Rated PADI’s 7th favorite dive spot and among our ‘Most Rewarding Dive Spots in the Caribbean‘, the Turks and Caicos Islands is a magnificent natural wonder of the underwater world. A must-see for divers seasoned or new, Turks & Caicos is a top contender for some of the best unspoiled natural reefs and beauty that is best experienced.
Located 575 miles southeast of Miami and 90 miles north of Haiti and the Dominican Republic, these Islands are very well known for their numerous wreck diving sites especially the HMS Endymion which sunk in 1790. The Caicos Islands are also popular destination for non-scuba divers who can experience swimming with stingrays, whale watching and exploring deserted islands among other things. Humpback whales, can be spotted migrating here during January – March and if lucky, you may catch some in the early weeks of April. The whale sightings here shows an estimated 3,000-5,000 humpback whales pass through the waters of the Silver Banks between December and mid-April each year, making it the largest breeding and calving grounds in the World and a much loved location for Scuba divers and whale watchers the world over.
The Scuba diving at the Turks & Caicos Islands is excellent all year round, although it is best recommended to go there during the winter months, i.e. November through March. The sun kissed islands are blessed with some great dives sites right from its shallow banks that display stunning turquoise hues perfect for beginner divers, right to advanced drop offs into inky black depths that go up to 2,100 meters (6,900 ft.) deep in the form of underwater trenches. The most common of the dive spots are Salt Cay, Grand Turk, North Caicos, South Caicos and Providenciales. Many dive sites here are known for their gradually sloping reefs that end with dramatic underwater cliffs with deep drop offs into the blue.
With a population of less than a 100, Salt Cay is considered one of the best dive sites ever of these islands with a whole horde to boast about. “The Wall” for example is a 7000 foot trench, located only 100 yards from shore and the aforementioned HMS Endymion lies to the south of the island.
With underwater visibility averaging between 80 to 125 feet, the water clarity is excellent, especially during the dry season from May to September. You can expect to see a wide variety of marine life, of which, the most common species spotted all over the Turks and Caicos are sea turtles, manta rays, eagle rays, mahi-mahi, barracuda, jacks, Atlantic spadefish, short nosed batfish, grouper, snapper, grunts, reef sharks, bull sharks, whale sharks, hammerheads and many others.
Typically dive operators in Turks & Caicos Islands take small groups both divers and snorkelers and accommodate all levels of skill. Dive operators take you on one-tank, two-tank or multiple tank dives and also offer night dives and cave diving in some locations. Live-aboard diving is also hugely popular in the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Providenciales, commonly known as Provo is another spot worth a special mention. Home to the only conch farm in the world, it has an international airport that makes getting there a piece of cake and helps connect Grand Turk, Middle Caicos, North Caicos, Salt Cay, and South Caicos. Popular dive sites in Provo like Shark Hotel, The Hole in the Wall, Eagle Ray Pass etc. are well spread across Pine Cay, Grace Bay, North West Point, West Caicos, Sandbore Channel.
North and South Caicos are the 2nd and 7th largest islands respectively in the Turks and Caicos Islands archipelago. Both, extremely popular dive sites along with South Caicos are well known not only for its scuba diving but also for its deep sea and bone fishing. Most dive sites are within 15 minutes of the dock, and the entire eastern shore of South Caicos is protected by marine park status to a depth of 300 feet. The Annual South Caicos Regatta also hosts island-wide parties, boat races, and other games are popular attractions for tourists.
Overall, it can very easily be said that these islands should rank quite high (if it doesn’t already) on every divers Must-Dive list!
*Photo Credits: Photos by cambelina, eugene on flickr
