If you’re familiar with Turks and Caicos, you probably know that this chain of Caribbean islands is known for its amazing beaches and crystal clear sea water. The island of Providenciales is the most visited island in the chain due to its beaches.
Choosing the best beach on Providenciales can be a difficult task, but you may land on a small beach at the southwest corner of the island. This is Sapodilla Bay Beach and pictures don’t do it justice.
In this article we will go through how to plan a day at Sapodilla Bay Beach in Turks and Caicos.
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Sapodilla Bay Beach – What You Need to Know
Where is Sapodilla Bay Beach?
Sapodilla Bay Beach is on the island of Providenciales in Turks and Caicos. It’s in the southwest of the island, far away from the big resorts, about 10 minutes south of the airport.
Turks and Caicos is a Caribbean island territory of the United Kingdom. The islands are geographically north of Haiti and east of Cuba. Providenciales is just one of many islands that make up Turks and Caicos, but it’s by far the most visited and populated.
How to get to Sapodilla Bay Beach
There is no public transportation in Turks and Caicos. There are no ride-share apps and limited taxis. If you’re visiting Turks and Caicos and not staying at one of the resorts, you’ll need a car.
To visit Sapodilla Bay Beach, having a vehicle is really the only way. You could take a taxi there from one of the resorts, but be sure to book a round trip with a set departure time, or you’ll never find a ride back.
For the best deals on rental cars we use Rentalcars.com. You can book your rental from Providenciales Airport using the search bar below. Just remember that you drive on the left side of the road in Turks and Caicos, like the UK.
For getting to Turks and Caicos, many US destinations – such as Miami, New York, Chicago, Atlanta, Boston and Washington DC – offer direct flights to Providenciales. There are also direct flights to London and some Canadian destinations.
When to visit Turks and Caicos
Turks and Caicos is a year-round destination. The average temperature doesn’t change that much month to month, but the summer months – July to September – are a bit hotter.
The biggest factors when deciding when to visit Turks and Caicos are precipitation and budget. The rainy season lasts from about July through the end of November. And by “rainy” we are not talking about monsoons or anything. Just that it’s more likely to rain. It’s the tropics, but Turks and Caicos is considerably drier than most tropical places overall.
The bigger concern is hurricane season, which runs from June through September. Your chances of actually being there during a devastating hurricane are pretty slim, but not impossible. Hurricane Irma and Maria totally devastated the islands in 2017. You don’t want to be there during a hurricane. Though you’ll likely get a better deal on your villa rental.
Peak season is December through March. Prices climb as the weather improves. It’s not quite as hot and Americans flock to the islands to escape winter. April and May are shoulder season and present the best opportunity for decent weather and decent prices in Turks and Caicos. If you can, visit during those months.
Where to stay around Sapodilla Bay Beach
Providenciales is sort of a tale of two coasts. On the northern coast, hotels and resorts line the beaches. On the more scattered southern coast, hotels are not as common. Instead, the beaches and cliffs are lined with spectacular luxury villas.
Turks and Caicos is known for these luxury villas. There are hundreds of them on Providenciales. For villa booking, you’ll want to go through WIMCO Villa Rentals. They manage a ton of incredible villas near Sapodilla Bay.
Now, if you don’t have multiple friends going with you or you’re not looking to drop $10,000 on a week’s accommodation, luxury villa rental might not be for you. For a less luxurious – but still super nice – experience right across the street from Sapodilla Bay there is Neptune Villas. It’s still going to cost at least $300/night depending on the season, though.
Along the north coast, most of the hotels and resorts are on Grace Bay, such as the Ritz Carlton, the Windsong, and Grace Bay Suites. Or check out the full listing of hotels on Booking.com.
What you’ll notice about all these hotels is that they are also not cheap. The cheapest you’ll find might be around $250/night for a pretty basic place. If you’re traveling on a budget, then sadly Turks and Caicos is not for you. More on that later.
Sapodilla Bay Beach weather
The weather at Sapodilla Bay Beach stays pretty consistent year-round, as discussed in the “when to visit” section above.
It’s sunny, but rarely totally clear. There are always some cloud formations off the coast and scattered clouds around. You’ll be thankful for the scattered clouds though, as they give you a slight reprieve from the blistering sun. Even though it might only be 80 degrees (27 C), that sun is damn hot when you’re laying out on the beach.
Sapodilla Bay Beach Parking
As you need a car to access Sapodilla Bay Beach, you’ll need to park somewhere. There is room on the side of the road for about 8-10 cars and a small gravel area that fits about another 5 or 6 cars comfortably.
The exact parking location is at this Google Maps link here. The earlier you get to the beach the better chance you have of finding parking. By about 11:00, all the spots are full.
If you reach and there is nowhere on the side of the road to park, you’ll be resigned to parking across the street at Las Brisas Restaurant at Neptune Villas, which charges $3 for Sapodilla Bay Beach parking. It’s a bargain compared to everything else on the island. Great segway to the next section!
Money in Turks and Caicos
Turks and Caicos is expensive. Let me repeat with emphasis: Turks and Caicos is ridiculously expensive. It’s so expensive that you can’t even fathom how the locals manage to survive there. Americans can often count on getting a little bump from the exchange rate when traveling to tropical destinations. But no such luck here. Turks and Caicos currency is the US Dollar.
So how expensive is Turks and Caicos? I’ve dedicated an entire article to explaining how expensive Turks and Caicos is. The cliff notes are below.
- Hotel/Villas: as we saw above, accommodation is pricey in Turks and Caicos, anywhere from $300/night to $30,000/night (if you have Zuckerberg-like money).
- Rental cars and petrol: rental car prices are actually not too bad. We paid $60 per day for a basic, old hatchback. Compared to everything else, rental cars were affordable. Gas/petrol is pricey though, about twice what you pay in the US.
- Groceries: going to a grocery store in Turks and Caicos will blow your mind. It’s unreal how expensive everything is. If you’re elsewhere in the western world, take what you typically pay for an item and multiply it by 3. If you’re from a lower cost country, try not to even think about it. If you plan on buying alcohol, try the local beer. A 6-pack of Turks Head is about half the price of a 6-pack of Coors Lite.
- Restaurants: eating out is about on par with decent restaurants in big American cities. It’s not cheap, but you won’t find it much different than going out for dinner back home if you’re from a large US city. If you’re from mainland Europe you’ll get a bit of a sticker shock on the menu prices too. Restaurants are influenced by American culture and menu prices do not include a tax of 12% and a service charge of 10%. On top of that you’re expected to tip another 10-15%. So add at least 32% onto whatever you see on the menu. If you want to eat like a local, though, there are a number of restaurants near the airport – like Delicious Dishes where you can get home-cooked local, massive meals for $15.
Tours and experiences: things like snorkeling tours or horse rides along the beach are also very expensive. The operators charge a lot as they know the clientele of people coming to Turks and Caicos can afford to pay. Expect to pay well over $100 for a simple snorkeling tour or a 2 hour horse ride.
Language in Turks and Caicos
Turks and Caicos speaks English. The locals speak with a typical Caribbean accent (think Jamaican). While it’s a British territory, it’s far more influenced by the United States than the United Kingdom. You probably won’t hear any British accents on your trip, but you’ll hear tons of Americans.
Travel insurance
Before visiting Turks and Caicos, just make sure to purchase travel insurance so that you’re protected for the unexpected. We use World Nomads when we travel internationally. World Nomads provides coverage for travelers in over 100 different countries. You can search for a coverage plan using the link below.
Quick Background on Turks and Caicos
As mentioned before, Turks and Caicos is an overseas territory of the United Kingdom. While it is completely self governing, technically it’s not an independent country. It’s the exact same thing as the Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic.
But aside from being a member of the Commonwealth and driving on the left side of the road, Turks and Caicos is really more American than British.
Cliff Notes History of Turks and Caicos
Spanish explorers decimated the small population of the islands in the 1500s with diseases brought over from Europe that the locals had no immunity to. The Spanish didn’t stay though, and moved on to more strategic places like San Juan, Puerto Rico instead. The islands remained uninhabited for a century or so before some other Caribbean islanders began to settle there to mine salt.
Salt is really the only reason that Turks and Caicos exists. The islands have no other natural resources and nothing grows there. But the salt harvest was important enough for the British to Annex the islands in 1799. It was part of The Bahamas until the Bahamas split off and declared independence in 1973.
Turks and Caicos remained under British rule and around the same time was “discovered” by American investors looking to cash in on the gorgeous beaches. Americans poured money into the islands, and hotels, resorts, and villas sprung up like nobody’s business.
Fast forward to today and Turks and Caicos is known as a luxury escape to some of the most beautiful beaches in the world for Americans and other international visitors alike.
Landscape and Geology of Turks and Caicos
One of the reasons everything is so expensive on the island is that literally everything is imported. No crops grow on the islands that make up Turks and Caicos, though they were able to farm cotton for a number of years in the 1800s before someone decided it wasn’t worth it anymore.
The islands are nothing but limestone and coral rock, not great for farming. You’d think you’d at least find some tropical fruit in the Caribbean. Not here though!
Providenciales is mostly flat, but does have jagged coral cliffs along some of the coastline and a few limestone hills that make for decent lookouts. While there is nothing that resembles a mountain, the landscape along the south coast is more like rolling hills of rock. I found that out the hard way when I went for a run along Chalk Sound, thinking it would be flat, unprepared for up and down hills.
Sapodilla Bay Beach
I’ve seen a lot of splendid beaches in my day, from the Phi Phi Islands in Thailand to the hidden coves in Sardinia, the long stretches of sand in The Bahamas, and everything in between. So you can take my word for it when I say that Sapodilla Bay Beach is absolutely one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. This is mainly due to the unreal color of the water and the pristine striations of sand along the surface. Let’s go over some of the key things to know about Sapodilla Bay Beach to prepare you for your visit.
Shallow Water
The depth of water at the beach might come as a surprise to those that have never been to a tropical atoll before. It’s shallow. Like, really shallow. You can walk out seemingly forever and only be up to your waste. This is nice for people who don’t know how to swim. There are no wave and no riptides, just peaceful, calm Caribbean water.
Turquoise Water
The shallowness of the water creates a magnificent turquoise blue color. When white sand is below sea water that is barely 1 meter deep, this color is the result. The photos don’t even do it justice. As you sit on the beach or walk out in the water you’ll see darker water in the distance. This is where the atoll ends and the sea floor drops to deeper water. Don’t walk off the sea ledge if you can’t swim!
Huts and Villas on the Beach
Sapodilla Bay Beach is lined with private villas and rentable beach recliners. This is something that you need to be privy of when you visit. When you first arrive from the parking area there will be a few beach huts selling drinks and simple food like burgers or fish and chips.
The guys that run the huts will try to sell you a beach recliner, which costs $10/day. If you don’t want to do this, you can set your towel between them, though they are pretty tightly spaced so that might be uncomfortable. You’ll have to walk past the recliners, where you’ll find a dense area of vegetation. From there on you can set up shop without any issues.
Do note, however, that the entire beach is lined with massive villas (other than that area of dense vegetation) and some of the villas are stricter than others when it comes to sitting in front of them. If you get asked to move, do oblige and move somewhere else.
I personally recommend setting your towel in front of the first villa past the area of dense vegetation. It’s a beautiful spot!
Food and Drink at Sapodilla Bay Beach
There are two beach huts when you first arrive at Sapodilla Bay Beach. One is Tropical Waves Water Sports, which has a small bar and also offers jet skis, kayaks, and paddle boards for rent. The other is Chalkies, which is a restaurant about 1 mile down the road that operates a hut at the beach. They have a full bar and a food menu, mainly burgers, sandwiches, and wraps.
You can also BYO whatever to the beach. So feel free to take a cooler of local Turks Head Lager and enjoy!
Wildlife
The shallow water of Sapodilla Bay is full of more creatures than you might think. When you’re walking in the water just be on the lookout for little crabs. I definitely got pinched on the big toe by one of these guys. They aren’t trying to hurt you, but can be defensive.
There are also sting rays that like to hang out at Sapodilla bay. Don’t worry though, you’re highly unlikely to get attacked by one, and even if you do you’re not going to end up like Steve Irwin. They are mostly harmless. In fact, there is one island in Turks and Caicos – Gibbs Cay – that has so many stingrays that there are special tours just to go see them, like this option on Viator.
You might also encounter some sea turtles in Sapodilla Bay. They’re not as big as the guys in Hawaii, but they are impressive nonetheless.
Nearby Beaches
If you want a slightly more laid-back, primitive beach with the same gorgeous water then you might want to consider Taylor Bay Beach, just up the road from Sapodilla Bay. Taylor Bay has no huts or services and is lined with more modest villas.
The water is even shallower than Sapodilla Bay and might even be better. The sand isn’t quite as nice though. So if you ask me I’d still say Sapodilla Bay Beach is the best!
Providenciales Island
There is a lot more to Providenciales Island that just Sapodilla Bay Beach. If you’re visiting the beach, it will just be one stop on your adventure on the island. Here we will go through a few of the other things to do and places to see on Providenciales.
Beaches and Sounds
Turks and Caicos is truly paradise for beach lovers. Apart from Sapodilla Bay Beach and Taylor Bay Beach there are numerous other white sand beaches on Providenciales. If you want a slightly more commercialized experience, consider one of the beaches discussed below.
Grace Bay Beach
Grace Bay Beach is the most well known beach on the island. It’s where nearly all the resorts and large hotels are. It’s a long stretch of white sand flanked by mid-rise buildings. If you’re staying at a resort, it’s by far the easiest beach to visit. As it’s on the north side of the island, though, it’s typically far windier than Sapodilla Bay and the south side of the island.
Long Bay Beach
Long Bay Beach is exactly what it sounds like, a long bay. On the south side of the island directly opposite Grace Bay, it also is flanked with resorts, typically smaller ones. The sand is white and the water is turquoise, like all beaches on Providenciales. It’s a good option if you want a love-child of Sapodilla Bay and Grace Bay.
Leeward Beach
Adjacent to Grace Bay, Leeward Beach is basically where the development ends and it gets more residential and laid back. There are still a few hotels, but the beach isn’t full of people staying at the Ritz Carlton. There is ample parking and you’ll need to bring everything you need for the day unless you want to get back in your car.
Other beaches
There are various other stretches of beach on Providenciales, but these are more of local hangouts and you probably won’t end up there. The majority of the coastline is actually pretty rocky, with coral cliffs lined with villas. So it’s not like you’ll be finding hidden beaches everywhere.
Chalk Sound
One of the most stunning features of Providenciales is Chalk Sound. A shallow inland lagoon featuring sea water in a color to blue that you can’t even believe it exists, Chalk Sound is a protected national park.
While there are no beaches, the sound is an amazing place to Kayak or just swim in the shallow water. It’s just north of Sapodilla Bay Beach and Taylor Bay Beach and the best access point is from Las Brisas restaurant.
For more information on Chalk Sound, refer to my detailed guide to visiting Chalk Sound National Park in Turks and Caicos.
Diving and snorkeling
With clear sea water comes epic diving and snorkeling. There are a few coral reefs on the north side of Providenciales which make excellent spots for viewing life under the sea.
There are numerous companies that offer diving trips and tours, such as Dive Provo and Big Blue Collective. The dives usually take place in and around the sea cliff, where the shallow atoll gives way to the endless blue ocean, sometimes at a steep cliff in the sea floor.
If you’re not certified, you can still dive but you’ll have to take a training run in a pool first. It can eat up a lot of your time, so if you want to simplify things you can try your hand at snorkeling.
Snorkeling is a popular activity in Turks and Caicos and can be done pretty much anywhere. Supermarkets sell snorkeling gear for about $40 and a lot of companies rent out gear for the day for about $20, like Sun and Sea Turks and Caicos at Grace Bay.
Some restaurants also will rent out snorkeling gear, so it’s best to inquire with your hotel or villa host to see what is the best place to get snorkeling gear around where you’re staying.
While snorkeling can be done anywhere, the best areas are on the north side of the island, where a large coral reef stretches across the sea floor. Smith’s Reef and Bight Park are two great options for snorkeling to see a wide variety of sea life.
Kayaking and stand up paddle boarding
Kayaking and stand up paddle boarding are very popular activities on Providenciales. Many companies rent kayaks and paddle boards, as well as some restaurants (like Las Brisas). Rates vary by outfitter, but usually start around $30-35 per hour for a 2-person kayak or per paddle board. If you want to go with a clear kayak or paddle board. Expect to pay a little extra.
On top of official rental places, many villas have kayaks and paddle boards free for their guests. You will only be able to operate these in the immediate vicinity of your villa, however. This means you might miss out on some of the best kayaking and paddle boarding locations on the island.
Speaking of that, the best places to kayak or paddle board are Chalk Sound (LINK) and Mangrove Cay. For Chalk Sound, you can rent from Las Brisas Restaurant. Mangrove Cay is at the eastern tip of the island and features – you guessed it – epic mangrove forests to paddle around. For Mangrove Cay, head to Big Blue Collective.
Island hopping
Another popular thing to do in Turks and Caicos is to go island hopping. There are numerous tours that will take you on a boat to check out some of the other islands. You can see these options on Viator here.
Horseback riding
Turks and Caicos is far from the Wild West, but horseback rides are a popular pastime on the islands. Many outfitters offer 1-2 hour horseback rides along the beach. The unique thing here, though, is that the horses actually walk in the water.
As you know by now, the water is very shallow at Turks and Caicos beaches. And the island horses apparently love walking in the water.
If you’re up for riding a horse through the shallow seawater, check out the options for horseback riding on Viator.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Turks and Caicos water calm?
The water in Turks and Caicos is extremely calm. There are hardly any waves. There is no riptide and it’s so shallow you can walk out pretty far before the water gets above your waist.
What is the best month to visit Turks and Caicos?
The best month to visit Turks and Caicos is either April or May. This is off-peak, while pre-hurricane season. So the prices are a little cheaper and the weather is great.
How many days are enough for Turks and Caicos?
To see Providenciales, 3 days is about the minimum you want. This gives you enough time to relax on the beach, do some water sports and have a nice meal or two. Most people who visit Turks and Caicos stay for a week, though. It’s a true “relax at the beach” destination.
Do you tip in Turks and Caicos?
Tipping is customary and expected in Turks and Caicos. The islands are heavily influenced by American culture, so you’re just going to have to tip. There is usually a 10% service charge added to restaurant bills, but they’ll still expect a tip on top of that. So yeah, eating out gets expensive.
Sapodilla Bay Beach – Final Word
Visiting Sapodilla Bay Beach on the island of Providenciales in Turks and Caicos will satisfy all your tropical beach dreams. The water is stunning, the sand is white, and the weather is dreamy. Add on some kayaking in Chalk Sound or some horseback riding along the beach and you have the recipe for an amazing Caribbean vacation!
