Diving in Turks and Caicos with Elegant Resorts
De-stress and dive in the Turks and Caicos, a chain of islands south of the Bahamas offering expansive coral reefs – the third largest on the planet. As planes start their descent and visitors first glimpse the cerulean waters below, excitement, undoubtedly, fills the air. Whether you’re a scuba-diving aficionado or a complete beginner, you know you are about to land somewhere special.
Check-in at Amanyara, on the west coast of Providenciales; stepping stone to a marine national park and located in one of the world’s best wall and reef diving areas. Explore the crystal-clear waters and divine coral formations of the twenty-seven-kilometre-long barrier reef, which runs parallel to Amanyara’s glorious sandy beach. It’s an incredible underwater world teeming with all manner of fish and other fascinating marine life, including Giant Sea Turtles, Horse-eyed Jacks, Barracuda, Spotted Eagle Rays, Reef Sharks, African Pompano, Bottlenose Dolphins, even migrating Humpback Whales (from January to March). Underwater visibility is excellent most of the year, often more than thirty metres. Amanyara works with a professional team of PADI instructors, who offer a range of dive packages for all abilities. Best of all, the dive boat whisks guests directly from the beach to a spectacular dive site in a matter of minutes, fresh fruit and drinks on hand. Join a small group or opt for a private charter, whichever you prefer. Closer to shore, colourful shoals of tiny fish flicker below the ocean’s surface – a snorkel, mask and flippers are all that you need to see them as you swim into the shallow lagoons straight from the beach.
Alternatively, head to trendy Gansevoort Turks + Caicos, A Wymara Resort to experience scuba-diving. Similar to scuba-diving, scuba allows underwater explorers to stay closer to shore, with the air tank housed on a raft on the surface of the water, rather than on your back. Excursions with small groups of like-minded adventurers can be arranged from the resort – a perfect experience for families with children of eight years old and above. Snorkelling is super-easy to arrange, with the fabulous Grace Bay Beach providing a picture-perfect entry point to a spectacular aquatic underworld just a seven-minute walk away from the resort. And if you don’t want to get wet, you can discover what lies beneath the waves in a seated, air-conditioned observatory set a mere five metres below the surface – the panoramic views are fantastic!
Whether you dive, scuba or snorkel, the experience in Turks and Caicos will be truly world-class!