43 Best Sights in Turks and Caicos Islands

This endless stretch of beach can be susceptible to rough surf. However, on calmer days during the summer months, you'll feel like you're on a deserted island with no one in sight. Amenities: none. Best for: solitude; walking.

This is one of the most stunning beaches you'll ever see, but you'll need to tread carefully; the road is a little rough in spots, and there have been reports of break-ins at the parking area. Don't bring any valuables with you, and never go alone. Also pack your own food and drinks because there are no facilities for miles around. However, if you're looking for a great diving experience, Malcolm's Road Beach offers one of the best as it is located near the wall, which is an underwater plateau covered with beautiful marine life. Even if you're not a diver, the water in this area is so clear, it's amazing how much you can see just from the shoreline. Amenities: parking (free). Best for: solitude; swimming; walking.

The owner of this abandoned building has given his full blessing for local artists to transform the unfinished concrete structure into an open-air art gallery with floor-to-ceiling murals depicting historic events and paying homage to important figures in Grand Turk's history. Check out this spot to take photos and have a quick walk on the nearby beach.

Pelican Beach is a gorgeous stretch of beach that blends right into Grace Bay Beach at its eastern extension, within Princess Alexandra National Park. There is little distinction between where one beach ends and the other begins—some people refer to a small stretch in between as Leeward Beach. Because of a cut in the reef, you may find wonderful shells here—but remember that you are within the national park, so they must be left behind for others to see long after you have gone home. This end of the bay is slightly quieter than the rest, as there is much less development here. Enjoy. Amenities: parking (free). Best for: solitude; swimming; walking.

One of the best of the many secluded beaches around Provo is this peaceful quarter-mile cove protected by Sapodilla Hill. The soft strand here is lapped by calm waves, while yachts and small boats rock with the gentle motion. During low tide, little sandbar "islands" form—they're great for a beach chair and make the waters easily accessible to young children. Amenities: parking (free). Best for: sunbathing.

On this hilltop overlooking the beauty of Sapodilla Bay, you might find what is left of several rock carvings. It is thought that sailors carved the names and dates into the rocks while they watched over their ships from a high vantage point, perhaps while the hulls were being cleaned or repairs were being made. The details are uncertain, but they have been dated back to the mid-1700s to mid-1800s. You will see replicas displayed at Provo’s International Airport.

Perfect for familes, Taylor Bay is shallow for hundreds of feet. The beach also offers gorgeous views of the villas that hang over the shoreline on one side of the bay with natural coastline on the other. As it has had many amazing reviews over the years, don’t expect to have this one all to yourself. There is even the odd tour that pulls up. Amenities: none. Best for: sunbathing; wading.

Three small rocky cays within swimming distance of Whitby Beach give you some of the best secluded snorkeling in all of the Turks and Caicos. You will often find ospreys nesting there, too. This is a wildlife protection area, so don't feed the fish, touch any of the corals, or disturb the birds.

This is about as isolated as it gets on Provo. West Bay has long stretches of beaches to walk and possibly not see another person for hours. You might see large red starfish in the water here, or if you walk out to Bonefish Point you may spot small reef sharks and the odd ray hunting in the shallows. Amenities: none. Best for: exploring; solitude; swimming; walking.

Whitby Beach usually has a gentle tide, and its thin strip of sand is bordered by palmetto palms and taller trees, which provide a bit of shade. As the beach is in its natural state, you may enjoy a bit of beachcombing as you stroll; you'll find small shells, sun-bleached coral, and other ocean castoffs. There are also some coral heads just offshore for those who wish to don a mask and fins. Amenities: food and drink. Best for: snorkeling; solitude; walking.

This grand stone and plaster house, which once belonged to a wealthy salt merchant, is testimony to Salt Cay’s heyday. Still owned by the descendants of the original family, it's sometimes open for tours when Tim Dunn, one of the successors, is on island. He’s pleased to share the house, where you will see some of the original furnishings, books, and a medicine cabinet that dates back to around 1835.

Just a half-mile walk from the cruise-ship terminal on the southern tip of the island, White Sands Beach and Boaby Rock Point offers a secluded alternative to the cruise crowds, with access to the terminal and shops (when a ship is in port). The old weathered fishing boats resting on the beach contrast with the big shiny cruise ships that loom behind them. There is off-the-beach snorkeling; as it is not as protected as along the west coast, you must be a competent swimmer here. The miles of beach offer wonderful exploring with excellent beachcombing. Amenities : food and drink. Best for : partiers; swimming; walking.

If you're feeling adventurous and want to explore an amazing strand, check out Wild Cow Run. It's at the end of the island, and you're likely to have the beach, as well as the views of the channel and Joe Grant’s Cay, all to yourself. Numerous sandbars form at low tide, and beachcombing is at its best; you'll probably stumble upon the hull of a boat or two that lost its battle against Mother Nature. Amenities: none. Best for: solitude; walking.