Colloquially known as Provo, Providenciales is the centre of tourist activity in the Turks and Caicos Islands. At 38 square miles, it is the third largest landmass in the island chain. The majority of travellers will arrive at Providenciales International Airport, and transfer straight to one of a myriad luxury resorts, hotels and villas found throughout the island.
Arguably Provo’s biggest attraction is the stretch of sand that has repeatedly been nominated as the World’s Best Beach by a wide range of tourism and travel publications – Grace Bay Beach. Such is the area’s draw, celebrities such as Beyoncé and the Kardashian tribe are often seen strolling along its white-sand shores. However, it is beyond these beaches where you are most likely to see the real local celebrity of Jojo the bottlenose dolphin. Some of the island’s other most popular beach spots include Long Bay, Sapodilla Bay, Blue Hills Beach and Taylor Bay, with some fantastic reef snorkelling opportunities such as Smith’s Reef.
As the most populous area in TCI, those looking for a lively nightlife scene should look no further, since downtown Provo is known for some of the best bars and restaurants in the archipelago – not to mention the regular Thursday night Fish Fry. Aside from this, here you can also explore cultural delights such as local arts and crafts at the Bamboo Gallery.
Since the opening of TCI’s first resort hotel here in 1990, Providenciales has continued to develop as a centre for all the modern conveniences that a traveller might need.