Scuba Diving in Turks & Caicos

If You Enjoy Reef Diving
Grand Turk has a wide selection of dives: sponge-laden shallow reefs, an impressive wall, and a variety of marine life that includes sea turtles and Nassau groupers. Humpback whales pass through in late winter and early spring, which may give you an opportunity to go snorkeling with them.

You can also go whale watching at Salt Cay, which is just south of Grand Turk. Salt Cay is regarded for its incredible coral formations and the wreck of the HMS Endymion, an 18th century British warship that ran aground on the coral.

Providenciales is the epicenter of Turks & Caicos, home to the capital of Cockburn Town and the international airport. There’s a barrier reef at Providenciales that’s swarming with tropical fish, with appearances by Caribbean reef sharks and lemon sharks. From this island, you can also take boat dives to the walls along Middle Caicos.

If You Enjoy Leisurely Diving
Expect mellow diving at Turks & Caicos, even if you’re diving deeper along the walls or closer to the channels. Without much effort, you’ll be able to explore the swim-throughs at the edges of the reef, poke around for crabs and lobsters, or wave to the eagle rays and stingrays as they swim by. The hi viz makes it easier to appreciate the coral formations and biodiversity.

If You Don’t Mind Island Hopping
If diving is your priority, then you might want to spend a couple nights at one island before moving on to the next island, and so forth. Salt Cay and Grand Turk have excellent dive sites but they aren’t very large, so you might get hungry for a new locale after a few days at either.