Going to Little Cayman will make you feel like you have slipped into a time machine and been sent back to your completely carefree childhood years. The lack of populous here, along with a complete sense of safety (there is no crime here), combined with…Read More

Going to Little Cayman will make you feel like you have slipped into a time machine and been sent back to your completely carefree childhood years. The lack of populous here, along with a complete sense of safety (there is no crime here), combined with the natural, untouched beauty of this island, are sure to give you delightful goose bumps. The butterflies, iguanas, and hermit crabs trickling their way across a deserted beach road are likely to make you feel like a kid on a very special vacation that no one else gets to go on.It all started with boarding the tiny plane in Grand Cayman, headed for Little Cayman. As we walked up the four or five steps of the plane, I saw that the cabin was only about 4 feet in height. I had to duck down as far as I could to make my way through the tiny aisle. I looked over at my travel mate and quipped "What, is this the oomph a loompah plane?" Truly, I felt like the Jolly Green Giant on this plane. It comfortably seated perhaps 10-15 people. The cabin was so small, the only thing separating us from the pilot were a flimsy pair of short drapes. We could see the captain as he throttled up the propellers in his seemingly microscopic cockpit. I thought "Gees, what did I sign up for here? Then again, you only live once, this might be fun!"I am not afraid to fly at all, but I must admit, on this tiny plane, I held my breath and braced myself as the plane hit the end of the runway and took flight. The smell of gasoline permeated the air inside the cabin, and the noise from the engines was so loud, that you couldn’t speak to anyone on the plane without yelling at them. Altitude was always fairly low, allowing us a spectacular view the entire flight. Surprisingly, we stopped off at Cayman Brac to drop off and pick up passengers. This is a very small airport with a small airstrip. I did have time to get off of the plane at Cayman Brac to use the ladies room. We were allowed off of the plane so they could re-fuel. Once back on the plane, I held my breath again as we took flight. Was I holding my breath because I was nervous, or because the gasoline fumes were so overwhelming? I decided it must be for both reasons. Within only a few minutes, we were bouncing like a big rabbit down the grassy airstrip on Little Cayman. Ahhh, safe at last! There were no baggage carousels here, just get off the plane, and grab your luggage as the captain unloads it.Several days after our safe arrival, we rented bikes from the resort and took a long ride down the narrow road encompassing the island. We first encountered a lovely church surrounded by palms and lovely tropical flowers. It has been awhile since I’ve been to church, but this one would inspire me to go every Sunday! We stopped to literally smell the flowers on this church's property.Some days prior, some divers at our resort confided in us about the "secret Iguana feeding spot." They were kind enough to include directions to the "secret" location. On this day, we found ourselves at the south west side of the island, at the rear of the Mahogany subdivision (a subdivision obviously abandoned by builders after only building a few homes). I was a little excited, so I was peddling faster than my travel buddy and arrived at the "secret spot" faster than she did. Nope, no Iguanas. Wait, what’s that big gray thing in the grass about six inches from where I just planted my foot? Eeeeek, huge , scary looking Iguana alert! I backed away slowly and waited for my friend to arrive. We whipped out our bananas and started pulling off small pieces and throwing them in the street (as instructed by the divers we met). The Iguana nearest to my foot was the first to come forward... licking up a bit of banana but looking not so comfortable with us standing so close. I backed a bit further away. Just then, my friend starts throwing bits of banana at my feet. I looked at my friend and said "Heyy, don’t throw the bananas at my feet for the Iguanas to come bite my toes off!" I look down and there’s the big scary one eating just an inch or two from my foot. I stayed very still, eyes bugging out and breaking a sweat as I looked at my friend with both fear and anger on my face. Iguanas are not poisonous, but they have very sharp teeth that can make for some exceptionally nasty lacerations. Fifteen minutes or so after we began throwing out bits of fruit, we saw that we were surrounded by about 10 fairly large iguanas. They all wanted a piece of the pie. Like a scared kid, the minute we ran out of banana, I was on my bike and peddling away from the feeding iguanas. Best to leave them alone while they eat, don’t you think?A true, carefree feeling overtook me when we rounded the bend at the south east end of the island and encountered butterflies. We felt like kids stopping to "catch" a butterfly or two. The slow pace of the island was overtaking us as we began to peddle our bikes slower and slower... taking our sweet time more and more as the minutes and hours passed. The ocean breeze in our hair, our feet peddling on "island time"... yes, I think we were 10 years old at that moment.We saw several stunning beaches along the way, and snuck onto what appeared to be private property in order to snap a few pictures. I kept waiting for my Mom to appear and say "Get out of those peoples yard!." Lucky for me, in most cases, there wasn’t a soul in sight. I looked at the sun to approximate the time of day and I could see it was getting to be about 4pm. Time to head back to the resort, we needed to be "home" before dark! As we made the slovenly journey back to the resort, I saw what appeared to be a rock in the road. However, rocks don’t move, and this rock would move a couple of inches, stop, and then move a couple more inches. I stepped up the pace on my peddling to investigate the moving rock. I was slightly afraid, but far too curious to ignore it. I approached with caution and burst out into laughter as I saw that this "rock" was merely a very large hermit crab... trickling his way across the road and trying to do so without being "noticed."The kinds of things we saw that day are things we usually don’t have time (in every day life) to stop and enjoy. It’s funny how the simplest things in life can have the most profound effect.

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To really see and enjoy all the island has to offer, it is highly recommended that you rent a car. For our first trip to Grand Cayman, we opted to rent a car through McCurley’s Tours who provided transportation from the airport to our resort…Read More

To really see and enjoy all the island has to offer, it is highly recommended that you rent a car. For our first trip to Grand Cayman, we opted to rent a car through McCurley’s Tours who provided transportation from the airport to our resort (Morritt’s on the east end). The rental car was ready for us at the resort and we left it there when they came to pick us up for the return to the airport. This worked out really well for us since we were not familiar with driving in Grand Cayman (remember to drive on the left). The service includes a quick stop at the grocery and liquor store on the way from the airport to the resort - we were able to stock up on food and drinks for the week. Beth Ann (Mrs. McCurley) provided a map and pointed out places to go, things to see, and tips on places to go for beach snorkeling (one of the best spots is near the Queen’s Monument on the north side). The cost for the rental car and airport transportation was $225 (US) for a 4-door Nissan Sentra with AC, plus $8 US for a Cayman driver’s license. This may have been a little higher than some through the major car rental companies, but for the extra $10 to $20, we got a great value and would recommend McCurley’s to any other first-timers or returning vacationers.

It was easy enough (for my husband that is) to get used to driving on the wrong (left) side – the hard part was remembering to look the wrong way when turning a corner into cross traffic, or remembering to stay on the left in parking lots but we managed well.

When driving at night, keep an eye out for sand crabs that cross the road (the night crawling crabs may only be seasonal). You may also come across chickens trying to cross the road (why DO the chickens cross the road anyhow?).

Also, be aware of posted speed limits when driving through the small towns – we were told a speeding ticket would run over $200. The speed limit signs are posted in MPH, and the speedometer was posted in kilometers per hour. Luckily, the folks at McCurley’s taped a small sign showing the conversion from MPH to KPH next to the speedometer.

One of the funniest things we saw driving around was a pedestrian crossing sign – it showed what looked like an older person hunched over with a cane. Just as I was saying "it looks like a crossing for old people", we spotted a small building that provided housing and care for the elderly.

We drove around quite a bit (from Morritt’s to Rum Point, into Georgetown, into 7 Mile Beach, up to Hell and back, out for dinner a few times and to the small local grocery store) and used only seven imperial gallons of gas during the week, which ran $3.30/gallon CI (or $4 US).

P.S. If you use a platinum card that offers rental car coverage, you won't be asked to buy the optional loss damage coverage.

McCurley's Tours:

345-947-9626 Home

345-916-0925 Cell

345-916-0640 Cell

PO Box 150 North Side Post Office

Grand Cayman

British West Indies

UPDATE August 2007
Just returned from another trip to Grand Cayman, and of course rented through McCurley's... BA was the best host/guide, but informed me that they only do rentals on the north and east sides, not to George Town or 7 Mile Beach. FYI

I will post new reviews on a private home we rented this trip - stay tuned.

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* The Cayman Islands are a self-governing British colony, consisting of three islands: Grand Cayman, Little Cayman and Cayman Brac. * Located in the Western Caribbean about 480 miles south of Miami, flights from the Northeastern US generally take 3 to 3 1/2…Read More

* The Cayman Islands are a self-governing British colony, consisting of three islands: Grand Cayman, Little Cayman and Cayman Brac.

* Located in the Western Caribbean about 480 miles south of Miami, flights from the Northeastern US generally take 3 to 3 1/2 hours to arrive on Grand Cayman. Most of the major American airlines fly to Grand Cayman. We used US Airways, but also saw Delta and American flights coming and going.

* To enter Cayman, American, Canadian, British (and other Commonwealth) citizens do not need a visa. Americans: bring either a passport OR your license plus your birth certificate for entry.

* It's incorrect to refer to the islands collectively as "The Caymans" although the locals are unlikely to correct you. Instead, you can refer to them individually or simply "Cayman." Little Cayman and Cayman Brac may be referred to collectively as the "Sister Islands."

* A commonly held misconception is that there is little nightlife on Grand Cayman. This probably exists because unlike many other Caribbean islands, Cayman has no casinos. Still, my friends and I had no trouble finding something to do each night.

* Cayman's religious past lives on today. Nightclubs and Grand Cayman's two cinemas are closed on Sunday. Bars stop serving alcohol at midnight on Saturday night, however there are still plenty of things to do, even on a Sunday night. In a similar vein, there are no nude beaches and topless sunbathing is prohibited.

* Due to strong tourism and banking industry presence in the Cayman Islands, these islands have the highest per capita income of all Caribbean islands. Just about everyone we met was involved in the tourism industry in some way.

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Overall, we really enjoyed the snorkeling here. It seemed like there were more fish here in general compared to other places I have been. But maybe it’s because they are used to being fed by people. I just don’t like to do that—I have been…Read More

Overall, we really enjoyed the snorkeling here. It seemed like there were more fish here in general compared to other places I have been. But maybe it’s because they are used to being fed by people. I just don’t like to do that—I have been taught that it’s not good for them, so I don’t do it. But those fish must have just been expecting it, because they would swarm you! We were disappointed that we couldn’t try out the north and east sides for snorkeling. We heard good things about them, but the water was just not cooperating. So our snorkeling experiences were limited to our boat trip, South Sound, Seven Mile Beach, West Bay, and Georgetown area.

Coral Gardens—We visited two areas here on our Captain Marvin’s boat trip. I think there was more sealife here than anywhere else we went in Grand Cayman. I would have like it better though if there had been less people with us, and the water hadn’t have been so rough.

Eden Rock—We visited twice- once on our own via a ladder at the Eden Rock Dive shop, and once on our Red Sail boat trip. The coral here is great, and there were so many fish. This ranks pretty high with everywhere that I have snorkeled. There were lots of brown and white fish here that I haven’t seen at any other snorkel spot that I can remember. I didn’t even see these fish anywhere else in Grand Cayman

Wreck of the Cali—We visited here on our Red Sail boat trip. It was interesting to see the submerged wreck. There was nice coral and lots tarpon hiding around.

Smith’s Cove
We tried snorkeling here twice, but it was just a bit too stirred up. If it had been calm, I think it would have been great. I did see a huge French Angelfish here and one of the biggest parrotfish I have ever seen, but my underwater pictures did not come out well because of the sand being stirred up. This was a pretty beach spot though!

Marriott
There is a manmade reef here. Nothing special, but I did see a flounder type fish here that was interesting.

Cemetery Beach- The beach here itself is nice, and the snorkeling was great. We came here twice. There was so much sea life here. We really enjoyed it.

Governor’s Reef—The beach here is amazing. The snorkeling was even more amazing. I don’t think this is the best of where we visited, but it’s special to me because I saw a turtle here, and he actually swam with me for a while. We decided to get up early on our last day since our flight was not leaving until 3 pm. We had about two hours to snorkel here. It was probably the best snorkeling conditions of our trip and the turtle was icing on the cake. Close

The restaurants are definitely expensive. We spent a lot more on food than we planned. I thought it was the most expensive of all Caribbean islands I have been to except for St. Barts. We did not have a bad meal anywhere we went.Marriott- We…Read More

The restaurants are definitely expensive. We spent a lot more on food than we planned. I thought it was the most expensive of all Caribbean islands I have been to except for St. Barts. We did not have a bad meal anywhere we went.

Marriott- We ate the breakfast buffet once, lunch, and spent a couple happy hours at the hotel bars and restaurants. The food was generally good, but definitely expensive compared to other restaurants (but that’ to be expected of any hotel!).

Coconut Joe’s—We had breakfast here a couple times. Fairly priced and good food. It’s very convenient to our hotel.

Cimboco’s- We had breakfast here once and it was very good. I had a great omelet and my husband was happy with his French toast.

Eats Café- We had lunch here once and dinner once and enjoyed it both times. They have great sandwiches and yummy fries.

Westin (beach side restaurant, can’t remember the name)—We had lunch here after snorkeling nearby. The food wasn't very good but similarly priced to the Marriott. But I really wanted to check it out. If we come back I want to stay there for sure (mostly because of the wide beach and proximity to great snorkeling).

Restaurant at Rum Point—good food at this beach bar. I had chicken fingers and fries, and my husband had wings that he enjoyed

The Wharf- We had a nice waterside dinner here. There are tarpon nearby that you can feed—but I just think that’s kind of gross! Where we have a lake place, there is a similar area where you can feed carp—and I just never found that very appetizing! But we were both very happy with our dinners there.

Ragazzi’s—This was one of my favorite dinners. I had a delicious pizza, and my husband had gnocchi that he thought was great.

Bed- When we arrived we were the only people at this restaurant. That worried me a bit, but the food was good (but nothing too special). We had a great calamari appetizer. I had steak that was good, but my husband can’t remember what he had, or if he liked it, so it must not have been that memorable for him!

Neptune’s—We had dinner here. I had good chicken Parmesan and I believe my husband had a seafood pasta that was good. It was good, but nothing special. They did have a nice touch—a free appetizer of bruschetta.

Aqua Beach—We got a cheese plate that was tasty, and would have been enough for both of our meals! But we also got roasted chicken and potatoes that were good.

Copper Falls- This was our most expensive meal, but also the best one. I had filet and my husband also had steak (but I can’t remember what kind). I mean, it’s no Ruth’s Chris, but it came pretty close. I had the best macaroni and cheese I have ever had.Close

Captain Marvin- Snorkeling and Stingray CityWe went on a boat trip with Captain Marvin on our first full day. There were probably about 30 or so people on this trip. That was plenty of people—but I know that in high season/cruise ship days, those trips…Read More

Captain Marvin- Snorkeling and Stingray City
We went on a boat trip with Captain Marvin on our first full day. There were probably about 30 or so people on this trip. That was plenty of people—but I know that in high season/cruise ship days, those trips are more packed. But having 30 people was more than enough to get in my way while snorkeling! We specifically chose a day that there was only one cruise ship in port (that was a really good thing, because we would have only been able to go on one other day, because the trip was cancelled on the other days we were there due to rough water from a nearby tropical storm). We went to two snorkeling spots—and they were really nice with lots of coral and fish—but it would have been much better if the water hadn’t of been as rough as it was, and other snorkelers bumping into me! Even though the water was rough, it was still very clear. We went to two areas in the coral gardens. I believe they usually go somewhere else, but that was too rough that day. We then made our way to the Stingray City sandbar, and that was definitely the highlight of the trip. We had done something similar in Belize in a place called Shark and Stingray Alley, but this was much better than that. There were stingrays everywhere. One accosted me and almost gave me a hug around my back—it scared me a bit! My husband even held one. The trip was definitely worth it.

Rum Point and Drive Around the Island
We drove up to Rum Point on our second full day. It was really nice to get a self tour of the island. Rum Point was a nice place—pretty with all the trees around and lots of chairs and hammocks for lounging. We were hoping to be able to snorkel, but the water was just too rough. We spent about three hours here. It was and relaxing, not crowded at all, but with not being able to snorkel we got a bit restless. On our drive back we drove around Cayman Kai, The Reef Resort, and Boddentown looking for good snorkeling, but the water was too rough everywhere. That was a bit of a disappointment. We actually drove back this way later in the week to see if we could find a calm place to snorkel after hearing great reviews, but had no luck.

Botanical Gardens
The only reason we went here was because there was one day that the water was too rough for good snorkeling. I really didn’t think we would enjoy it as much as we did. The flowers were beautiful. We also encountered quite a few iguanas, so that was really fun.

Turtle Farm and Hell
We drove up to the turtle farm, and on our way stopped at hell. It really wasn’t that interesting, but everyone had said it was a must see. At least it was a good photo op. Once we got to the turtle farm, we decided not to go in. Just a little too touristy and I think it was more geared towards kids. I was tempted by the snorkeling lagoon—but I prefer real snorkeling experiences to a "fake" one.

Red Sail West Bay Snorkel
This was a great trip. It was a huge boat that holds 80 people or so. And there was a total of 7 people on the trip! It left from the Hyatt and we went snorkeling at Eden Rock and the Wreck of the Cali. We were a little disappointed because we had already been to Eden Rock on our own, and we could have just gone to the Wreck of the Cali on our own. But the sail was nice, and it was nice not having to swim out to the reef- we could be a little more lazy. I thought Eden Rock was better than when we had snorkeled there another day. The Wreck of Cali was interesting too—lots of huge tarpon to see. Close

I read somewhere that there were more Jamaicans working in Cayman Islands resorts than any other nationality. I began to believe this when our Little Caymans resort van driver pulled up and screeched to a halt (sending sandy dust clouds into the air). The minute…Read More

I read somewhere that there were more Jamaicans working in Cayman Islands resorts than any other nationality. I began to believe this when our Little Caymans resort van driver pulled up and screeched to a halt (sending sandy dust clouds into the air). The minute he arrived, we could hear the rhythmic reggae music he was playing on the van’s stereo. I mused to myself "Oh yeah, he’s from Jamaica."

I went on something of a quest to find out more about why Jamaicans choose to work in the Caymans, and what their lives are like being away from the home they know in Jamaica. Where might a Jamaican resort employee live on this expensive, very minimally populated island? How do they manage to feed themselves, and family members, on this extravagant little island on a resort employees pay? Has the Jamaican culture begun to blend with that of Caymanian culture?

I sat one night at the resort dinner buffet, pondering who I wanted to talk to about Jamaican culture. Suddenly, I was snapped out of my daze by our Jamaican waiter ("Louie" - a.k.a. Errol) asking politely "Is there anything else I can get you?" After a short discussion, my travel buddy and I decided to ask Louie to meet us in the resort game room after he was off from work at 9pm. We explained to him that I was writing an article on Jamaicans working in the Caymans, and wanted to interview him. Shortly after 9pm, Louie strolled in with a Jamaican-born friend of his named Denvil (apparently his name is pronounced "Danville"). They both had pleasant smiles on their faces, but both seemed slightly guarded.

I noted that there seemed to be an age difference between Denvil and Louie. Denvil looked a few years younger, probably only because Louie was sporting a tiny patch of salt and pepper beard on his chin. Louie seemed very self conscious about his well-earned tiny bit of gray. Louie was of average height, and was dressed more like an islander, whereas Denvil reminded me more of a prep from the east coast. Denvil was very tall, youthful, and energetic. As it turned out, Denvil was single, and in his mid-twenties, Louie was in his mid-thirties, with a wife and child back in Jamaica. They were both extremely polite and professional throughout the time we spent with them.

Once we were all comfortable and seated at the poker table inside the quiet resort game room, I began to ask some milder questions first…"So, why did you two decide to leave your lives in Jamaica and come to the tiny Island of Little Cayman to work?" Louie replied "The money I make here is worth much more back home in Jamaica. I have a wife and child to take care of. The job opportunities in Jamaica just are not there. I cannot make good money in Jamaica. I am working here for my family, so that they are taken care of." Denvil interjected with "I’m here for the job opportunity, and the ability to learn, move up in my career, and the chance to travel." "What are your job titles here?" I asked. Louie replied with "I do a little bit of everything, I act as waiter, host, clear tables, help the kitchen staff, and whatever else is needed of me." Denvil said "I am a chef here."

We took a short break while my travel companion fetched us a few drinks from the bar at the resort. After a sip of my somewhat watered down rum punch, I said "I understand that it’s quite dangerous in Jamaica, where could we go in Jamaica where it would be safer?" At this, both men seemed somewhat offended, and took great efforts to make it clear that Jamaica is not entirely the unsafe place many think it is. Louie stuck his chest out and said "You come to Jamaica and have me with you as a guide, nobody would bother you, because you are with a Jamaican." At any rate, Louie continued with "The safest places to go are Negril, Ochos Rios, Montego Bay, as well as a few other spots. However, DO NOT go to Kingston, even the Jamaicans avoid Kingston because it is a very violent, dangerous place. We Jamaicans hate that our country has been labeled as such a dangerous place... Don’t be mislead by the negative rumors about Jamaica. "Denvil piped up and said "I was born in Jamaica, but grew up in Canada and am a Canadian citizen." I could see that Denvil had a Canadian "air" about him. Denvil did not have the Jamaican lilt that Louie possessed. I knew there was something different about Denvil. Conversely, Louie then told us a story about a shooting incident and how gunshots are all too common in Jamaica. He explained that the bad things happen in only certain places, usually the bigger towns/cities. Violence is not at all common in the more rural areas.

At this point, I decided to start asking the harder questions. "So how are you all able to afford to live on this expensive little island when surely rent on this island is so unaffordable?" Louie replied "The resort has apartments for us, and they charge us a reduced rental rate. Most of us live on property here, with some of us living in the apartments across the street, and some living in the apartments behind the gift shop at the resort. Some of us pay only $100 a month in rent, while others have to pay $300 a month." "That doesn’t seem quite fair to me", I said. "It isn’t, he said." Denvil threw in "I pay $200 a month for a tiny space with a small bed." Denvil described his accommodations as not much larger than what a lower level cruise ship employee might have. I got the impression that those on staff who were Canadian, or were from any other country besides Jamaica, were receiving better housing at cheaper rental rates from the resort management/owners.

Louie explained that the Cayman government is beginning to refuse work visas from Jamaican applicants because the Cayman government seems to believe that crime has increased as a result of the influx of Jamaican resort workers. However, the Canadian woman running the gift shop at Little Cayman Beach Resort said "The Cayman government is also refusing work visas from Canadians now as well. I think they are getting tired of seeing primarily applicants from Jamaica and Canada only, and want some new blood in the Caymans. I tried to get my Jamaican boyfriend into the Caymans for work; his visa was refused." No matter which way you slice it, it appears the Cayman government is getting quite picky about who it will allow into the country to work.

To lighten the mood a bit, I asked "So what are the favorite traditional foods of Jamaicans?" Louie smiled and answered wistfully "Mmmmm, curried lamb, hominy (grits), roasted breadfruit, Jamaican oxtail, fried plantains, boiled plantains, peas and rice, sweet potatoes and many other tings." I love the way Jamaicans pronounce "things" as "tings." Louie went on to describe the manner in which some of these foods are prepared. He also told us that "In Jamaica, no one minds if you pick fruit from their tree or vine. Everyone does it, and no one minds at all, it’s the Jamaican way."

The distance to Jamaica from the Caymans is only 300 miles, so Louie is able to fly home to see his family about twice a year. Though Louie did complain that airfares to Jamaica were very difficult for him to manage.

One ting is for sure, the Jamaican food is working its way readily into the Caymans, as we saw several of the Jamaican dishes Louie described on the buffet at Little Cayman Beach Resort, especially in the mornings. It kept breakfast interesting. Surely, our chef Denvil had a hand in preparing these dishes. I think sprinkling some Jamaican food and reggae into the Cayman islands is actually quite a wonderful thing.

Louie has been working on the island for this resort for many years and plans to stay for a few more, while Denvil has only been there for 2 years. Denvil seems content, but somewhat bored.

On our final day, Louie and Denvil prepared some special plantains for our last morning at the resort. They both saw us off the morning of our departure. Talk about personalized service! They were so polite, so kind, it would be hard to think of Jamaicans or Canadians as anything but wonderful people.

In sum, while things for the Jamaicans and other foreign workers here may be somewhat difficult (tiny rooms in which to sleep, long work weeks, and being homesick), overall, they seem to be happy. It’s too bad that the Cayman government does not see what a wonderful addition to their country Jamaicans have become.







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DON'T FORGET the #1 export from Grand Cayman Islands...THE RUMCAKE. You find it in many shops here, but it is much cheaper off the beaten path at some of the local grocery stores off of the main road. Remember the beach is FREE. Through a camera lens,…Read More

DON'T FORGET the #1 export from Grand Cayman Islands...THE RUMCAKE. You find it in many shops here, but it is much cheaper off the beaten path at some of the local grocery stores off of the main road.

Remember the beach is FREE.

Through a camera lens, 7 Mile Beach (the main tourist area for the cruise ships) looks like a paradise.

You can rent dive tanks nearby and walk in the ocean and dive for free. The water is crystal blue and you can see what seems like infinity.

The beach sand is soft, although it looks almost manufactured. It has been gone over by so many tourists that the beach is nearly sterile. No sea life, no crabs, nothing. Almost like a swimming pool attached to the sea.

There are many picnic tables on the beach for basket lunches or sunset dinners. The breeze is near constant and warm.

This area is where you find Hard Rock Cafe, Haagen-Daaz ice cream, and many other touristy-type shops.

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One of the best pieces of advice I could give to someone travelling to Grand Cayman would be to change your money daily. Most places do take American dollars but VERY FEW of them will give you change in dollars, so you're left wondering…Read More

One of the best pieces of advice I could give to someone travelling to Grand Cayman would be to change your money daily. Most places do take American dollars but VERY FEW of them will give you change in dollars, so you're left wondering if you're getting ripped off or not. Your best bet is to change your money from dollars to Caymanian dollars (CI$) at your hotel. You can do it at the bank for a price, but the hotel will normally change up to $100 for you a day for free. This is the best thing you can do, you can get about CI$ 80 for $100, just be careful, you can’t change your CI$ back into American dollars. It's still best to pay in Cayman while you're there, just easier to figure out and you don’t have to do the exchange in your head. Be careful with the cabs, some of them will overcharge you. My friend and I could go PAST Georgetown for $11, whereas earlier in our trip we went to Georgetown and were charged $20. We learned quick, though. There's also a bus for $2 that you can take down the "7 mile strip." Renting a car is an option, but I wouldn’t do it - there IS traffic in Cayman and driving on the other side of the road if you're American can be tricky.Close

Grand Cayman is very British and one of the best places to visit in the Caribbean. The main beach or string of beaches is located on West Bay Road and called Seven Mile Beach. This is the primary resort area where the majority of restaurants,…Read More

Grand Cayman is very British and one of the best places to visit in the Caribbean. The main beach or string of beaches is located on West Bay Road and called Seven Mile Beach. This is the primary resort area where the majority of restaurants, eateries, grocery stores, and shopping can be found. The airport and port of Georgetown-cruise ships come in ther, are minutes away.

The island is clean and neat and the main road signage is pretty decent. The best things to do on the island are scuba diving, snorkeling, and dining! Dives run about CI$85 for a 2-tank dive and there are numerous dive shops to choose from. Snorkeling is about CI$20 for a reef and stingray sandbar tour. The latter is an awesome event- don’t forget a disposable underwater camera. You can also swim and snorkel at Seven Mile Beach where it is reef-protected; the water is clear, calm, and warm.

Turtle Farm-this is a business that raises turtles to sell to restaurants. They charge $6 admission and there are a half dozen or so tanks of turtles in different sizes. There are a couple tanks where people can pick them up. Other than the gift shop- that’s it.

Hell Post Office- interesting side trip

Overall, this is one of my favorite islands and I plan to return soon in search of the ultimate fish and chips restaurant.

Email for pics at: dragonflyfarms@hotmail.com

Please put Cayman in the subject box. You will have to register at ofoto.com to see the vacation pics of the turtles and stingrays!

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