in sheer beauty. Crystal clear water and white sand make this beach an absolute treat for the eyes. There are villas for rent just off the beach and if you get hungry, Las Brisas Restaurant is close by.
Whitby Beach from Barracuda Beach Bar
Whitby Beach, North Caicos. There are several stunning beaches on North Caicos and you will most likely have the beach entirely to yourself. We enjoyed Whitby Beach, a long stretch of soft white sand with a small restaurant/bar named Barracuda Beach Bar & Grill. The beach and shallow water were dotted with pretty conch shells during our visit and were used as decorations at the beach bar.
Mudjin Harbour Beach, Middle Caicos
Mudjin Harbour Beach, Middle Caicos. A stunning coastline of beautiful beach, a rugged rocky outcropping called “Dragon Cay”, caves and high limestone cliffs that somehow reminded us a bit of Ireland all combine into one special place on Middle Caicos called Mudjin Harbour. Accessed by boat tours or by car via the causeway between North and Middle Caicos, this area is definitely worth a visit. Read more here.
Eat & Drink
Not surprisingly, conch is a popular dish in Turks & Caicos. Whether made in a ceviche, fritters, chowder, curried or in a salad, we found it all to be fresh and delicious. Wash it down with a refreshing rum drink (Bambarra is the local rum) and what more could you need! Other seafood is also readily available, such as Grouper and Caribbean Lobster (in season). Some of our favorite restaurant/bars so far?
da Conch Shack, Providenciales & RumBar. Enjoy a delicious dinner (cracked conch and jerk chicken are excellent) with a tall glass of Jan’s Rum Punch while sitting on a picnic table with toes in the sand. Perfect. Read more here.
Mr. Grouper’s. Sometimes it truly pays to ask the locals for a dining recommendation. Unsure of where to go one evening, we asked a lady we met for a good local eatery. She said that if we like seafood, we should definitely try Blackened Grouper at Mr. Grouper’s. Man, was she spot on. We ordered a Blackened Grouper and a Coconut Crusted Grouper with Mango Chutney Sauce. Other dishes are available, but when we went back a second time that week, we ordered the exact same thing, Delicious.
Rum Drinks at Bugaloo’s Conch Crawl
Bugaloo’s Conch Crawl, Providenciales. A beach side, seafood restaurant with delicious food and great drinks. Dine on the deck under the trees or grab a table in the shallow water, if there’so one available! Read more here.
‘Somewhere’ Cafe’ and Lounge, Providenciales. Located on the beach in West Grace Bay, this multi-level restaurant and bar serves up a beautiful view of Grace Bay Beach in addition to tasty food and drink. Excellent place to enjoy a colorful Turks & Caicos sunset. Read more here.
Other Things to do in Turks & Caicos
Besides spending time on the beach or eating and drinking, what else is there to enjoy in Turks & Caicos? Here are a few ideas:
1. Diving and snorkeling – with such amazingly clear water, it’s no wonder that diving and snorkeling in Turks & Caicos is top notch. The coral is vibrant and the reef fish are plentiful .
2. Take an excursion to a deserted cay and enjoy your own private island for the day!
3. Visit Water Cay and learn about the endangered Rock Iguanas that used to live on all islands in the Turks & Caicos but are protected here.
4. Attend the Thursday Fish Fry on Providenciales. Sample food from local restaurants and vendors, enjoy some live music and shop for local arts and crafts.
5. Play golf. Get a round in between beach days at Provo Golf Club.
6. Explore other islands. Ferry to North Caicos, rent a car and explore North Caicos and Middle Caicos (connected by a causeway) for the day.
7. Catch a sunset on Grace Bay Beach or Leeward Beach. Stunning.
Several years ago during a week vacation on Providenciales, Turks & Caicos, we arrived at our accommodations close to Grace Bay Beach. Upon check-in, we asked if there were any good restaurants or beach bars close by. The lady said, “You’re in luck. Somewhere is just around the corner!” Hmmm? Somewhere? Sensing our confusion, she went on to tell us that ‘Somewhere’ Café and Lounge was a popular restaurant and a beach bar and was just steps away from where we were staying.
We were grateful for her recommendation and ended up enjoying our time at ‘Somewhere’ so much that we visited three times that week!
*This post is sponsored by ‘Somewhere’ Café and Lounge, but any reviews and opinions expressed in this post are ours based on our experience there.
‘Somewhere’ Café and Lounge is a beachfront two-story, open-air cafe and lounge in Providenciales that offers an oasis of casual sophistication. Although they specialize in Tex Mex cuisine, they also offer an assortment of BBQ dishes, salads, sandwiches, hamburgers and tasty drinks. Somewhere is located on beautiful Grace Bay Beach at the Coral Gardens Resort. The water here is a great for snorkeling, the beach is stunning and you are sure to catch an amazing sunsets. Find a map here.
Ted Bayley, Amy Fabara and Luis Fabara
The ‘Somewhere’ team is comprised of owner Luis Fabara, executive chef and director Amy Fabara and managing director Ted Bayley. The name for their beachfront establishment originated from an article Luis came across while traveling on beach bars of the world. At the end the article it stated that “you will always find a cool beach bar Somewhere…”. ‘Somewhere’ Café and Lounge opened on New Years Eve, 11 years ago.
‘Somewhere’ is perfect for drinks and apps at the bar in swimwear with a cover-up or to enjoy a lovely relaxed meal on the beach. Listen to live music on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday from 6:30-9:00pm, and on Sunday afternoon there is a DJ from 2:00-5:00p.m. Be sure to check the website for event updates.
So what makes ‘Somewhere’ Café and Lounge a place to visit and enjoy while in Providenciales? Here are a few of our favorite reasons!
View
Whether visiting during the day or in the evening, you are sure to be treated to an absolutely amazing view of the turquoise blue water, white sand beach and vibrant sunsets.
Sunset from Somewhere
Upper level beach view
Grace Bay Beach
Food
From tacos to the fresh fish of the day, there is something delectable on the menu for everyone! Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Check out the lunch/dinner menu here.
Drink
Thirsty after a day on the beach? Try one of ‘Somewhere’s’ mouthwatering margaritas, or for rum lovers – a Bambarra Rum Punch or Mickey’s Banana Rum Punch. They also offer a variety of tequila’s and wine.
Ambiance
The casual beach front location is perfect for enjoying a relaxing meal with your friends & family while enjoying the stunning beauty of Turks & Caicos.
Wouldn’t you rather be ‘Somewhere’?!
Want to find out more about ‘Somewhere’ Café and Lounge? Check them out here:
Many years ago while staying on North Caicos, we drove over the causeway connecting North to Middle Caicos to explore. Our first Middle Caicos stop? The stunning Mudjin Harbour.
A few months ago we returned to Turks & Caicos and this time we stayed on Providenciales. Hearing that several beach bars that had been built on North Caicos (Barracuda Beach Bar) and Middle Caicos (Mudjin Bar & Grill) since our last visit, we decided to take the ferry over again to explore.
Although Middle Caicos takes a bit of planning and time to get to, Mudjin Harbour was just as beautiful as the time before and we enjoyed the addition of Mudjin Bar & Grill.
It’s situated in the Blue Horizon Resort with a fabulous view of Mudjin Harbour beach and Dragon Cay, a rock formation just offshore that resembles a dragon.
We enjoyed a rum punch on the deck while enjoying the warm breeze and the view before heading down for some time on the beach.
Watch the view from the deck at Mudjin Bar & Grill here:
To see more posts on Turks & Caicos and other islands, check out our Island Blog Directory
Providenciales, the most developed and populated island in chain of islands called the Turks & Caicos, is home to some luxurious hotels and resorts and is fringed by some of the prettiest beaches in the world. Are you planning a trip to Provo? This list of 7 Things To Do on Providenciales might give you some ideas of what to do during your time there!
Beach Boasting some of the prettiest beaches in the world, including the highly ranked Grace Bay Beach, spending some time on one of Provo’s gorgeous beaches is the top thing to do on our list. See photos of a few of our favorites and read more in our post “The Stunning Beaches of Providenciales“.
Pelican Beach at (part of Leeward Beach)
Eat Whether looking for fine or casual dining on Provo, you’ll find a variety of restaurants and bars to suit your taste. Conch and seafood, in all manner of preparation, is served at many different establishments. One of our favorites? A restaurant called Mr. Grouper’s. The Coconut Crusted Grouper and Blackened Grouper were recommended by a friend and after ordering both, we decided to go back again later in the week for another go-round. Delicious!
Golf Hit the links at the Provo Golf Club and enjoy a round of golf on an 18 hole championship golf course that is voted consistently within the top ten Caribbean golf courses.
Provo Golf Club
Shop There are some very nice shops in and around Ports of Call and Grace Bay offering a variety of gift, art, locally made and luxury items. Our favorite place to pick up souvenirs for friends & family at home? Mama’s Gift Shop in Ports of Call. Run by two sisters from North Caicos, you are sure to get good service and a friendly chat from Mama #1 or Mama #2 while shopping!
Mama #2 at Mama’s Gift Shop
Explore Other things to explore on Provo? 1. The Caicos Conch Farm where you can take a 30 minute tour that will teach you about the life cycle of the conch and where you can se many thousands of Caribbean Queen Conch growing the facilities ponds.
2. Chalk Sound – take a scenic drive around the amazing turquoise water of Chalk Sound National Park.
3. Snorkel at the Bight Reef or Smith’s Reef, or snorkel on a boat excursion – the underwater life is beautiful!
4. Take an excursion to neighboring cays such as Little Water Cay and Half Moon Bay
Caicos Conch Farm
Experience There are so many more things to experience during your vacation in Providenciales, Turks & Caicos, but we’ll leave you with two more. The Thursday Fish Fry, held at the Bight Park from 5:30-9:30 is an excellent place to enjoy food and drink from several local restaurants, local arts & crafts and live music & entertainment.
One last thing to experience on Providenciales? A sunset. Sunsets from many areas on the north part of the island are simply spectacular and the perfect way to cap a perfect day on the island.
Sunset at Pelican Reef
Have you been to Providenciales? Tell us about it!
For a small island with not even one stop light, Providenciales in the Turks & sure has a large number of simply amazing beaches (see The Stunning Beaches of Providenciales), and a number of really fun beach bars too.
One of the better known, da Conch Shack & RumBar, is located in the Blue Hills area on the northern coast of Provo (next door to Kalooki’s).
da Conch Shack & RumBar provides deliciously fresh seafood and a wide variety of conch dishes – cracked conch, conch salad, conch fritters, conch creole, and curried conch.
And if all that delicious conch & seafood weren’t enough, the RumBar serves up an excellent Rum Punch called Jan’s Rum Punch, served by the glass or pitcher.
We ordered conch fritters, conch salad and a couple Rum Punches and settled in to listen to the live music and enjoy the sea breeze.
O’Brien, the bartender at the RumBar was great to talk “rum” with and delighted in sharing his favorite rum selections.
Listed as one of the 1,000 places to see before you die in the book of the same name, we’d have to agree that it’s well worth a visit, or two, while staying in Provo.
Have you been to da Conch Shack & RumBar? Tell us about it!
If you ask anyone that has visited the island of Providenciales in beautiful Turks & Caicos what they think of the beaches, you’ll probably get an enthusiastic thumbs up. From the very well known Grace Bay Beach which is frequently included on lists of “Top Beaches”, to some of the lesser known and less visited beaches, the stunning beaches of Providenciales are sure to leave an impression on you.
Unfortunately one week was just not enough time to fully explore every beach on the island (after all, we had to reserve some time to check out the impressive list of great bars & beach bars on island too!), so we will just give the lowdown on what Provo beaches we’ve gotten to see so far. Be sure to leave a comment below with any others that you’ve enjoyed.
Grace Bay Beach Frequently listed as one of the Top Beaches in the world, this very long stretch of stunning white sand and turquoise blue water is a beach lover’s paradise. Many of the major resorts and accommodations in Provo are found along this stretch of beach.
The Bight Beach Although it seems just like a continuation of Grace Bay Beach, The Bight Beach is west of Grace Bay along the same stretch of sand. The Bight Beach is best known for it’s snorkeling with a good amount of lush sea grass just off the shore.
Leeward Beach Heading east from Grace Bay you will find another long and beautiful expanse of white sand beach called the Leeward Beach. We read that from Leeward Beach it is possible to walk 7 miles of beach passing Grace Bay and The Bight Beach and ending at Turtle Cove. We originally thought that Pelican Beach was a separate beach on the northeast side, but found it included in Leeward Beach in some maps.
Pelican Beach (part of Leeward Beach)
Sapodilla Bay Heading down to the south part of Provo, Sapodilla Bay lies on the Caicos Banks side of the island adjacent from Chalk Sound. With blue, shallow, calm, clear water, it’s a pretty place to pull up a beach towel and enjoy a quiet afternoon in the sun.
Taylor Bay Not far from Sapodilla Bay is another pretty, shallow bay called Taylor Bay. Taylor Bay is very shallow for yards out into the band has a long expanse of white sand that is perfect for walking. Parking is very limited next to the path that opens up to the bay.
Have you spent time at a beach on Provo? Tell us about it!
To see more posts on Turks & Caicos and other islands, check out our Island Blog Directory
If you like conch, live music, good drinks and a great atmosphere, you should probably put Bugaloo’s Conch Crawl on your “list”.
Located in Five Cays on the T&C island of Providenciales, this laid-back beach bar serves up fresh fish dishes (they’re located next to Sunny’s Fish Plant, so very fresh) for lunch and dinner along with tasty drinks, live music and a great view.
There is a front door and inside seating,
but, when we pulled in to park, we were immediately drawn to the great looking deck and outside seating.
Although there was some great seating on the deck under the palms, we chose a small table in the sand, about as close as we could get to the shallow, blue water.
The live music at lunch was mellow and relaxing – perfect for that time of day, but were told the music on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights is lively and perfect for partying.
We ordered Red Snapper and Coconut Cracked Conch and thought both dishes were tasty.
Then we spent some time walking in the shallow, watching people jet skiing in the bay and enjoying a beverage at one of the cool “boat” tables.
Great afternoon and would put it on our list of places to experience again.
Always following the feed of everything Turks & Caicos, we’d run across some photos recently of a bar on North Caicos that had been built since our last visit. We were familiar with the area and the gorgeous beach that it sits on and knew we needed to stop by to check it out. (Be sure to check with Barracuda Beach Bar to see if they’re open prior to visiting.)
Barracuda Beach Bar is the name of the establishment built behind the Pelican Beach Hotel in the small town of Whitby.
Pelican Beach Hotel is far enough from the ferry building on North Caicos that you will need to either rent a car, get a taxi or take a tour that will get you there, but if you like quiet, scenic places to hang out and enjoy a rum punch or two, you might really enjoy spending some time at the Barracuda.
The path to Barracuda Beach Bar from the Pelican Beach Hotel parking area.
Small covered bar and dining area.
Outdoor seating on both sides
There’s plenty of gorgeous beach out back to walk,
or take a swim in that gorgeous water to cool off. Barracuda serves food as well, but we were satisfied sipping on a rum punch and just taking it all in…
Have you been to Barracuda Beach Bar in North Caicos? Tell us about it!
Kalooki’s, a beach restaurant & bar in Providenciales sits on a pretty stretch of beach in Blue Hills, on the north side of the island.
The location once was the site of a beach bar by the name of Horse-Eye Jacks, but was purchased by the current owners a few years ago.
A pretty location set among some lush foliage, Kalooki’s offers dishes with a Caribbean flare and from what we hear, a dash of Jamaican seasoning as one of the owners has Jamaican roots.
Although we didn’t dine there, we stopped by twice to enjoy a beverage on the deck with a beautiful view of the ocean.
On our first visit, we met a very friendly bartender named James. We asked him, of course, what rum drink we should order and he quickly said, “The Happy!”
We asked how the drink got its name and he told us a story. Wray & Nephew ran a contest to see who could come up with the best rum drink using their rum. James, who was originally from Jamaica created a mixture using peach, passion fruit, fresh lime juice , ginger beer and Wray & Nephew and won the contest! We asked him again why he named his drink “The Happy” and he said, “Just try it – you’ll see.”
Well, he was right. The cocktail was delicious, but powerful with the overproof rum and we were indeed happy.
The bar
Seating on the deck
View from the deck
View of the back
We enjoyed our time at Kalooki’s and would have enjoyed sampling a dinner of Jerk Chicken or Grilled Mahi Mahi or their Saturday night Beachside Barbeque, but we’re sure we’ll be back to Provo and will definitely return to Kalooki’s to “get happy”!
