THE WORLD-FAMOUS GRACE BAY BEACH is located on the northeast coast of the island of Providenciales. This pristine beach is the hallmark of the Turks and Caicos Islands, and the recipient of many designations, awards, and accolades.
Grace Bay currently holds the position of World Travel Awards’ World’s Leading Beach Destination, and 2nd place in Trip Advisor’s World’s Best Beaches. Over the previous decade, Grace Bay has taken first or second place in these two competitions 19 times.
The entirety of Grace Bay is excellent and breathtaking, with clean turquoise water and soft white sand, and no rocks, seaweed, or pollution. An extensive barrier reef is located about a mile (1.6 km) offshore, and protects Grace Bay from the ocean swells of the Atlantic, which helps to keep the water at the beach calm and safe.
Grace Bay Beach is home to nearly all of the large and luxury resorts on Providenciales, and much of the boat and water sports traffic that takes place near Providenciales occurs in the shallow waters between the beach and barrier reef.
Many sources cite Grace Bay as being 7 or 12 miles long (19 km), yet in reality it’s only a little over three miles long (4.8 km). On its east side, Grace Bay Beach continues as Leeward Beach, and on the west end as the Bight Beach. It’s possible to walk the entire 7 miles (11.2 km) from Leeward Going Through Point (also known as Emerald Point) near Little Water Cay, to Turtle Cove Marina and Smith's Reef. The inlet canals of Turtle Cove Marina and the residential neighborhood of Thompson Cove, and a few outcrops of limestone ocean cliffs near Blue Mountain interrupt the beach, which would otherwise continue another 7.5 miles (12 km) past Blue Hills, Wheeland, and finally to Northwest Point and the Northwest Point National Park.
Grace Bay Beach is part of the Princess Alexandra National Park, which also includes the Bight Beach, Smith’s Reef, the Bight Reef (Coral Gardens), Leeward Beach, Little Water Cay, Half Moon Bay, and the eco-tour destination of Mangrove Cay.
Grace Bay Beach was named after Grace Jane Hutchings, wife of Hugh Houston Hutchings, Commissioner of the Turks and Caicos from 1933-1934.
Want to watch a glorious sunset or capture the perfect photo? As may be expected, the sunset over Grace Bay can be amazing. Some great places to watch the show include the dock at Ricky’s restaurant (the Sandcastles beach access), located on the eastern side of Club Med, and at the Forbes Point beach access near the Sands Resort. The Stubb’s Point (also known as Pelican Beach or Sunset Beach) access on Leeward Beach is another great place in the area to see the sunset.
A sunset cruise on Grace Bay can be an incredible way to watch the show as well, and is one of our top recommended things to do.
Grace Bay Beach, and the adjacent coasts of Leeward Beach and the Bight Beach are very rarely affected by sargassum and seaweed deposits. This is due to the typical east-southeast wind directions, which blow the floating offshore.
The Bight Beach has lush seagrass beds which grow in sheltered parts of the bay, and sometimes bits of this seagrass do wash onto the beach. In most situations, if the seaweed is present, it’ll be a narrow strip left at the high tide line. -
Grace Bay Beach