Half Moon Bay Turks and Caicos
Half Moon Bay is a pristine 0.75-mile (1.2 km) beach found between the uninhabited islands of Little Water Cay and Water Cay. Essentially a sandbar that grew over time, the beach here is about 122 feet (37 m) wide. Today, the central dune supports light vegetation and a handful of casuarina trees.
Half Moon Bay is one of the most popular destinations in the country for boat cruises, day trips, and beach BBQs. Kayaking tours also visit the beach from Providenciales. The coastal area is one of the many gems found in the Princess Alexandra National Park.
The northern side of this bay features a great beach with turquoise water. The southern side offers a sheltered and shallow lagoon with crystal-clear water and soft sand.
Water Cay and Little Water Cay
The spectacular islands of Water Cay and Little Water Cay are found on either side of this beach.
Little Water Cay is best known for its resident population of endemic and endangered Turks and Caicos rock iguanas (which are also found at Half Moon Bay). Boardwalks and viewing platforms lead through the dense tropical dry forest on Little Water Cay and are managed by the Turks and Caicos National Trust.
Water Cay is also an incredibly scenic place. Here, a perfect white-sand beach—framed by low semi-lithified limestone cliffs—stretches all the way to Pine Cay to the east.
These islands support a globally rare plant—the thatch palm (Coccothrinax inaguensis). This beautiful little palm is common in the Turks and Caicos and very few islands in the southern Bahamas, yet is found nowhere else.
Turks and Caicos Rock Iguanas
The inquisitive Turks and Caicos rock iguana (Cyclura carinata) is found on numerous islands (primarily uninhabited) in the archipelago. However, Little Water Cay and Half Moon Bay are some of the best places in the country to see these animals up close.
The iguanas thrive in the coastal bushland and dune environment of the region, and make hollowed-out burrows in the ground and in the soft limestone outcroppings. Please stay on established paths, as it’s easy to inadvertently step on and collapse the burrows of these endangered animals.
Several other types of interesting wildlife can be seen in the area. Herons, ospreys, egrets, and pelicans are a few of the creatures you can spot while birdwatching, and tiny juvenile lemon sharks sometimes frequent the shallow lagoon.
How to Visit Half Moon Bay
Half Moon Bay is only about 1 mile (1.7 km) from Providenciales, and there are several ways to access the area and its adjacent cays.
Boat Excursions
The most popular way to visit is on a local boat cruise. There’s a tremendous variety of tours and charters to choose from, which stop at beaches and snorkeling reefs near Providenciales.
The typical tour spends an hour or two in the area. Full-day boat tours or dedicated BBQ cruises usually include lunch on the beach.
Kayaking and Paddleboarding
Kayaking or paddleboarding from the Leeward area of Providenciales is another option. Some tours that visit the beach by kayak also include time paddling in the marine-life-rich estuaries of Mangrove Cay.
It's about a 1.3-mile (2.2 km) paddle from Leeward to the start of Half Moon Bay, depending on your launch point. Due to the typical east-southeast winds, the return trip to Providenciales can be a bit more work. Sit-in touring kayaks are better for this route than clear kayaks, which aren't as hydrodynamic.
Kiteboarding
The lagoon on the south side of Half Moon Bay is a very popular spot for kiteboarding when conditions are right.
Due to a low and sheltering dune peninsula, the interior lagoon offers great flat-water conditions (even when the wind is high).
It’s possible to kite to Half Moon Bay (typically from the Leeward Going Through Point area) or join an organized kiteboarding safari with one of the local kite schools.
The Channel and Lagoon
From around 1960 into the 1990s, a channel actually existed between Little Water Cay and Water Cay (where Half Moon Bay is now). Created by Hurricane Donna, this feature gradually filled in over time, and all water movement stopped by 1999. Half Moon Bay Lagoon on the south side of the beach is largely formed from what used to be the channel.
Tour Companies
