Two tropical playgrounds for sun-seeking travel enthusiasts, The Cayman Islands and Turks & Caicos are luxurious destinations that commonly earn a top spot on travel wish lists.

Many friends and readers have asked for comparisons of these specific locations which led to the birth of this blog. If you are like me, yearning to explore ALL of the tropical paradises in existence, then deciding where to go when the opportunity presents can be daunting.

I, a Caribbean junkie, will share my detailed experience from Grand Cayman and Providenciales, then compare the two. A short video blog of each destination is linked at the end for my fellow visual learners.

Before I dive into my review, I’ll go ahead and tell you that both destinations are perfect for enjoying pristine beaches, calm oceans, and extraordinary coral reefs. You’ll be asking yourself if this is the most beautiful water you have ever seen when you first step foot on the beaches of The Cayman Islands or Turks & Caicos.

Cayman Islands

The Cayman Island archipelago comprises Grand Cayman, Little Cayman, and Cayman Brac in the Western Caribbean Sea. These islands are peaks of an undersea mountain range called The Cayman Ridge, resulting in remarkable underwater landscapes that attracts divers from around the world. All three islands offer diving, snorkeling, land-based attractions, and accommodations.

The largest international airport is Owen Roberts International Airport (GCM) located in George Town of Grand Cayman. Non-stop flights from Miami to GCM are just over 1.5 hours in duration – a very attractive perk for U.S. East Coast residents. Direct flights from the West Coast are available as well.

There are no ride-sharing services, only expensive taxis and rental car options. An inexpensive public bus system is available, or walking is possible in some areas. Technically, you can get by without a rental car and avoid driving on the left side of the road if you stay in well-built tourist areas.

Grand Cayman is the most developed of the island chain and where the majority of tourists stay. Being one of the wealthiest Caribbean Islands by GDP per capita, tourists are sure to enjoy an abundance of amenities on land. The surrounding ocean compliments the high quality towns and landscapes with world-class snorkeling and diving opportunities including shipwrecks, shore diving, shore snorkeling, coral reefs, and wall diving. In fact, Cayman’s North Wall plunges more than 6,000 feet deep!

I did a mother-daughter trip with Brooklyn (11 years old at the time) and stayed at The Westin Grand Cayman Seven Mile Beach Resort & Spa . This conveniently located resort has exceptional beach access and is walkable to restaurants and shops. The Westin is a 4-star hotel that came highly recommended by Grand Cayman frequenters, and is consistently rated one of the top 5 resorts on Seven Mile Beach. Brooklyn loved the Westin so much that she rebukes any suggestion to stay at an alternative hotel or vacation rental in the future. Their Cayman Coffee Exchange café was unbelievably good! We got fresh coffee, warm ham & cheese croissants, and chocolate croissants every single day! The pool area was large and always lively (but not overly crowded) with a swim-up bar and live music. The hotel staff members from the front door to the beach were so friendly! One doorman in particular seemed to recognize that I was traveling alone with my daughter, often walking to nearby restaurants at night. Although the island is incredibly safe, it meant a lot that he made us feel like he was waiting for our return each time we left. We looked forward to our daily chats with him.

Seven Mile Beach is ranked TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best Beaches, Top 25 Beach in the world, and “The Caribbean’s Best Beach” by Caribbean Travel and Life Magazine. The soft white sand creates a pleasant path to the crystal clear ocean stretching over 6 miles long, so it never felt crowded despite its popularity. Due to Seven Mile Beach’s location on the western end of the island, the waters are calm and the sunsets are grand!

The Grand Cayman is said to be the culinary jewel of the Caribbean (a title I don’t throw around lightly) and I now support this notion fully. Some of the best restaurants right across the street from our hotel were Sunshine Grill, Yoshi Sushi, Eats Café, and Legendz Classic Bar & Grill. Favorites that were walkable in less than 15 minutes were Luca and Tillies (life-changing French Toast w/ricotta and raspberry guava compote). One more wonderful restaurant worth the short taxi ride was Casanova By The Sea (recommended by Sonia, a local business owner from Milan).

Speaking of Sonia, there aren’t enough words of praise for her Seahorse Diving School, where we started our PADI open water diving certification. She was knowledgeable, compassionate, and very skilled at building our confidence (especially mine) during the intimidating stages of learning this sport. I highly recommend trusting her for the indescribable experience of scuba diving, no matter your skill level. I loved the location of Eden Rock and Devil’s Grotto because we could enter the water from a platform. Snorkeling was awesome here too. We actually spotted an octopus right beside the ladder entrance into the water, among a dense population of other marine life.

One of the most unique attractions of Grand Cayman is the infamous Stingray City. In the shallow water of these sandbars, you’ll have the opportunity to hand-feed stingrays in droves. If you or your child are intimidated by these friendly locals, you can admire them from the boat or keep your distance from the tour groups in the water. You should also get back on the boat before the guides chum the water. This made the stingrays go nuts, some of them lunging out of the water in excitement, sending Brooklyn walking on water back to the boat! 😂 I was initially uneasy but ended up enjoying every second with the stingrays. The main Barrier Reef is just a skip away, meaning double the fun at one of the best snorkeling sites of the entire island. I booked this Stingray City + Snorkeling tour via TripAdvisor and it was a blast! They provided juice, great service, photo ops of each guest with a stingray, and let us jump from the upper deck of the boat after snorkeling.

The Coral Gardens and Starfish Point are other top snorkeling spots near Stingray City. Several tour combinations are offered to these locations, and the boat ride out to all of them is really beautiful.

The Turtle Centre is a popular but controversial tourist attraction. Originally named The Turtle Farm, turtles are indeed bred for local meat consumption in lieu of poaching them in the wild. Despite feelings anyone may have about the cultural acceptance of turtle meat consumption, this facility has some indisputably positive qualities of conservation and educational missions. We enjoyed swimming in the large lagoon with turtles, playing on the waterslide, and admiring the turtle nursery and bird sanctuary.

One of the best tours we have done in all of our travels is the Night Hatchling Release carried out by the conservation program of The Turtle Centre. Those traveling during breeding season of June-September shouldn’t miss this amazing experience! Stand right at the edge of the water because tiny baby turtles are sure to glide across your feet as they make their moonlight-guided journey to the ocean. All of the kids were having the time of their lives while simultaneously learning about turtle reproduction and conservation. Keep an eye out for tickets on their website during breeding season as they sell out fast. Our tour included roundtrip transportation with hotel pickup.

Grand Cayman is one of the few places in the world offering the experience of a Bioluminescent Bay aka Bio Bay. Cayman Kayaks offers an ecofriendly kayak tour of Bio Bay. This popular excursion is likely to sell out, especially on a predicted moonless night when visibility of this natural phenomenon is optimal. Here is another tour option by motorized boat instead of kayak that allows snorkeling and swimming in Bio Bay.

Rum Point is located in the North Side district of the island and offers a tranquil beach day thanks to the barrier reef protection. This well loved location includes a restaurant that is known for delicious mudslides and access to good reef snorkeling. Rum point is near Bio Bay, making this a great place to spend your day while awaiting those illuminating nighttime tours.

Smith Cove (for cliff jumping and mini cove snorkeling) and Spotts Beach (for turtle snorkeling) are two more notable destinations to check out while in Grand Cayman.

I have to give a quick mention to Queen Elizabeth II Botanical Park on the North Side of the island because it is also houses the Blue Iguana Conservation Facility. This endangered species attracts fans from far and wide looking to say hello to the “blue dragon”. On a day you visit the Botanical Park, you could also add the Crystal Caves on the itinerary for a tour of tropical forest and dramatic cave systems.

Last but not least of my Grand Cayman highlights is the capital city of George Town, only a 10-minute drive from the Seven Mile Beach area. This bustling little gem is home to the cruise port (my first visit to Grand Cayman was from a Disney Cruise), tax-free shops, several restaurants, tour operators, rum distillery tours, art galleries, and the Cayman Islands National Museum. Here is TripAdvisor’s link for more George Town information.

Turks & Caicos

The Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) consist of 40 islands and cays that are divided into two groups, and are part of the Lucayan Archipelago along with the Bahamas. The main Turks Islands are Grand Turk (cruise port location) and Salt Cay, both of which are inhabited. The main Caicos Islands are Providenciales, North Caicos, South Caicos, East Caicos (uninhabited), West Caicos, Middle Caicos, Parrot Cay, and Pine Cay. Although technically located in the Atlantic ocean, TCI is widely considered part of the Caribbean.

Some of the perks that draw tourists and celebrities alike to this dreamy archipelago include high percentages of sunny days, warm temperatures year-round, low rainfall averages, mangrove wetlands, world-famous beaches, a diverse array of marine life, and seclusion.

TCI additionally boasts the third largest barrier reef in the world, one of the world’s widest blue holes called Middle Caicos Ocean Hole, the world’s only commercial conch farm, and one of the largest terrestrial cave systems in the Caribbean named Conch Bar Caves. Click here information on Conch Bar Caves and other local heritage sites.

Providenciales (aka Provo) is the epicenter of tourism, and houses the main international airport for TCI. A non-stop flight from Miami to Providenciales International Airport (PLS) is less than 2 hours! This is a major advantage for those near the East Coast of the U.S. seeking supreme ocean waters, but don’t want a long-haul flight.

Provo is notably home to Grace Bay, voted the number one beach in the world by TripAdvisor’s Traveler’s Choice, and the most beautiful beach I have personally seen aside from those of the Maldives. There is a small vendor market near Club Med that led us to the most breathtaking stretch of Grace Bay Beach, and a short pier too!

Seth and I spent an amazing week in Provo for a quick, romantic getaway. There is no public transportation on the island, no Uber or Lyft service, just expensive taxis that charge per person. Unless you plan to remain at an all-inclusive resort for your entire stay, I recommend securing a rental car well in advance. Don’t forget, they do as the British do, and drive on the left side of the road.

A few of our favorite spots on the island that will be discussed further are the Chalk Sound National Park, Grace Bay Beach, Taylor Bay Beach, Princess Alexandra National Park, and Mangrove Cay. Several other well reviewed attractions that we did not visit are listed here, including Half Moon Bay and Leeward Beach.

We stayed at The Oasis at Grace Bay, a 4-star boutique hotel nestled in the perfect area of Grace Bay. We could walk to this award winning beach in under 5 minutes, or take the golf cart shuttle to enjoy the lounge chairs and service provided by The Oasis. We made great use of our tiny rental car by exploring more stretches of Grace Bay (each seemingly more beautiful everyday) and various other beaches on the island. Don’t forget to pack your snorkel gear!

The Chalk Sound National Park is an unbelievably gorgeous turquoise lagoon with exposed limestone bedding. Upon first glance of the Chalk Sound in person, it nearly hurt my eyes because the blue colors are so stark. Accessing the waters can be difficult without private access from a rental property, but Las Brisas Restaurant is one way to do it. You can enjoy delicious food and drinks here, then rent kayaks, paddle boards, or canoes to explore the waters of the Chalk Sound. The views from the outdoor dining area are unreal. Driving further up the hill following the map, you can find areas to pull over at the very top and get a birds-eye view of this treasured park. What a perfect day on your Turks & Caicos itinerary!

Taylor Bay Beach, a crescent shaped bay, is another favorite Provo spot located near The Chalk Sound. Parking is available at Ocean Point Drive (parallel to the road but it works), then follow the path down to this incredibly underrated beach. Bring your own towels, drinks, and chairs, because this spot is secluded. The impressively long extension of shimmering shallow water makes Taylor Bay Beach perfect for kids, dogs, or those of us who want to bask in a calm ocean.

We had a blast snorkeling Princess Alexandra National Park’s Bight Reef directly off shore at the Coral Gardens. Steps from this snorkeling spot, you can grab an awesome meal while enjoying killer ocean views and live music at Somewhere Café and Lounge.

I never miss a chance to be near sea turtles, so our Clear Kayak Tour through the mangrove wetlands was a must! Not only did we see turtles, sharks, and conchs, but we got an up-close encounter with one of the most important ecosystems of TCI. The mangrove trees act as a first line of defense for costal communities by creating natural barriers of protection against storms, shielding from erosion, providing shelter for marine life and birds, and improving water quality with their complex root systems.

This southern girl can appreciate Providenciales’ memorable tradition of a Thursday Fish Fry. More than a dozen food and merchant vendors set up at PTV Stubbs Diamond Plaza allowing tourists and locals to mingle, eat, shop, and be entertained by the traditional Junkanoo costume dance procession.

Interested in island hopping while in Turks & Caicos? This destination is not short on boat charters. Cruises, charters, and tours can be booked here. A convenient passenger Ferry Service is also available for day trips to North Caicos and South Caicos, neither of which offer domestic flight routes at this time. Middle Caicos can be reached by roadway from North Caicos.

To visit Grand Turk, Salt Cay, South Caicos or other Caribbean Islands from Providenciales, you must take a domestic flight with Caicos Express or InterCaribbean Airways. You can further plan your itinerary with this list of attractions on all the aforementioned islands. Grand Turk is a particularly alluring spot for divers with its stunning reefs plunging all the way to 8,000 ft.; thus, many hotels on this island include a diving package. You even have a rare opportunity to dive with Humpback Whales during the months of January, February, and March.

Which Island Is Better?

My time in Grand Cayman with Brooklyn would probably have the slight edge here, because it was just so much fun! I am well aware that all travelers seek different types of experiences, so let’s dig a little deeper.

It is difficult to compare my experiences of vacationing with my child versus vacationing with my husband, like giving my analysis of a poorly controlled study. Nevertheless, my choice between the two destinations would always come down to the circumstances in which I was traveling.

Cayman Islands has a leg up when it comes to a safe family getaway for an overall fun experience. As a female traveler, I give major brownie points to any location that makes me feel as if I don’t have to be hypervigilant to my surroundings 24/7. Double bonus points for safe walking, even at night. I was also more impressed by the snorkeling I did here due to the ease of accessing mind-blowing underwater scenery. Notably, Grand Cayman is the overall winner for Brooklyn (excluding Turks & Caicos in her review) among the 10+ countries, including many Caribbean islands she has visited so far. She doesn’t even want to try a new destination for our summer vacation! So travelers with kids, take note of that strong endorsement for this polished paradise.

Turks & Caicos is the clear winner when it comes to overall natural beauty from land to sea. Although I personally would not bring Brooklyn to stay in a private vacation rental here, I would bring her for an all-inclusive resort stay just like we do in the Yucatán of Mexico. I felt this destination was more sexy and secluded for a romantic getaway, but the unbelievable sights of the blue waters are meant to be seen by travelers of all ages too. The variety of gorgeous beaches accessible within a short drive in Providenciales was impressive. I also appreciate the option of all-inclusive resorts and the edge of affordability over Grand Cayman. Travelers seeking peace and quiet will be pleased, but lots of adventures are also waiting on this slice of heaven.

When it comes to ranking one as the superior destination among other travel enthusiasts, a noticeable division exists within social media groups and travel forums. I have read endless reviews from travelers and locals from both places, and each has die-hard fans. This really tells me that they are both amazing in their own way. In my opinion, Grand Cayman and Turks & Caicos offer very similar, but also unique attributes for an unforgettable vacation. See my table for a breakdown of advantages below. I hope my perspective helped shine a light on the path for planning your next sunny escape!

Don’t forget to check out my recent blog comparing Grand Cayman’s North Side and West Bay!

-Amanda K <3