Grand Cayman Island

Grand Cayman Island is in the Western Caribbean, just under 500 miles from Miami, and is the largest and most developed of the three Cayman Islands. It is 76 square miles long and packed with an endless array of land and water activities, making it the perfect destination for all age groups and interest levels. I will try to hit on as many of the island attractions as possible to give you a sense of what you will experience on this gorgeous island.

There are at least ten different beaches on Grand Cayman but Seven Mile Beach is rated one of the most beautiful beaches in the entire Caribbean. It has all the water activities you would expect the beach to have plus you can para-sail over the Caribbean. Hotels and restaurants line the beach as well so you don’t have to travel far. Spotts Beach is quite secluded as it is surrounded by ironshore cliffs with white beaches and a barrier reef that keeps waters calm year round. Smith Cove is close to the cruise port (for those cruising to Grand Cayman) and has snorkling and fantastic photo ops. Rum Point is great for families as the water is shallow and there are changing/restrooms, showers, huts, hammocks and an array of water sports. Cayman Kai has a New Orleans flavor with its food and it hosts an annual Mardi Gras festival.

©2006 CourtneyPlatt.com

Grand Cayman hosts a variety of water activities including ocean kayaks, windsurfing boards, hobie cats, wave runners, aqua trikes, view boards, sun searcher floats, banana boat rides, paddle cats, paddle boats, para-sailing, water-skiing or small sailboats. Also, wind and water conditions makes Grand Cayman very popular for wind surfing. Avid windsurfers rate the four miles of reef-protected shallows off East End as the best location. Not in the mood to get wet, try viewing the beautiful ocean via submarine. There are several submarines that take you just below the water to view the spectacular ocean life. There are different submarines that offer some privacy or air conditioning, etc. Scuba diving at Grand Cayman is a spectacular site. There are more than 159 dive sites and many host steep, deep walls with a stunning array of colors. There are also shallow reefs filled with an array of sea life. There are ship wrecks to explore as well. The best known is Stingray City, which is the worlds best 12 foot dive and world renouned. If you are a little unsure of going into deep waters, there are sites you can swim out to as well.

Wanna stay on land? Well, Grand Cayman hosts a variety of nature adventures. Backpacking and hiking nature trails are in abundance on the island. The Mastic Trail is a two mile hike where you can catch glimpses of animals and plants unique to the Cayman Islands. If you are not feeling adventurous to do it alone, Grand Cayman has guided tours of it’s beautiful island which gives you the added bonus of learning all about the island’s nature and wildlife without having to read up on it first. Another great spot is the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park. It has a .8 mile trail through the park’s Woodland Preserve, a 2 acre lake that hosts an abundance of vegetation that has has become an important site for native aquatic birds, including the rare West Indian Whistling Duck. It also has a magnificent Floral Color Garden, which is a series of gardens based on color. Beginning with pink, the visitor then walks through gardens of red, orange, yellow, white, blue, purple and lavender.

Golf enthusiast? There are a host of golf courses that are stunning. The Hyatt Regency and Britannia on Grand Cayman has a golf course created by Jack Nicklaus himself. “The Britannia course features grassy mounds, rolling dunes, lakes and over sized bunkers. On the fifth shot hole, the tee shot must carry over the Caribbean Sea while on the breathtaking 562-yard Hole 9, three different shots are over water.”

Don’t forget the horseback riding on the beach which you can do at glorious sunrise or sun set. There are guided tours available.

Of course there are a host of world class spas and wellness centers, many located in the hotels for ease and convenience. Shopping enthusiast? Well, Grand Cayman has a beautiful selection of unique local items including shell jewelry, thatch work, wood carvings, crochet items, Caymanite (semi-precious stone) jewelry and sculpture, antiques. There is a great place called the Cayman Craft Market in George Town that sits in a park like setting where you can find these items and also sample traditional Caymanian food.

©2006 CourtneyPlatt.com

Night life is simply amazing on Grand Cayman. There are a host of bars and clubs to choose from where you can listen to a variety of music including jazz, folk, rock & roll, reggae and calypso music. There are wine and martini bars, live concerns, open air restaurants and romantic sunset cruises to choose from. I recommend go to the site, Cayman Good Taste, to search for Grand Cayman restaurants, bars and coffee shops as it provides a comprehensive guide for the Cayman Islands and provides contact details, photos, menus with prices, special offers, reviews, reservations and maps.

With all the activities, you will run out of time before you run out of things to do. But the best part is that you can do nothing at all and still be enchanted with this breath taking island!

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