PROVIDENCIALES

This sickle-shaped island is dotted with scrubby growth, short palms and climbing sea grapes. Chalky limestone roads wind across the flat island, connecting settlements like Blue Hills with The Bight.

But the traveler to Provo will soon realize that its rugged terrain is just a backdrop for the beaches and clear waters taht are the main attractions. On some parts of the island the beaches stretch for miles, dotted only with the footprints of iguanas or shorebirds. You won't find beach vendors or hagglers on these shores, just tourists and locals enjoying snorkeling or a swim in the gentle surf.

With the number of tourists on the increase, you'll find the number of tourist attractions increasing as well.

One attraction is the Conch Farm, the only farm in the world that raises Queen conch, the shellfish that's become the favorite meal throughout much of the Caribbean. On a guided tour, you'll see conch in various stages, including larvae in the hatchery. In Provo, the product of this unique farm is served at the Anaconda Restaurant and the Tiki Hut.

Or you can play a round at the Provo Golf Club. Located across from Ocean Club in the Grace Bay area, this course uses the rocky, dry terrain of Provo to create a challenge for golfers. The course was cut out of limestone, and the back nine is lined with ornamental rock. Golf packages are available from most Provo hotels.

But for most visitors, the real attraction of Provo is the luxury of being able to do nothing at all. Days are spent on the beach or in the water, which is so clear that it is often cited as one of the top scuba destinations in the world. Visibility averages 100 feet (under some conditions as much as 200 feet), and the water temperature ranges from 82-84 degrees in the summer and 75-76 in the winter months. Beneath the calm waves swim colorful marine animals as exotic as hawkbill turtles, nurse sharks, and octopus. With one mile vertical coral wall located offshore, Provo is a diver's paradise. And travelers will find that the beaches are the best on this side of Antigua and east of Seven Mile Beach on Grand Cayman.

-excerpt from Bahamas & Caribbean Pilot's Guide

Photos of Providenciales

(Top to Bottom)

A shot near the hole at The Provo Golf Club.

A sunset just off the horizon, looking out over Grace Bay.

Parasailing over Grace Bay. What a better place to enjoy the beach than 600 feet up?

Lodgings on Providenciales

Three nights (27 Nov. to 30 Nov.) at Comfort Suites IS

Phone: 649-946-8888 Fax: 649-946-544