Known locally as Iguana Island, Little Water Cay emerges from the crystal clear waters just outside Providenciales. The tiny islet is ringed by white sandy beaches—a tranquil habitat for the endangered Turks and Caicos Rock Iguana, a charismatic green lizard endemic to the islands.
Most tours to Little Water Cay involve a half-day or full-day sailboat or catamaran cruise to the island, and a glide along Grace Bay—though you can also get there by kayak. While your boat is anchored, snorkel in the warm turquoise water and enjoy a lunch of barbecue and fresh ceviche. Once on the island, laze about on the beach, swim in the calm and shallow waters, or stroll the boardwalks.
Keep an eye out for the resident iguanas. With the introduction of cats and dogs to the archipelago, the lizards have been nearly wiped out, but you might find some sunbathing on rocks or scurrying through the brush.
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If you’re kayaking from Providenciales, be careful of the currents between the islands.
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When walking around Little Water Cay, stay on the boardwalks to avoid disturbing the iguanas.
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The island has no restrooms or other facilities.
Located just off the east coast of Turks and Caicos, Little Water Cay is about 500 yards (457 meters) from the eastern tip of the island of Providenciales. Get to the cay by boat, ferry, or kayak.
Little Water Cay is accessible every day during daytime hours. Turks and Caicos has a pleasant tropical climate year-round—peak season is December through April, while the rainy season is June through November. Most hurricanes happen in August and September.
Just across the way from Little Water Cay, stretching about 13 miles (21 kilometers) along Providenciales’ east coast, Grace Bay Beach is pure white sand as soft as powder. Part of a national park, the beach has a smattering of upscale hotels and is fringed by coral reef, where divers and snorkelers float along with schools of iridescent tropical fish and flapping manta rays.
