North Caicos by boat: a full catamaran day through the cays

Best for: anyone who wants the islands at their most peaceful

North Caicos is the islands with the volume turned down: fewer than 2,000 people, small villages, little development and a pace that makes Provo feel busy. Its north shore is lined with long, pale beaches and water that glows the same turquoise as the cays.

Is North Caicos worth visiting?

For a day that feels a world away, yes. You’re never far from home: the island sits at the end of the Caicos Cays, so the boat ride there is a string of reefs, sandbars and empty beaches. Our island hopping guide walks the chain island by island.

Best for: birders and a road-trip day

Inland, flamingos are often seen on Flamingo Pond near the village of Whitby. The National Trust looks after the ruins of Wade’s Green, a Loyalist plantation, and a causeway carries the road on to Middle Caicos.

Can you see the flamingos on a boat trip?

Flamingo Pond is inland, so it’s a stop by car rather than by boat. For a road-trip day, take the public ferry from Leeward, about half an hour across, and pick up a rental car on the island; rental companies can meet the ferry by arrangement. Check the ferry timetable before you go.

Best for: families and groups who want the whole day on the water

The 35ft and 30ft Catamarans make the run to North Caicos as standard on their seven-hour charters. The day starts at 10 am, the boat is yours, and you plan the stops with your captain. Both are steady and shaded, with bow netting to lounge on between stops. Lunch is fresh fruit and a sandwich platter with caprese salad, with local beer, white wine, rum punch and sodas on board.

Where do the North Caicos catamarans leave from?

Both leave from Leeward, on the eastern tip of Providenciales, a short drive from Grace Bay, so the day starts close to wherever you’re staying. Snorkel gear, life jackets and a Subwing to ride behind the boat come along.

Best for: snorkeling, shelling and sandbars

The run east follows the Caicos Cays. Young lemon sharks sometimes cruise the lagoon at Half Moon Bay, the reef off Pine Cay makes a snorkel stop, and sand dollars wash up on the beach at Fort George Cay, where you admire them and leave them be. Dellis Cay is known for its shells, and Parrot Cay, a private island, is admired from the water.

Which cays do you pass on the way to North Caicos?

Little Water Cay, better known as Iguana Island, then Water Cay, Pine Cay, Fort George Cay, Dellis Cay and Parrot Cay. Fort George’s cannons date from a gun battery built in 1795 to guard the cotton plantations, and you can snorkel right over them. With seven hours, nobody is racing the clock.

• A towel each. The boats don’t provide them, and you’ll swim at every stop.
• Reef-safe sunscreen and a hat. Seven hours on the water is a lot of sun, even with shade on board.
• A light layer. The ride home can feel cool with wet hair.
• Nothing to snorkel with. Snorkel gear and life jackets are on board.
• Cash for Iguana Island. A small trail fee goes to the National Trust if you stop there.

Can you visit North Caicos on a half day?

A half day reaches the closer cays, Iguana Island, Half Moon Bay and a reef, while North Caicos is a seven-hour trip. Our half day or full day guide shows what fits each length, and our Iguana Island guide covers the first stop. There are plenty of ways to see the cays, from a private boat charter to a jet ski tour. For North Caicos itself, the 35ft takes up to 10 guests and the 30ft up to 13, so bigger groups go on the 30ft. Pick your catamaran below.

• Taxes included. The price you see in the picker 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.