The Turks and Caicos Islands is a British Overseas Territory in the Atlantic Ocean and consists of about 40 low-lying coral islands. It is to the southeast of Bahamas Island and north of the Dominican Republic and is considered as part of the Caribbean. It has about 350 days of sunshine yearly and that's why tourists love visiting and retirees live there. Providenciales is Turks and Caico's third-largest island and it has most of the population and is the main tourism hub. At Providenciales is where the scenic and magnificent Chalk Sound with turquoise waters is located. Chalk Sound's residential side is next to 3607 acres Chalk Sound National Park lagoon located southwest of Providenciales.
What to do at Chalk Sound
Chalk Sound has plenty of recreational activities and places to explore and dine.
Chalk Sound Boat Tour
This much-loved two-hour boat tour of this beautiful lagoon starts at the Las Brisas Restaurant. Visitors on it get up-close views of the limestone islands, turtles, stingrays, iguanas, and a twin-engine airplane wreck submerged in the shallow turquoise waters. Each visitor on the tour gets a beer, water, and other refreshments. Visitors can choose midday tours that include snorkeling and or enjoying sunset cruises.
Chalk Sound National Park
Chalk Sound National Park is to the southwest of Providenciales has a lagoon and shallow, turquoise algae-free waters with hundreds of small rocky islands. Though almost landlocked it has a winding channel connecting it to the ocean and Caicos Banks. On this channel, visitors can rent paddleboards or kayaks at Las Brisas Restaurant and use them to sightsee. Because of the park's protected status use of motorized boats to tour is prohibited. Visitors can also tour the park by renting a car and driving it along the scenic Chalk Sound Drive. While sightseeing visitors can spot small sharks, stingrays, bonefish, barracuda, and iguanas foraging.
Sapodilla Bay Tour
Sapodilla Bay is a 16 mile of beach stretch with shallow, tranquil, and clear waters and an ideal vacation spot for families with children. Because its sheltered water is warmer here than other Turks and Caicos beach spots. On Sapodilla Bay visitors snorkeling can spot sea urchins, reef fish, and coral at the ocean's base. On the nearby cliffs and pier, visitors see eagle rays, stingrays, bonefish, and barracudas. Seagrass patches in that environment host the starfish and conch marine snail. Beach sand on Sapodilla Bay is white, fine and silt in nature, unlike the other TNC beaches that have coral and shell sand. That's because the sand there travels longer is worn and fine-grained.
Wine and Dine
Las Brisas Restaurant and Bar on the waters of Chalk Sound National Park has Tapas and Mediterranean dishes on the menu spiced with a Caribbean twist. Seafood dishes made with shrimp, conch, lobsters, snapper with diverse mouth-watering recipes are available. There are also fast foods like taco wraps, sandwiches, and burgers. Other mainstream dishes like chicken, rice, pork, and beef are also served There is also an extensive wine list to wash down the dishes visitors dine on. Visitors can choose to dine on a spacious deck, a scenic gazebo, or the open-air dining area while observing the sparkling hues of the Chalk Sound turquoise waters.
Las Brisas Restaurant and Bar is open daily from 9 AM to 10 PM but dinner reservations are recommended. While waiting for food visitors can take a dip at the swimming pool at the central deck. On some nights there is live music played by bands. Sushi on the Sound by the chalk sound beach is where sushi lovers can eat different and delicious sushi rolls freshly made to order. It opens from 11 AM to 3 PM and 6 PM to 10 PM.
Caves and Sinkholes
There are two caves and sinkholes that Chalk Sound visitors can go see. But exploring is discouraged them as they are risky and require special training and equipment. It's recommended that children not be taken to visit the caves and sinkholes. These are:
- The Hole: A naturally formed limestone sinkhole found in the Long Bay Hills area of Providenciales. Its diameter is about 15 meters and its deepest point past the brackish water is 26 meters.
- West Harbour Bluff: Also called Split Rock or Pirate's Cove is a picturesque coastal area at the remote southwest point of Providenciales. It has sea cliffs a small open cave and a mile-long lone beach. From the top of West Harbour Bluff, visitors get great views of Frenchman's Creek Nature Reserve. Small sharks, stingrays, starfish, and schooling fish can be spotted in the water. There are 200-year inscriptions left on rocks by shipwrecked sailors that visitors are prohibited from tampering with.
Bird Watching
Providenciales is a bird watcher or photographer's paradise and the best locations for birding are:
- Bird Rock Trail: This is to the southeast point of Providenciales. The common bird species here are warbler, green heron, sanderling, stilt, brown pelican, bananaquit, and yellow-crowned night heron.
- Frenchman's Creek Nature Reserve: It occupies about 8 square miles of area and is the largest protected land in Providenciales. Bird species here are brown pelican, reddish egret, osprey, Antillean nighthawk, willet, green heron, yellow-crowned night heron, gull, great blue heron, and tern.
- West Harbour Bluff: The bird species found here are yellow-crowned night heron, brown pelican, osprey, white-tailed tropic, kingfisher, gull, and tern.
Sapodilla Hill
Sapodilla Hill in south coast Providenciales is 15 meters high and offers spectacular birds views of the Chalk Sound Lagoon, Sapodilla Bay Beach, and South Dock seaport. There are rock carvings with inscriptions dating back to the mid-1700s and 1800s. The inscriptions were written by shipwrecked sailors and travelers as they waited for ships. Visitors are prohibited from destroying the historical graffiti and if they do they can be prosecuted since this is a protected historical site.