Providenciales Land Sports & Activities
Providenciales has a variety of land sports and activities you can try when you get tired of lounging on its spectacular beaches. These activities accommodate a range of age groups and interests, from thrill-seeking ATV rides to relaxed pickleball matches at the resorts.
Certain activities and tours, like horseback riding, can book up weeks in advance whereas others are a little more flexible.
For information on land activities across the country, see Turks and Caicos Land Sports and Activities.
ATV Tours
ATV tours of Providenciales have become one of the more popular land activities on the island. Some of these tours visit the wild and less-explored west coast of Providenciales, cruising to the spectacular West Harbour Bluff and Bonefish Point, Malcolm’s Road Beach, and Sapodilla Bay near Chalk Sound National Park. Another popular stop is the Turk's Head Brewery, which serves locally made beers on tap at its dedicated brewpub, The Taproom.
An ATV tour of Providenciales is a fun way to see a large portion of the island in a short amount of time while enjoying the breeze. Some companies also offer tours that visit points of interest on the eastern side of the island, such as Long Bay and The Hole. Most tours are 2–3 hours long.
Guided Island Tours
A more relaxed way to explore the island is on a guided bus tour or taxi tour. These tours consist of several stops across the island that you'll discover with a local guide or driver. Providenciales is fairly small, so guided tours are typically no longer than four hours (given that you can see many of the attractions in a short time). Most buses and taxis are air-conditioned.
Taxi tours are usually private and customizable, whereas the larger buses host public tours that charge per passenger. Tours vary, but some excursions include lunch and drinks.
Popular stops are Cheshire Hall Plantation, The Hole, Turtle Tail, Five Cays Beach and Blue Hills Beach, and the Turk's Head Brewery. A bus or taxi tour isn't a great option if you want to visit the remote west coast, as the roads leading to West Harbour Bluff and Northwest Point National Park are too poor for most taxis and buses to traverse. To explore the west coast, book an ATV or 4x4 tour (or rent a vehicle that can handle the terrain).
Horseback Riding
Horseback riding on the beach is one of the island’s top land sports. There are three stables on Providenciales: Provo Ponies at Long Bay, Unique Tours in Blue Hills, and a small stable at Five Cays. Two of the stables are within access of the beach, and the highlight of these rides is wading through the shallow and crystal-clear ocean water on horseback.
Horseback riding is an activity that the whole family can enjoy, even if you're a beginner. The professional staff at the local stables provide basic riding instruction and have guide-led ponies for small children.
Both morning and afternoon rides are offered. Reservations are required, and—as this is a very popular activity—it's best to reserve well in advance of your tour. Sunset rides are another option, and are a great way to end the day.
Golf
Providenciales is home to the beautifully maintained Royal Turks and Caicos Golf Club. Designed by Karl Litten and built in 1992, this award-winning 18-hole course is par 72. The setting is among low limestone cliffs and small ponds, and the grounds abound with bird life.
Located in the Grace Bay region of Providenciales, the Golf Club offers private golf instruction and tennis and pickleball, in addition to the standard round of golf. It's typically recommended to book your tee time in advance.
Cycling
Casual cycling, mainly as a means of getting around Grace Bay, the Bight, Turtle Cove, and Leeward, is very popular on Providenciales. There are many types of bikes to choose from, from wide-tired beach bikes to classic and simple resort cruisers.
Cycling can be fun, but it's important to be aware of the potential danger from reckless drivers and routes you should avoid. See Providenciales Cycling and Driving in the Turks and Caicos.
E-Biking
E-biking is a little less physically demanding than cycling, as the bikes have a pedal assist feature that can propel them forward using an electric motor. For more information on rentals and e-biking locations, see Turks and Caicos E-Bike Rentals.
Racket Sports
Many of the hotels, as well as some villas, have their own tennis court. If you don't have a court at your accommodation, the most popular place to play tennis and pickleball is the Royal Turks and Caicos Golf Club, which has two flood-lit courts you can reserve and a shop that rents paddles, rackets, and balls.
Nature Adventures
While it’s difficult to compete with the spectacular beaches and marine environment of Providenciales, the terrestrial habitats of the island have plenty to offer. There are beautiful coastal regions, a few interesting historical sites and national parks, and nearby mangrove channels teeming with life.
While Providenciales is the most developed island in the Turks and Caicos, it’s still relatively quiet compared to similar destinations in the Caribbean and has undeveloped patches to explore.
Hiking
Providenciales and all of the Caicos Islands offer beautiful and varied coastal hiking. Established and dedicated hiking trails are still largely absent due to the limited development in the country, yet many coasts offer open conditions.
Bird Rock Trail is Providenciales' only established hiking route and is located at the southeasternmost point of the island. This flat trail has low difficulty and winds through vegetation and wetland, eventually opening up onto a limestone outcropping where you can see remnant shells from the old conch farm.
The country’s top hiking trail, the Crossing Place Trail, is located on Middle Caicos. If you want to discover the sights off Providenciales, it’s easy to visit some of the outer islands on a day trip. Simply select an island, book a rental car, and take a ferry or flight.
Birdwatching
There's decent birdwatching to be found on the island, with egrets, herons, ospreys, and pelicans common throughout Providenciales. You can also see flamingos in certain areas. If you're interested in birdwatching, consider planning a day trip to North and Middle Caicos, where you can find much larger concentrations of flamingos and undeveloped landscapes.
In the interior dry brush lands and forests, you can spot smaller birds like warblers, bananaquits, anis, mangrove cuckoos, Antillean nighthawks, and the extravagant Bahamas woodstar hummingbird.
While there are no scheduled birdwatching tours in the Turks and Caicos, private excursions can be arranged with a handful of local eco-tour businesses, such as Big Blue Collective.
Outdoor Photography
Nature photographers and sports photographers will have endless subjects to capture on Providenciales and throughout the Turks and Caicos. In addition to the incredible landscapes and common wildlife, there is a tremendous range of endemic and endangered species indigenous to the islands.
An example is the Turks and Caicos rock iguana. Found on some small cays in Chalk Sound National Park and a number of cays throughout the archipelago, this interesting lizard is friendly and easily approachable.
You don't need a permit to fly drones recreationally in the Turks and Caicos, so many of the coastlines, national parks, and land forms of Providenciales are easy to capture.