Cliff jumping at Split Rock, Turks and Caicos: the leap, the cove and the boats that go

Best for: thrill-seekers and teens

Split Rock is a rocky limestone headland split down the middle, with sea cliffs dropping into deep, clear water. There are several ledges to jump from, from lower ones for a first try up to the highest, usually put at 35 to 40 feet. Your boat anchors in the cove below, you swim in and climb up, and everyone picks the height that suits them. Teens tend to race for the top ledge, and parents tend to film.

How high is the cliff jump in Turks and Caicos?

The top ledge at Split Rock is usually put at 35 to 40 feet, and there are lower ones too. Jumping is optional and at your own risk, so nobody has to go from the top, and cheering from the boat counts.

Best for: history buffs and beachcombers

Split Rock sits inside Frenchman’s Creek Nature Reserve, beside about a mile of quiet beach with a view across the water to West Caicos. It’s a place with a past. Shipwrecked sailors carved their names into the rock, some of the carvings about 200 years old, and one remembers the ship St. Louis, burnt at sea in 1842. There’s a small open-faced cave, and Lucayan artifacts were found here in 1912.

What can you see in the water at Split Rock?

Look down from the cliffs and you may spot stingrays, small sharks and starfish in the clear water below, and ospreys nest on the rock itself. Across the water sits West Caicos, uninhabited and ringed by its own marine park, and on a clear day the view from the top of the cliff runs all the way to it.

Best for: groups who want four or five stops

Split Rock is at the far southwest corner of Providenciales, a long way round from the Leeward marinas, so cliff jumping comes with charters of six hours or more, and seven on the 26ft. That’s a good thing: a six-hour day fits four or five stops, so the cliffs pair easily with a reef snorkel, a quiet beach and lunch, and the long ride round the island is part of the fun. On the 43ft’s eight-hour day, lunch is a beach barbecue, with lobster when it’s in season.

Can I go cliff jumping on a half-day charter?

It’s a full-day stop. The boats that go list it on charters of six hours or more, and our half day or full day guide shows how the hours add up.

Best for: big groups, birthdays and bachelorettes

Every boat that goes to Split Rock is a powerboat, so you can match the boat to the group. The 28ft takes up to 6, the 22ft Sports Cruiser up to 8, the 26ft and the 37ft up to 10, and the 43ft and 47ft yachts up to 16 and 18 guests. Each is priced for the whole boat, so a bigger group splits the cost more ways.

Which boats go cliff jumping in Turks and Caicos?

The powerboats that list cliff jumping: the 22ft, 26ft, 28ft and 37ft boats, and the 43ft and 47ft yachts. The catamarans and sailboats make other stops, so if the cliffs are a must, pick from the cards below.

• Water shoes on. The rock is sharp, the water is not.
• Start low. Try a lower ledge first, then work your way up.
• Feet first, arms in. It’s the cleanest way into the water from height.
• Give the ospreys room. They nest on Split Rock, and the view of one fishing is worth the wait.

Cliff jumping is the boldest stop you can make from Provo, so build a full day around it. Our things to do with teens guide has more ideas for adventurous ages, and on the south side you can add the La Famille Express shipwreck, seen from the water, or a stop at Noah’s Ark. If you’d like to go with us, pick your boat below.

• Taxes included. The price you see is the price you pay.
• A deposit secures the boat. Every boat shows its free-cancellation window.
• Fast answers. Requests are confirmed within a few hours, nearly always the same day.