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GEORGE TOWN, CAYMAN ISLANDS – On the western end of Grand Cayman island, there is a lengthy coral-sand beach known as Seven Mile Beach. Travelers from all over the world come to this part of Grand Cayman, renowned for its scenic splendor. Seven Mile Beach was named “The Caribbean’s Best Beach” by Caribbean Travel and Life Magazine in 2015.
Short history
A motley crew of buccaneers, beachcombers, shipwrecked sailors, and the rollicking Sir Henry Morgan — the famous 17th century pirate — first settled Grand Cayman in the 1600s. The early settlers either killed each other, left for other shores, or disappeared into the Caribbean woodwork. In the 1700s, a group of God-fearing Scotsmen settled the island.
Today, the Cayman Islands is a British Crown Colony that has established a worldwide reputation for discreet offshore banking. In fact, over 500 major international banks have charters here, Caymanians, who historically have a blend of cutthroat competitiveness and temperance, have the perfect temperaments for banking.
But the Cayman Islands are not only where people go to hide their money.
The island’s interior isn’t suitable for much farming, so residents turned to the sea for their livelihood. Grand Cayman therefore, was never a large plantation island, so slavery was never widespread here. That may explain why the different races melded so well without the harsh oppression and discrimination that occurred in many island countries.
Grand Cayman
The flat island is spotless and slow-paced, making it a perfect environment for relaxing vacations. One of Grand Cayman’s most famous attractions is Seven Mile Beach. Although it is actually only five and a half limes long, it is considered one of the most beautiful beaches in the Caribbean.
The Cayman Islands consist of three islands: Cayman Brac, Little Cayman and Grand Cayman, where the capital city, George Town is located. Grand Cayman is 480 miles due south of Miami, and it is 22 miles long and 8 miles wide.
Grand Cayman, the largest at 45 long and 11 km wide, is where 35 000 people live, as opposed to 1600 on Cayman Brac and just a handful on Little Cayman. The smaller islands cater mainly for scuba-divers. A British Overseas Department, Grand Cayman is not only a peaceful paradise but is also affluent and sophisticated, with the highest standard of living and the highest per capita income in the Caribbean.
Just 750 km south of Miami, it is the only one of the three islands that can accept large cruise ships. A few cruise lines start their itineraries here, especially if Cuba is one of the ports of call. Hurricane Ivan passed straight over Grand Cayman in September 2004 causing the worst storm damage on the island for 80 years.
George Town
The port’s two modern cruise ship terminal are located right in George Town, the Cayman Islands capital. A small but busy commercial town, it has many colonial buildings and is easy to walk around. Taxis are readily available to take you further afield, or you can opt or an organized excursion.
On the waterfront are the remains of Fort George. Built in 1790 to ward off the Spanish, the original fort was made of solid coral rock with walls 1.5 meters thick. It was used as a lookout during World War II to keep an eye out for German submarines.
Across the street is the Elmslie United Memorial Church. Its timber roof is shaped like an upturned schooner hull with stained-glass windows, and sleek mahogany pews. Outside the church some old stone grave markers resemble little houses.
National Museum
Further along is the popular Cayman Islands National Museum in the 19-th century white, rambling Old Courts Building, with green shutters and a bright red roof, which has served as a prison and courthouse. It is the second oldest building in Grand Cayman and a classic example of local architecture. One of the many excellent exhibits is a relief map of the underwater escape surrounding the islands.
Opposite, you can see reef life for real, without getting wet, in the Atlantis sea world Explorer. This is a submarine that takes visitors on an underwater tour 30 meters deep.
Craft Market
Further along, the Farmers and Craft Markets are spilling over with local souvenirs. Look out for jewelry made from caymanite, a semi-precious stone that ranges in color from beige to pink to brown, that is only found in the Cayman.
Things to do in Grand Cayman
Among Grand Cayman’s most beautiful treasures are its gorgeous coral reefs with steep walls that plunge thousands of feet to the bottom of the dark Cayman Trench.
Scuba diving
Recreational scuba diving was invented on Grand Cayman in 1957, and it has become the Island’s #1 tourist activity. The Cayman government maintains over 200 moorings to mark the many dive sites, which any serious scuba diver would want to include in their logbook.
The water around Grand Cayman is almost always calm, and it’s warm enough year-round to dive without a wet suit. Most importantly, the water often has 100-foot visibility.
Snorkeling in the Stingray City
Stingray City is considered the best diving and snorkeling site in the Caymans. At a depth of 12 feet, divers can see spotted eagle rays, flying gurnards, and sea turtles.
Stingray City is also one of the most photographed underwater sites in the world. Professional photographers are always around to take your picture as you feed one of the spooky-looking black rays.
Stingrays
The stingrays, which grow as big as 6 feet in width, look like stealth bombers hugging the sandy bottom. They are so accustomed to divers feeding them that they will come right up to you and eat out of your hand.
Wall diving
Grand Cayman is also noted for its breathtaking wall dives. It is surrounded by four steep walls that are covered with healthy coral, where you can view schools of fish, including tarpon, yellow frog fish, and orange seahorses. Wall diving in crystal clear water gives you the feeling of floating in a balloon above an endless wall of color that disappears into an inky black abyss.
The Cayman Islands have plenty of dramatic wall and drop off dives close to the shore, and accessible from a west coast beach. At sea, boats have a choice of 243 permanent moorings.The abyss, which is known as the Cayman Trench, descends 24000 feet to the deepest part of the Caribbean.
Game Fishing
Even if you are not a diver, you can still enjoy the marine life on Grand Cayman. Game fishing is a favorite pastime of natives, everyone from cab drivers to waiters will tell you about their exploits fishing for marlin, tarpon and yellow fin tuna in the waters around Grand Cayman.
Glass Bottom Tours
Those who want to see this undersea world without getting wet or working up a sweat, there are a number of glass-bottom boats and submarine charters that allow you to get up close and personal.
Visit the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park
The center of Grand Cayman is actually a large mangrove swamp where crocodiles used to live. In fact, in the 1980s, crocodile hunting was one of the favorite pastimes of the island’s early residents. Today the interior is the home of the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park, a 65-acre showcase with dozens of species of orchids, mahogany, white birch and ironwood trees. In this tropical setting, you can also see the Grand Cayman blue iguana and parrot.
Visit Great Gardens
To the east of George Town, on top of a limestone cliff in Savannah, stands Pedro St James Historic Site, a magnificently restored old stone manor house that’s packed with antiques, and has formal English gardens. It was here, in 1835, that the Declaration of Emancipation was read, giving African slaves their freedom.
Going to Hell
Outside the capital, going north, you can go to Hell via a landscape dotted with little brightly colored houses. Yes, the village really is called Hell due to its surrounding acres of pockmarked limestone rocks that look like the charred remains of an inferno. Consisting only of a petrol station, a post office and a few shops, Hell is a touristy place of Cayman visited by many tourists.
Turtle Farm
Not far from the Hell village, the Turtle Farm has opened a breed-and-release program since 1968 and has returned more than 30 000 tagged green turtles to the wild. Take the walkway around the tanks were over 16 000 of the endangered species live and breed.
Golfing in the Cayman Islands
Grand Cayman resorts have been enhancing their live-sports facilities over the past 10 years. There is an 18-hole golf course and a 9-hole Cayman ball course at Hyatt Regency’s Britannia Golf Club. Designed by Jack Nicklaus, the Cayman Ball is specially designed to travel about half the distance of a regular golf ball, allowing you to play all the clubs in your bag on an executive level course.
Tennis is also becoming more popular here. A number of resorts have full-service tennis centers with lighted courts for night play.
Shope and Dine in the Cayman Islands
After working up an appetite with a vigorious game of singles, you can choose from George Town’s 120 restaurants, which fit the various dining needs of the island’s visiting sportsmen and bankers. The specialities are seafood, of course including snapper, dolphin, tuna and wahoo fish.
To walk off your meal, you can go shopping for a wide range of duty-free items, such as linens, crystal, jewelry, and local art, at stores with shopkeepers who show the classic British reserve.
Despite its pirate past, Grand Cayman is not a place for late nightlife. The only exception is during Pirates Week in October, when islanders let their hair down and celebrate their buccaneer heritage with costume parties, treasure hunts and street fairs. You may not find any gold or pieces of eight, but you are sure to find a good time in the Caymans.
Our Favorite Grand Cayman Tour
Anastasia_B, Aug 2024
Grand Cayman Cruise: Starfish Point, Stingray City, Coral Garden
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