The best snorkeling is just a short boat ride from Grace Bay Beach, Providenciales, to the Princess Alexandra Marine National Park. Along with schools of rainbow colored fish and coral, you might be able to catch sight of such deep water denizens as turtles, lobsters and other critters not normally seen by snorkelers. That’s because the reef, which sits on a shallow shelf, is surrounded by deeper water that’s home to the lobsters and turtles.

From the beach, the best snorkeling spots are Smith’s Reef and Bight Reef. To ease the impact of the popular water activity, Turks and Caicos has begun using artificial reef balls to create alternative snorkeling trails. You can access one of these trails from Sculpture Junction beach, near the intersection of Pratt’s and Bight Road. Located on Providenciales’ north coast, the marine park range is between Thompson Cove and Leeward Point.