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Turks and Caicos Islands

Divesites
2
Centers
2
Wildlife
33
© Shutterstock/jpbarcelos

Explore Turks and Caicos

In the pristine Caribbean waters, you’ll find 40 islands of which eight are inhabited. These islands, the Turks and Caicos, offer spectacular diving all year round in turquoise warm water, suitable for divers of all levels of experience.

The islands boast the third largest barrier reef on Earth, sheer walls and shipwrecks. Situated on an underwater plateau that rises 2100 meters/7000 feet from the ocean floor, the topography varies from flat sandy bottoms near the shore, to dramatic vertical walls. Much of the coastline is protected by the National Parks Ordinance, meaning dive sites are full of life.

The Columbus Passage, a 35 kilometer/22 mile wide channel that separates the Turks Islands from the Caicos Islands, is a highway for migrating rays, fish, turtles, dolphins and humpback whales.

There are plenty of dive centers and dive resorts on the islands, of which Providenciales, known as Provo, is the most inhabited. Grand Turk, the capital island, is also a great spot to visit, and is a stop off for cruises.

For dive courses, it’s recommended to take an enriched air certification, as most dive operators offer nitrox. A deep diver certification may also be useful.

Power Plug Type
A, B
Payment Method
AMEX, VISA, MC, DIS
Tipping
10–15% / Service Staff / Tipping is expected in restaurants and hotels unless a service charge is already added.
Currency
USD
Dial Code
+1-649
Electricity
120V / 60Hz
Time
UTC−5

Dive Centers

Dive Sites

Expect to see a myriad of colorful reef fish, turtles, eels, lobsters, stingrays and eagle rays. Lucky divers can even spot dolphins. Schools of tropical fish, such as horse-eye jacks, blue chromis, bluehead wrasse, Atlantic spadefish and yellow goatfish can also be found among the reefs.

Sharks are also sighted, including Caribbean grey reef sharks and nurse sharks around Providenciales. Off the Northwest Point and southwest, lemon, bull and hammerhead sharks are occasionally spotted. In the winter, you can encounter humpback whales.

Coral life is also teeming, with soft and hard corals of all species and colors, such as elkhorn coral, star coral, rainbow coral, in addition to various sponges, sea fans and gorgonians.


Wildlife Sightings are Based on User Generated Content

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 27

Barracuda

108 Sightings
J
9
F
6
M
16
A
10
M
11
J
4
J
18
A
15
S
4
O
0
N
6
D
9

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 200

Moray Eel

41 Sightings
J
1
F
4
M
5
A
1
M
5
J
4
J
10
A
5
S
0
O
1
N
5
D
0

Green Turtle

35 Sightings
J
4
F
1
M
7
A
1
M
4
J
7
J
7
A
0
S
0
O
3
N
0
D
1

Hawksbill Turtle

25 Sightings
J
5
F
2
M
5
A
0
M
3
J
1
J
6
A
3
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 600

Wrasse

17 Sightings
J
1
F
0
M
6
A
3
M
3
J
2
J
0
A
1
S
0
O
1
N
0
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 100

Parrotfish

96 Sightings
J
8
F
4
M
11
A
7
M
12
J
15
J
16
A
12
S
0
O
2
N
4
D
5

Grey Reef Shark

94 Sightings
J
7
F
12
M
9
A
5
M
5
J
7
J
14
A
6
S
12
O
0
N
6
D
11

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 12

Lionfish

91 Sightings
J
9
F
0
M
11
A
10
M
9
J
11
J
12
A
12
S
4
O
6
N
7
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 90

Angelfish

84 Sightings
J
6
F
4
M
10
A
9
M
8
J
9
J
18
A
10
S
4
O
1
N
5
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 80

Stingrays

75 Sightings
J
11
F
4
M
8
A
4
M
9
J
1
J
20
A
5
S
0
O
1
N
12
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 250

Grouper/Basslets

58 Sightings
J
3
F
2
M
7
A
1
M
6
J
6
J
13
A
9
S
3
O
1
N
7
D
0

Blacktip Reef Shark

56 Sightings
J
3
F
3
M
5
A
9
M
7
J
0
J
15
A
4
S
1
O
1
N
1
D
7

Caribbean Reef Shark

49 Sightings
J
6
F
0
M
0
A
2
M
4
J
3
J
12
A
14
S
0
O
0
N
8
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 55

Lobster

48 Sightings
J
7
F
5
M
0
A
5
M
6
J
3
J
10
A
6
S
0
O
3
N
3
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 130

Butterfly Fish

47 Sightings
J
4
F
0
M
8
A
7
M
7
J
5
J
9
A
6
S
0
O
0
N
1
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 60

Spiny Lobster

43 Sightings
J
5
F
0
M
0
A
1
M
5
J
7
J
11
A
9
S
4
O
1
N
0
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 60

Squirrelfish

42 Sightings
J
4
F
2
M
6
A
1
M
9
J
5
J
4
A
8
S
0
O
0
N
3
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 40

Triggerfish

36 Sightings
J
4
F
0
M
8
A
6
M
5
J
2
J
7
A
3
S
0
O
1
N
0
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 40

Jackfish

31 Sightings
J
3
F
0
M
5
A
3
M
5
J
5
J
1
A
6
S
0
O
3
N
0
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 350

Damselfish

30 Sightings
J
1
F
0
M
4
A
3
M
4
J
4
J
4
A
5
S
5
O
0
N
0
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 3

Trumpetfish

29 Sightings
J
2
F
1
M
4
A
5
M
5
J
3
J
7
A
0
S
0
O
1
N
1
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 85

Surgeonfish

28 Sightings
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1
F
0
M
5
A
4
M
3
J
3
J
4
A
7
S
0
O
1
N
0
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 2

Nurse Shark

26 Sightings
J
0
F
2
M
0
A
4
M
2
J
10
J
3
A
4
S
0
O
0
N
1
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 110

Snapper

25 Sightings
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0
F
0
M
6
A
3
M
6
J
3
J
5
A
2
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 7000

Crab

24 Sightings
J
2
F
3
M
0
A
0
M
3
J
3
J
5
A
6
S
0
O
0
N
2
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 90

Goatfish

23 Sightings
J
3
F
0
M
3
A
3
M
0
J
2
J
9
A
3
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 3400

Shrimp

22 Sightings
J
1
F
2
M
0
A
0
M
2
J
2
J
6
A
4
S
0
O
0
N
5
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 130

Pufferfish

21 Sightings
J
2
F
0
M
3
A
0
M
3
J
2
J
2
A
5
S
0
O
0
N
4
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 150

Sweetlips and Grunts

16 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
4
A
3
M
4
J
0
J
0
A
5
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 120

Flounder

13 Sightings
J
3
F
0
M
5
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
4
A
1
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 25

Boxfish

12 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
4
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
4
A
4
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 30

Sand Eel

12 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
3
A
3
M
3
J
0
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
3
D
0

Whitetip Reef Shark

7 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
3
J
0
J
1
A
1
S
0
O
1
N
1
D
0