Kayak

Providenciales

Kayaking

The Turks and Caicos is an exceptional destination for kayaking and paddleboarding. There’s a tremendous variety of settings and sights, from verdant mangrove wetlands, to sheltered and sandy lagoons.

For casual kayaking, the majority of the Grace Bay Beach resorts and beachfront rental villas have both kayaks and paddleboards free for their guest use. Several water sports businesses on Providenciales have guided wetland tours, where great sightings of marine and bird life can be had.

Book Now

The Best Kayaking Locations

Mangrove Cay

Mangrove Cay is the most popular kayaking location near Providenciales. This small and uninhabited island largely consists of red mangrove estuaries, and is part of the Princess Alexandra Nature Reserve. The largest estuary leading into the cay offers sheltered and calm water, and it’s common to spot juvenile turtles and sharks, conch, starfish, stingrays, herons, egrets, and more. Mangrove Cay is easy and safe to explore, and perfect for all skill levels of paddlers. Local tour company Big Blue Collective is located adjacent to Mangrove Cay, and offers kayak and paddleboard rentals, as well as guided tours.

Princess Alexandra Nature Reserve

The Princess Alexandra Nature Reserve is a protected area inside the Princess Alexandra National Park, and includes Mangrove Cay, Donna Cay, Little Water Cay, and much of Half Moon Bay. This beautiful system of channels, cays, and shallows hides an incredible array of vistas and wildlife. The greater area surrounding Mangrove Cay offers great paddling potential, and trip durations can range from about an hour, to full-day adventures, depending on how much you’d like to explore. Points of interest include amazing beaches, mangrove wetlands, iguana sanctuaries, and marine life sightings ranging from turtles, to small sharks, stingrays, fish, conch, and starfish.

Chalk Sound National Park

Chalk Sound National Park is a sheltered marine lagoon on the southwest of Providenciales. This highly-scenic area has hundreds of small rocky islands in shallow turquoise water. There’s a wealth of sights to discover, including sea life, birds, an airplane wreck, old historical ruins, and blue hole underwater cave systems. On many of the larger islands, the indigenous Turks and Caicos Islands Rock Iguana can be seen as well. Some local water sports businesses offer guided tours, and hourly kayak and paddleboard rentals are available at Las Brisas Restaurant on the south-eastern side of the sound.

Half Moon Bay Lagoon

Half Moon Bay is found on the eastern side of the Princess Alexandra National Park, and is one of the most scenic landscapes in the Turks and Caicos. This coastal area largely consists of a beach and sandbar that filled in between Little Water Cay and Water Cay. The northern side of this region is an exquisite beach, and the southern side is a sheltered and shallow lagoon. Iguanas roam the area, and baby lemon sharks can be spotted too. The paddle to Half Moon Bay from Providenciales can be a bit of a challenge to beginners due to the distance. Be sure to take plenty of drinking water and sun protection.

Turtle Tail

Another fun location to explore is Turtle Tail Beach. Unfortunately, no business provides kayak or paddleboard rentals in the area, yet many of the vacation rentals in the area have equipment, which is great for guests staying in the area. Turtle Tail has several small beaches and lagoons, many impressive vacation homes, and the tiny uninhabited islands of the Dick Penn Cays, the Bird Egg Cays, and Bristol Cay.

Frenchman’s Creek and Pigeon Pond Nature Reserve

The remote yet beautiful Frenchman’s Creek and Pigeon Pond Nature Reserve is found on the far western coast of Providenciales. This 5406-acre (2188 hectares) area hides miles of pristine mangrove estuaries and marine lagoons, and is the largest protected area on the island. Also found nearby are the beautiful coastal scenes of Bonefish Point and West Harbour Bluff. Due to the remoteness and difficulty of accessing this nature reserve, tour operators may need advance notice (so kayak transport can be organized).
logo