Top 5 Eco Tours to Experience on Your Vacation to Turks and Caicos

Turks and Caicos lives up to its motto “Beautiful by Nature” being home to many unspoiled natural environments and diverse ecosystems. The Turks and Caicos Islands is made up of 40 islands and cays of which only nine are inhabited. Each sister island is unique on its own and offers our visitors the opportunity to explore an unspoiled paradise. Here’s a list of 5 eco-tours that you can experience across our sister islands on your next vacation to the Turks and Caicos Islands. 

Providenciales Bird Rock Heritage (Hiker’s Paradise)

If you enjoy nature walks and off-trail hiking, this attraction is the spot for you! Located on the southeastern most point of Providenciales, The Bird Rock Heritage Field is one of the few remaining untouched areas on the island. This Eco-tour site is home to fascinating rocky mangrove habitats, small sandy coves along the coastal area, and limited coral reefs and sea grass beds just offshore. 

In addition to hiking, enjoy an amazing bird watching experience as Bird Rock Point is home to a variety of native birds and wildlife. This hiker’s paradise is ideal for nature lovers, offering visitors an alternative to beaches and provides opportunities for residents and visitors to appreciate the native flora and fauna in a natural setting.  

Visit the Turks and Caicos National Trust’s website at https://www.nationaltrust.tc/ for more information on Bird Rock Heritage. 

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Grand Turk, Scuba Diving

Experience a world-class diving experience in the nation’s capital Grand Turk. Located just a ¼ mile from the island’s western shore, is one of the world’s greatest wall diving meccas with a drop of nearly 7000 feet! This ‘Mount Everest’ of a wall stretches along the entire leeward side of the island and is home to a variety of ecosystems. Corals, sea turtles, sea sponges, and an abundance of fish all inhabit the upper portion of the wall. Grand Turk is a diver’s paradise, and its peaceful and relaxing environment is one you wouldn’t want to miss out on! 

Click here to view diving charters and book an unparalleled diving experience here in the Turks and Caicos. 

Salt Cay, Whale Watching

Enjoy a must-see experience with one of Turks and Caicos’ most breathtaking shows on display in our waters every winter. It is the annual migration of humpback whales that pass on their way to their winter breeding grounds. These gentle and magnificent giants are a wonder to witness and journey close by all of our islands during the months of late January to early April. The best viewing is in the Columbus Passage that separates Grand Turk and Salt Cay from the rest of our islands.

While whale watching, you will not only have the opportunity to encounter these amazing creatures by sight, but you will also learn many interesting and educational facts. Click here to find out how and where you can encounter these remarkable giants.

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Middle Caicos, Cave Exploration

Explore the Emerald Island’s magnificent natural wonder, The Conch Bar Caves. Middle Caicos protects 1.5mi/2.4k of underground caverns, which is one of the largest cave systems in the Caribbean region. This cave system includes small tidal lagoons, colonies of bats and hosts some impressive stalactites, stalagmites, and other cave features.

Alongside the Conch Bar Caves this day trip destination screams adventure with its hidden beaches, limestone cliffs, karst cave systems and diverse wildlife. Adventurous travelers can even go off the beaten path and enjoy hiking, biking and kayak fishing. This activity can be done as part of a day trip to North and Middle Caicos if you are staying in Providenciales. Click here to read a guide to getting to North Caicos which is connected to Middle Caicos via a causeway. 

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Turks & Caicos’ Famous Four-Legged Friends

There’s so much to love about Turks and Caicos – friendly people, sunny weather, world class resorts and villas, breathtaking crystalline beaches and last, but by no means least, our now famous four-legged residents known as potcakes.

If you’ve never heard the term potcake before now, it is used to refer to the local breed of dogs in the Turks and Caicos Islands. The name is derived from the practice of locals feeding their dogs the leftovers of the meals from their cooking pot which is referred to as ‘potcake’. 

Growing up in Turks and Caicos, having a potcake puppy is almost a birthright. It is typical for families to naturally adopt and care for them. Potcakes are loyal, loving and very protective of their owners – they can almost be referred to as “The National Dog of the Turks and Caicos Islands”. 

Although there are many of these dogs who are naturally taken in, there are a lot who are not and The Potcake Place has come to the rescue. 

Potcake Place

The Potcake Place is a dog rescue charity based in Providenciales, Turks and Caicos that is committed to adopting potcakes in the country. Their mission statement being “to reduce the number of homeless potcakes on the island” adds to the commitment of making sure every potcake that comes into their organization can find a safe home. 

Located in the heart of Grace Bay, Providenciales at the Saltmills Plaza, this walk-in friendly establishment allows residents and visitors to pop in and meet the adorable pups that they’ve rescued and even adopt them for the day. Providing the ultimate care on a day-to-day basis, the volunteers at The Potcake Place do everything from taking the puppies on beach trips to taking care of them at home to get them socialized. These helpers are experts at screening potential families to adopt these precious pups.

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Volunteers and Visitors

The volunteers also work with veterinarians to ensure that the pups get their vaccinations, wormers, other treatments and certifications that are needed. The organization is 100% volunteer based and is not for profit. Donations in cash or kind are suggested and there is no cost to adopt a puppy. 

There are a number of ways visitors can support this charity however the most popular is to assist with the socialization of the puppies by “adopting” one for a few hours. Our potcakes love the beach and often visitors enjoy taking them for walks along the renowned Grace Bay Beach. This opportunity is available on a first come, first serve basis and because of its growing popularity, it is recommended to secure your spot by arriving early. 

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There are also opportunities to permanently adopt a puppy, be a courier for a family that is waiting to welcome their newest family member or you can assist by bringing items from the organization’s wish list to aid in the care of the puppies. Click here to visit The Potcake Place’s website to find our more information on this amazing organization. 

For more information on the Turks and Caicos Islands and to begin planning a vacation please visit Turks and Caicos Islands Official Tourism website.