The Cayman Islands: Tropical Beaches And Exotic Coral Reefs
The lovely Cayman Islands are one of the best luxury destinations in the Caribbean, whether you want to spend your days actively scouring the island or just lying horizontally on a sun lounger. Relax on the beach with some rum punch or adventure into the depths to dive the incredible barrier reefs. Hike the two hundred year old Mastic Trail or swim with the Stingrays. Both the mellow and the adventurous will find some way to while away the time in this island paradise. The Cayman Islands may be British territory, but Grand Cayman will feel familiar to anyone travelling from the U.S, as though South Florida wound up in the Caribbean. You can even use your U.S. dollars. Enjoy the variety of water sports on offer on the expansive beach. In contrast, feel yourself whisked away to somewhere distant and exotic by visiting the small Cayman Brac and Little Cayman, where you can live out your desert island fantasies in almost complete solitude.
The palm-fringed beaches of the Cayman Islands.
To get a feel of the Cayman Islands start your vacation in George Town. If you happen to be visiting in mid-November then you might just stumble into the Pirate Festival, a ten-day extravaganza of music, costumes, games and dancing with a dramatic invasion by two replica galleons. The pirates act out an attack on George Town Harbour. The Cardboard Boat Regatta is not to be missed with prizes for the most spectacular sinking. To continue the pirate theme make sure that you visit the Cayman Spirits Co. Distillery for some rum sampling. To get a taste of the Caribbean go to Corita’s Copper Kettle, located in a quaint old wooden house in George Town. This old café sells Jamaican staples made with incredible homemade bread. Or for a more refined meal go to The Brassiere, the best restaurant in George Town. Here elegant farm to table dining is elevated by the garden on site. The seafood is always caught that day and the grouper is the best on the island. Finish your foodie adventure at Tortuga Rum Co. where they make thousands of delicious rum cakes every day. Go to the factory for some generous samples and to get them straight out of the oven.
A colorful restaurant in George Town.
If you crave shopping instead then head to Pure Art for exceptional art made by local craftspeople. Here you will find original works and beautiful jewellery, as well as trinkets. Finally, wander around the verdant Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park, a forty-minute drive from George Town. You will find a masterpiece of gardens and flowers, including rare orchids. Pay for the blue iguana tour to get a fascinating look at these rare creatures. Also discover the seas around George Town by booking Slackem Fishing Carters. They will take you out on the waves for a day of deep-sea fishing, under their expert guidance, that you will always remember.
A lonely fishing boat off Seven Mile Beach.
Seven Mile Beach is oddly only actually five and a half miles long, but you will forgive the exaggeration when you see this gorgeous ribbon of pristine white sand. This oasis of beauty will take your breath away, above and below the sea. Organize a trip with Indigo Divers for a full concierge service and ready to go diving, to glimpse the thriving coral reefs in the area. For an alternative dining experience try the Grand Cayman Catamaran Dinner Cruise, where you can eat beneath the twinkling stars on the sea. You sail from Seven Mile Beach on a luxury catamaran as the sun sets over the island. Sip on a cocktail as the sky melts into the sea, and feast on refined Caribbean cuisine in the romantic candlelight.
Charter a yacht to explore the Cayman Islands.
The Cayman Islands offer some of the best scuba diving in the world, with a dive site for every single day of the year. Whether you want to swim with stingrays, tether over dizzying drop offs, or float past fascinating wreck dives there is a dive site for you here. With over 80% of the Caribbean’s reefs destroyed by global warming, the reefs in the Cayman Island are an unusual success story, where the coral has recuperated back to the same level as it was in 1999. One of the most remarkable dive sites is Stingray City, where hungry stingrays gather in the shallows to eat out of divers’ hands. While this is mostly a shallow dive site you can also snorkel above the area and watch through the clear water. Charter a boat with Seven Seas Charters Day Tours, to take you to Stingray City. Jump off the side and straight into the stingray filled waters. Make sure that you bring a waterproof camera to capture the magical moments. You can also see stingrays at Sandbar, two miles to the east, a great snorkelling and wading spot. Two of the best shore dive spots are Eden Rocks and Devil’s Grotto, which you can visit with the Eden Rock Diving Center. Another incredible dive site is Bloody Bay Marine Park in Little Cayman where the awe inspiring Bloody Bay Wall descends vertically down into the depths. This protected site is teeming with marine life and has unparalleled visibility. While in Little Cayman also check out Jackson’s Bight and Sandy Point, two incredible dive sites.
The magical and dramatic coastline of Little Cayman.
Find your own deserted paradise on Little Cayman and Cayman Brac. Visit the National Trust Visitors Center, which is a strange mixture of museum, information center, gift shop and café, which serves delectable homemade ice cream. You can then exit through the Booby Pond Nature Reserve, with a viewing veranda for visitors to see the red-footed boobies. Get even further off the beaten track by visiting Owen Island by kayak from Southern Cross Club. The unexplored beach here is completely unspoiled, with dense foliage and a real feeling of solitude. Another stunning sight to see is the Bluff on Cayman Brac. Stroll down the Lighthouse footpath that unfolds along the Cliffside and marvel at the jaw dropping views and an abundance of birds flying through the air.
The palm-fringed beaches of the Cayman Islands.
To get a feel of the Cayman Islands start your vacation in George Town. If you happen to be visiting in mid-November then you might just stumble into the Pirate Festival, a ten-day extravaganza of music, costumes, games and dancing with a dramatic invasion by two replica galleons. The pirates act out an attack on George Town Harbour. The Cardboard Boat Regatta is not to be missed with prizes for the most spectacular sinking. To continue the pirate theme make sure that you visit the Cayman Spirits Co. Distillery for some rum sampling. To get a taste of the Caribbean go to Corita’s Copper Kettle, located in a quaint old wooden house in George Town. This old café sells Jamaican staples made with incredible homemade bread. Or for a more refined meal go to The Brassiere, the best restaurant in George Town. Here elegant farm to table dining is elevated by the garden on site. The seafood is always caught that day and the grouper is the best on the island. Finish your foodie adventure at Tortuga Rum Co. where they make thousands of delicious rum cakes every day. Go to the factory for some generous samples and to get them straight out of the oven.
A colorful restaurant in George Town.
If you crave shopping instead then head to Pure Art for exceptional art made by local craftspeople. Here you will find original works and beautiful jewellery, as well as trinkets. Finally, wander around the verdant Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park, a forty-minute drive from George Town. You will find a masterpiece of gardens and flowers, including rare orchids. Pay for the blue iguana tour to get a fascinating look at these rare creatures. Also discover the seas around George Town by booking Slackem Fishing Carters. They will take you out on the waves for a day of deep-sea fishing, under their expert guidance, that you will always remember.
A lonely fishing boat off Seven Mile Beach.
Seven Mile Beach is oddly only actually five and a half miles long, but you will forgive the exaggeration when you see this gorgeous ribbon of pristine white sand. This oasis of beauty will take your breath away, above and below the sea. Organize a trip with Indigo Divers for a full concierge service and ready to go diving, to glimpse the thriving coral reefs in the area. For an alternative dining experience try the Grand Cayman Catamaran Dinner Cruise, where you can eat beneath the twinkling stars on the sea. You sail from Seven Mile Beach on a luxury catamaran as the sun sets over the island. Sip on a cocktail as the sky melts into the sea, and feast on refined Caribbean cuisine in the romantic candlelight.
Charter a yacht to explore the Cayman Islands.
The Cayman Islands offer some of the best scuba diving in the world, with a dive site for every single day of the year. Whether you want to swim with stingrays, tether over dizzying drop offs, or float past fascinating wreck dives there is a dive site for you here. With over 80% of the Caribbean’s reefs destroyed by global warming, the reefs in the Cayman Island are an unusual success story, where the coral has recuperated back to the same level as it was in 1999. One of the most remarkable dive sites is Stingray City, where hungry stingrays gather in the shallows to eat out of divers’ hands. While this is mostly a shallow dive site you can also snorkel above the area and watch through the clear water. Charter a boat with Seven Seas Charters Day Tours, to take you to Stingray City. Jump off the side and straight into the stingray filled waters. Make sure that you bring a waterproof camera to capture the magical moments. You can also see stingrays at Sandbar, two miles to the east, a great snorkelling and wading spot. Two of the best shore dive spots are Eden Rocks and Devil’s Grotto, which you can visit with the Eden Rock Diving Center. Another incredible dive site is Bloody Bay Marine Park in Little Cayman where the awe inspiring Bloody Bay Wall descends vertically down into the depths. This protected site is teeming with marine life and has unparalleled visibility. While in Little Cayman also check out Jackson’s Bight and Sandy Point, two incredible dive sites.
The magical and dramatic coastline of Little Cayman.
Find your own deserted paradise on Little Cayman and Cayman Brac. Visit the National Trust Visitors Center, which is a strange mixture of museum, information center, gift shop and café, which serves delectable homemade ice cream. You can then exit through the Booby Pond Nature Reserve, with a viewing veranda for visitors to see the red-footed boobies. Get even further off the beaten track by visiting Owen Island by kayak from Southern Cross Club. The unexplored beach here is completely unspoiled, with dense foliage and a real feeling of solitude. Another stunning sight to see is the Bluff on Cayman Brac. Stroll down the Lighthouse footpath that unfolds along the Cliffside and marvel at the jaw dropping views and an abundance of birds flying through the air.