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C – Attractions & Things To Do
Grand Cayman, (pronounced K-mun) the largest of the Cayman islands, has become a premier tourist destination in recent years. With more than 500 banks, its capital, George Town, is the offshore banking center of the Caribbean. Retirees are drawn to the peace and tranquility of this British Crown Colony, site of a major condominium development.
The Caribbean climate is pleasantly constant. The average year round temperatures for the region are 78°F-88°F. Island life focuses on the sea. Snorkelers will find a paradise; beach lovers will marvel at the powdery sands of Seven Mile Beach Downtown shopping areas will of course be uncomfortably hot at midday at any time of the year, but air-conditioning provides welcome relief. Visitors travel to the Caymans to slow down and relax in a setting of comfort and beauty. The best strategy seems to be to stay near the beaches most of the day, where water and trade winds provide just the right temperature for enjoyment. Shopping is recommended for early or late in the day.
Even the rains cooperate in maintaining the atmosphere of perfectly designed weather. The rainy season consists mostly of brief showers interspersed with sunshine. You can watch the clouds come over, feel the rain, and have the sun to dry you off, all while remaining in your lounge chair.
The British colony consists of Grand Cayman, smaller Cayman Brac, and Little Cayman, but almost all of the Cayman Islands’ population of 32,000 live on Grand Cayman. The Caymans are located 180 miles northwest of Jamaica and 480 miles due south of Miami. Cayman’s beaches are considered to be among the best in the world. The favorite is Seven Mile Beach on Grand Cayman. The abundance of fish, marine life and spectacular coral reefs which can be found in the surrounding waters make the Cayman Islands ideal for diving enthusiasts.
The gingerbread-style buildings lining George Town’s harbor front are prime examples of traditional island architecture. Grand Cayman is only 22 miles long and 8 miles across at its widest point.
From any point in the resort area of Grand Cayman, it is easy to walk or bike to the shopping centers, restaurants, and entertainment spots along West Bay Road. George Town is small enough to see on foot. If you are exploring Grand Cayman by car, there is a well-maintained road that circles the island. To get around Cayman Brac or Little Cayman, it is best to rent a car or a moped. Many resorts rent bicycles for local sightseeing.
Cayman Brac, northeast of Grand Cayman, is about 12 miles long and 1 mile wide. This area is dotted with fascinating caves and dozens of wrecks for divers to explore. It provided the basis for Robert Louis Stevenson’s famous novel Treasure Island.
Seven miles southeast of Cayman Brac, the tiny island of Little Cayman is best known as a sanctuary for wild birds and iguanas. It is also the primary site for bone fishing.
English is the official language of the islands, although it often sounds as though the speaker is combining an American southern drawl with a lilting Welsh accent.
The Cayman Turtle Farm, one of Grand Cayman’s main tourist attractions, sets an example for environmental conservation and preservation of the species. The 65-acre Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park is a national treasure. The National Trust’s Mastic Trail is a 2 mile footpath through unspoiled woodlands on the North Side
The Cayman Islands have a number of nightclubs, which sometimes feature international entertainment. Succulent seafood specialties abound in the local restaurants
Spectacular natural beauty, a wealth of activities and points of interest, and all the modern conveniences to make your stay as comfortable as possible can be found on Grand Cayman. For the best in Carribean water sports, sightseeing, dancing and shopping, Grand Cayman is the place to start
Area: 100 sq miles
Population: 39,335
Capital city: George Town on Grand Cayman
Language: English
Time: U.S. eastern standard time is in effect year-round; daylight saving time is not observed.
Religious Denominations: United Church, Anglican, Baptist, Roman Catholic
Government: British dependency Tourism, banking, insurance and finance
Major industries:
Major trading partners: USA, UK, Netherlands Antilles, Trinidad and Tobago, Japan
Weather:
Average Temperatures:
|
High |
Low |
|
|
January |
86F |
67F |
|
February |
86F |
67F |
|
March |
86F |
68F |
|
April |
87F |
70F |
|
May |
87F |
72F |
|
June |
89F |
74F |
|
July |
90F |
73F |
|
August |
90F |
73F |
|
September |
89F |
73F |
|
October |
88F |
73F |
|
November |
87F |
71F |
|
December |
87F |
69F |
Local Seasons
Very warm, tropical climate throughout the year. High temperatures are moderated by trade winds. The rainy season is from May to October but showers are generally of short duration. Required clothing: Lightweight cottons and linens and a light raincoat or umbrella for the rainy season. Slightly warmer clothes may be needed on cooler evenings or in air conditioned areas.
Sunburn or sunstroke is a major health risk. A long-sleeve shirt, a hat, and long pants or a beach wrap are essential on a boat, for midday at the beach, and whenever you go out sightseeing. Use sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15, especially if you’re fair-skinned, and apply it liberally and frequently on nose, ears, and other sensitive and exposed areas. Make sure the sunscreen is waterproof if you’re engaging in water sports, limit your sun time for the first few days, and drink plenty of liquids, monitoring intake of caffeine and alcohol, which hasten the dehydration process.
When to Go:
mid-December to mid-April winter is the peak tourist season, when rates are substantially higher and beaches and lodgings more crowded, it’s best to go in the summer. There is more rain in summer, but it tends to come in downpours that clear as quickly as they arrive. Business Hours: Normally, banks are open Monday to Thursday from 9am to 2:30pm, Friday from 9am to 1pm and 2: 30 to 4: 30pm. Shops are usually open Monday to Saturday from 9am to 5pm. Money
ATMs:
ATMs are readily available on Grand Cayman.
Exchanging Money:
Although the American dollar is accepted everywhere, you’ll save money if you go to the bank and exchange U.S. dollars for Cayman Island (CI) dollars.
Taxes:
At large hotels, a service charge is generally included and can be anywhere from 6% to 10%; smaller establishments and some villas and condos leave tipping up to you. There is a 10% government tax added at all accommodations and a departure tax that must be paid when leaving the country. Otherwise, there is no tax on goods or services.
Tipping:
Although tipping is customary at restaurants, some automatically include 15% on the bill, so check it carefully. Taxi drivers expect a 10%-15% tip.
Electricity:
110 volts AC 60 cycles, so American and Canadian appliances will not need adapters or transformers.
Emergencies:
For medical or police emergencies, dial tel. 911 or 555.
Hospital:
There’s a hospital on Grand Cayman, and another small one on Cayman Brac. Language:
English is the official language, and it is spoken with a distinctive brogue that reflects Caymanians’ Welsh, Scottish, and English heritage. For example, three is pronounced “tree,” pepper is “pep-ah,” and Cayman is “K-man.” The number of Jamaican residents in the workforce means that the Jamaican patois and heavier accents are also common.
Arriving & Departing
By Air
Flights land at Owen Roberts Airport GMC Grand Cayman, 345/949-5252, Gerrard-Smith Airport CYB Cayman Brac, or Edward Bodden Airfield Little Cayman. Call Owen Roberts Airport for flight information.
Flights from New York to Kingston or Montego Bay, Jamaica, take about 4 hours; those from Miami, about an hour. Nonstop flights from London and Paris to the Caribbean are about 7 hours. Once you’ve arrived in the Caribbean, hops between the islands range from 20 minutes to 2 hours.
Transfers Between the Airport and Town:
Upon arrival, some hotels offer free pickup at the airport. Taxi service and car rentals are also available.
Getting Around
By Bicycle, Motorcycle, or Scooter:
When renting a motor scooter or bicycle, remember to drive on the left : and wear sunblock. Bicycles can be rented by the day as can scooters.
By Car
The Cayman Islands are relatively flat and fairly easy to negotiate if you’re careful in traffic. Just remember : driving is on the left, so when pulling out into traffic, look to your right. A good road network connects the coastal towns of all three main islands.
Road Conditions
Island roads are often potholed, bumpy, and narrow. Drive with extreme caution, especially if you venture out at night. You won’t see guardrails on every hill and curve, although the drops can be frighteningly steep, and pedestrians and livestock often share the roadway with vehicles.
By Air: The main island of Grand Cayman is connected to Cayman Brac by internal flights run by Cayman Airways and Island Air and to Little Cayman by Island Air only. Island Air also operates a service between Cayman Brac and Little Cayman.
Bus: Public minibuses operate from George Town to West Bay every 15 minutes, to Bodden Town every 30 minutes and to East End and North Side every hour The bus terminal is located opposite the public library on Edward Street in central George Town. Service is normally from 0600-2300 until midnight on weekends for most routes. There are 38 minibuses operated by 24 licensed operators. Routes are color coded with colors marked on the front and rear of the buses. Public buses have blue license plates and standard fares are displayed inside.
Taxi: There are large fleets of taxis
C – Attractions & Things To Do
Cayman Islands National Museum
Harbor Drive, in George Town
345/949-8368
Admission charged. free for children 6 and under.
Mon. to Fri. 9 – 5 ; Saturday 10 – 2 last admission is half an hour prior to closing.
is in a much-restored clapboard-sided antique building directly on the water. The veranda-fronted building served in prior years as the island’s courthouse. The formal exhibits include a collection of Caymanian artifacts collected by Ira Thompson beginning in the 1930s. The museum includes a gift shop, theater, cafe, and more than 2,000 items portraying the natural, social, and cultural history of the Caymans.
Cayman Turtle Farm, Northwest Point
345/949-3893; daily 8: 30 – 5.
Admission charged. free for children 5 and under.
This is the only green sea-turtle farm of its kind in the world. Once a multitude of turtles swam in the surrounding waters of the islands, but today these creatures are few in number practically extinct elsewhere in the Caribbean, and the green sea turtle has been designated an endangered species . You cannot bring turtle products into the United States.
This government-run operation raises green turtles for purposes of increasing their population in the wild as well as to provide the local market with edible turtle meat. The facility constantly replenishes the local waters with hatchling and yearling turtles. Visitors are welcome to look at 100 circular concrete tanks in which the sea creatures can be observed in every stage of development. The hope is that one day their population in the sea will regain its former status. Turtles here range in size from 6 ounces to 600 pounds. At a snack bar and restaurant, turtle dishes can be sampled.
At Batabano, on the North Sound, fishermen tie up with their catch, much to the delight of photographers. You can buy lobster in season, fresh fish, and conch. A large barrier reef protects the sound, which is surrounded on three sides by the island and is a mecca for diving and sports fishing.
South Sound Road, is lined with pines and, in places, old wooden Caymanian houses. Beyond the houses are many good spots for a picnic.
On the road again, you reach Bodden Town, once the largest settlement on the island. At Gun Square, two cannons once commanded the channel entrance through the reef. They are now stuck muzzle-first into the ground.
On the way to the East End, just before Old Isaac Village, sprays of water shoot up from the shore like geysers. These are called blowholes, and the force of the water rushing upward sounds like the roar of a lion.
A little farther on, an anchor sticks up from the ocean floor. As the story goes, this is a relic of the famous “Wreck of the Ten Sails” in 1788. A more modern wreck, the Ridgefield, can also be seen. This was a 7,500-ton Liberty ship from New England, which struck the reef in 1943.
Old Man Bay is reached by a road that opened in 1983.
From there you can travel along the north shore of the island to Rum Point, which has a lovely beach. Rum Point got its name from barrels of rum that once washed ashore here after a shipwreck. It is surrounded by towering causarina trees blowing in the trade winds. Most of these trees have hammocks hanging from their trunks, inviting you to enjoy the leisurely life. With its cays, reefs, mangroves, and shallows, Rum Point is a refuge that extends west and south for 7 miles. It divides the two “arms” of Grand Cayman. The sound’s many spits of land and its plentiful lagoons are ideal for snorkeling, swimming, wading, and birding. It you get hungry, drop in to the Wreck Bar for a juicy hamburger. After visiting Rum Point, you can head back toward Old Man Village, where you can go south along a cross-island road through savannah country that will eventually lead you west to George Town.
Walking Trail
In Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park
tel. 345/947-9462
The park is open daily from 7: 30am to 5: 30pm.
Admission charged. free for children 5 and under.
On 60 acres of rugged wooded land off Frank Sound Road, North Side, the park offers visitors a 1 hour walk through wetland, swamp, dry thicket, mahogany trees, orchids, and bromeliads. The trail is eight-tenths of a mile long. Along it are seen chickatees, the freshwater turtles found only on the Caymans and in Cuba. Also seen in the area are the rare Grand Cayman parrot, the anole lizard, with its cobalt-blue throat pouch, and the even rarer endangered blue iguana. There are six rest stations with visitor information along the trail.
There is a visitor center with changing exhibitions, and a canteen for food and refreshments. The trail is located within the botanic park adjacent to the woodland trail and includes a heritage garden with a re-creation of a traditional Cayman home, garden, and farm; a floral garden with 1 1/2 acres of flowering plants; and a 2-acre lake with three islands, which is home to many native birds.
Pedro St. James National Historic Site
Savannah, Grand Cayman
345/947-3329
This restored great house dates from 1780 when only 400 people lived on the island. It survived the island hurricanes, but was destroyed by fire in 1970. It has been authentically restored as the centerpiece of a new heritage park with a visitor center and an audio-visual theater with a laser light show.
Over the years the property was called a castle and then a fortress, and legends sprang up as to its history. Actually, there never was a Spanish-built castle, nor any proof that pirates ever came ashore at Pedro, much less built a fortress here. These were 20th century fabrications combining local folktales and the stories created by an American-born adventurer turned entrepreneur, Tom Hubbell, who owned the site from 1954 until his death in 1977. In the 1960’s, Hubbell renovated the long-abandoned stone ruins, originally planning a small guest house and bar. He chiseled the date “1631” into the top of the building’s entrance, added jagged crenellations along the top level and promoted it as a fortress once inhabited by Captain Morgan and other pirates.
Pedro St. James Grounds
The grounds have been landscaped as a magnificent natural tropical park with native trees and plants, as well as traditional medicinal and vegetable gardens representative of a small early 19th century West Indian plantation. The Visitors’ Center includes five-buildings in 19th century architectural style surrounding a landscaped courtyard. The main attraction is the 49-seat state of the art multimedia theater featuring a 20-minute video presentation on Pedro St. James and highlights of 200 years of Cayman history. Other facilities include a resource center, gift shop, and café. Interpretative displays and signs throughout the great house and grounds allow self-guided tours but guides are also available.
Grand Cayman’s Q. E. II Botanic Park
Visitors Center, Heritage Garden and Floral Garden
345 947-9462
Located on Frank Sound Road in the district of North Side about a 45-minute drive from George Town
Daily at 9 – 5: 30. Visitors are advised to enter the park by 4: 30 p.m.
Admission charged. free for children under six.
Visitors Center
Designed as a contemporary interpretation of Colonial Caribbean and Caymanian architecture, the reception center has wooden shuttered windows, wide verandah and brick courtyard with waterfall/fountain. The Center is painted in Caribbean colors of green and pale coral and features a central area offering park information as well as an area for permanent and changing exhibits.
The second floor has a classroom for lectures and meetings. Other facilities include a gift shop stocked with gardening, horticulture and tropical flora-themed books and souvenirs; a snack bar/café set in a garden courtyard and a retail plant shop plants can only be sold to residents.
Heritage Garden
Nearby, the two-acre Heritage Garden recreates a Caymanian way of life known generations ago, long before this country came to enjoy the highest standard of living in the Caribbean. This attraction’s main feature is the restored early 20th-century Rankin home, a traditional tiny three-room zinc-roofed Caymanian wooden cottage The restoration features a porch, cook room with caboose, cistern, natural well, native coral stone fences and pathways lined with conch shells. Some of the original fixtures remain inside.
Planning the Heritage Garden involved years of research on existing old gardens in the Cayman Islands. National Trust and Botanic Park staff first had to identified and located traditional plants and researched information about their planting style, providing the design for the surrounding two acres. The Heritage Garden adds an important historic and educational feature to the Botanic Park, demonstrating how early Caymanian settlers lived under austere conditions, depending heavily on their land for survival. In addition the Garden will serve as a valuable propagation source of traditional plants and trees which are rapidly disappearing as new ornamental varieties are imported.
Floral Garden
The Floral Garden is the Botanic Park’s most ambitious project, a horticultural triumph on this very selectively fertile limestone island. Visitors stroll through a multicolored mosaic of hundreds of species of tropical and sub tropical plants spread over approximately 2.5 acres. Flowering plants and shrubs, succulents and cacti are arranged by color in nine distinct displays.
The centerpiece of the Floral Garden is an ornate white wooden gazebo atop a rise, overlooking ponds filled with water lilies and the nearby two-acre lake, a prime habitat for a variety of resident and migratory bird life. And a perfect wedding location! Visitors can relax in the shade of the gazebo and enjoy a view of a waterfall cascading off an elevated freshwater pond filled with water lilies. The pavilion also offers an excellent view of the lake.
Lake Becomes New Natural Attraction
Another important attraction is the two-acre lake located near the southern end of the Botanic Park, just beyond the Floral Garden. Completed in August 1996, the area was originally part of the adjacent swamp. Decades of accumulated muck was removed from the site leaving a two-acre brackish water lake approximately 3.5 feet deep. The area has three small islands with native vegetation in the center which provide an important habitat and breeding area for native birds that live near large bodies of water. The Lake has already become an active site for birdwatchers, attracting a fascinating range of bird life. Among species sighted have been Tricolored Herons, Common Moorhen, Green Herons, Black-necked Stilts, American Coots, Blue-winged Teal, Cattle Egrets and rare West Indian Whistling Ducks. On the southern edge of the lake, visitors see native wetland vegetation mingled with Caribbean plants.
Beaches
Seven Mile Beach. Grand Cayman’s west coast is where you’ll find the famous Seven Mile Beach and its expanses of powdery white sand. The beach is litter-free and sans peddlers, so you can relax in an unspoiled, hassle-free atmosphere. This is Grand Cayman’s busiest vacation center. You’ll also find headquarters for the island’s aquatic activities here.
Smith’s Cove. Off South Church Street and south of the Grand Old House, this is a popular local bathing spot on weekends.
East End. The best windsurfing is just off these beaches at Colliers, by Morritt’s Tortuga Club.
Cayman Kai, Rum Point, And Water Cay. These isolated and unspoiled beaches are the favored hideaways for residents and visitors “in the know.”
Fishing
If you enjoy action fishing, Cayman waters have plenty to offer. Some 25 boats are available for charter, offering fishing options that include deep-sea, reef, bone, tarpon, light-tackle, and fly-fishing. Grand Cayman charter operators to contact are
Bayside Watersports 345/949-3200,
Burton’s Tourist Information & Activity Services 345/949-6598
Captain Crosby’s Watersports 345/945-4049
Island Girl 345/947-3029
Golf
Grand Cayman-Britannia. This golf course, designed by Jack Nicklaus, is really three in one: a nine-hole, par-70 regulation course, an 18-hole, par-57 executive course, and a Cayman course played with a Cayman ball that goes about half the distance of a regulation ball. Greens fees run $40-$90, and golf carts are mandatory. Next to the Hyatt Regency, 345/949-8020.
Links At Safe Haven. Windier, and therefore more challenging, Cayman’s first 18-hole championship golf course is set amid a virtual botanical garden of indigenous trees, plants, and flowering shrubs. The par-71, 6,605-yard course also has an aqua driving range the distance markers and balls float, a clubhouse, pro shop, and restaurant. Greens fees run to $60. Golf carts are mandatory. 345/949-5988.
Scuba Diving and Snorkeling
Pristine water, breathtaking coral formations, and plentiful and exotic marine life mark the Great Wall : a world-renowned dive site. Many top-notch dive operations offer a variety of services, instruction, and equipment. A must-see for adventurous souls is Stingray City, noted as the best 12-ft dive in the world. Trinity Caves and Orange Canyon are typical Grand Cayman dives. They are not too strenuous, are easily accessible, and are full of marine life.
The best shore-entry snorkeling spots are south of George Town, at Eden Rock and Parrot’s Landing; north of town, at the reef just off the West Bay Cemetery on Grand Cayman’s west coast; and in the reef-protected shallows of the island’s north and south coasts.
Divers are required to be certified and possess a “C” card. Otherwise they can take a full certification course. Among the dive operators are:
Aquanauts 45/945-1990 or 800/357-2212
Bob Soto’s 345/949-2022 or 800/262-7686
Don Foster’s 345/945-5132 or 800/833-4837
Eden Rock 345/949-7243
Parrot’s Landing 345/949-7884 or 800/448-0428
Red Sail Sports 345/945-5965 or 800/255-6425
Sunset Divers 345/949-7111 or 800/854-4767
Turtle Reef Divers 345/949-1700
SNUBA and not Scuba
This cross between scuba diving and snorkeling is a wonderful experience for children and adults alike. Because you are tied to an inflatable raft that holds your oxygen tank you can enjoy the same experiences as scuba diving. Any person can do this because no certification is required. For the best experience, don’t forget to bring some food along to feed the fish. Anything from squid to breakfast cereal will do.
Atlantis Submarine
Why not, it should! Which child doesn’t want to get up close and personal to hundreds of rainbow colored tropical fish without having to step foot in water. If lucky, one may get to see a reef shark, a hawksbill turtle, a moray eel or a pair of spotted eagle rays. Who knows what one may see swimming next to them! What better way for a child to really enjoy the Cayman Islands than this underwater experience of a lifetime.
Take a Glass-Bottom boat to Stingray City
This is definitely a must-see for children and families visiting these islands. World famous for its stingrays, children are able to hold and feed these puppy-like creatures with safety all while in waist height water a half-mile from shore-line. This is the only place in the world where you can do this.
Cardinal D’s Park is for the children
Another popular attraction is Cardinal D’s Park, which is located five minutes from George Town and Seven Mile Beach. This park is home to over sixty species of exotic birds, Cayman parrots, blue iguanas, agoutis, whistling ducks, emus, miniature ponies, and too many other local animals. Children can enjoy the many sites of the local animals that are found in these islands as well as interacting with some of these animals.
Pedro St. James
This is a must for any child that is visiting these islands. This natural landmark features a visitor center and a 24-minute video reviewing 200 years of local history, complete with live special effects. Children can relive the memories of early settlers of this castle.
Pure family entertainment – Bowling on Grand Cayman
The newly constructed Stingray Bowling Center offers a fun-filled atmosphere with pure enjoyment for children as well as adults alike. Children are sure to enjoy themselves with Cayman’s newest sport. This 10-lane center boasts user-firendly Qubica Automatic Scoring, a computerized scoring system that takes the guesswork out of score keeping. Children are sure to enjoy glow bowling to the latest dance music, bowling birthday parties and learn-to-bowl sessions. Call 345-945-4444.
Take a cruise back in time with The Jolly Roger
This experience is sure to bring the child out of everyone. Be a part of the action and take a ride aboard this authentic replica of a 17th century Spanish galleon fully equipped with cannons that fire, walking the plank, and sword fighting. Remember to bring your swim gear.
Local Traditions
The National Museum is a local one-of-a-kind experience for any child. Tons of pictures, underwater relief maps, old coins, stuffed birds and short films put the Cayman Islands into a unique perspective. top
Turtle Farm
The Cayman Islands Turtle Farm is home to more that 14,000 Green Sea Turtles, also known as “Las Tortugas” or “Buffalo of the Sea”. Which child wouldn’t want to hold a tiny little green turtle or to pet a 400 pound hawksbill turtle? Both unique and educational, the Turtle Farm offers visitors the opportunity to leisurely view the working of an actual operating farm. From the tiniest hatchlings to the massive adults swimming in the one-million gallon breeding pond, the Farm is a constant hive of activity.
Besides the Green Sea Turtle, the Farm is also home to Loggerhead, Hawksbill and Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtles. When Christopher Columbus first discovered the islands in 1503, he named them “Las Tortugas”, meaning The Turtles. Apparently, there were so many turtles the islands looked like they were covered with rocks! The Cayman Islands Turtle Farm boasts one of the island’s largest and most unique gift stores. Educational children’s gifts, books, jewelry, novelties and amazing pictures are all here. Conservation
If you wish to assist with the Farm’s conservation goals, you can sponsor the release of a Yearling green Sea Turtle. You will receive a special certificate in recognition of your contribution. Turtles are usually released once a year around the end of October.
Day and Night Camps
O2b Childz
O2B CHILDZ FUN ZONE is the first air conditioned, indoor children’s play area in the Cayman Islands. The FUN ZONE is 1,600 square feet full of play equipment, a toddler area, ride-on games, a large party room and small cafe. O2B CHILDZ provides a safe and stimulating environment where children feel free to enjoy themselves. Children of all ages are welcome but there are some height restrictions on the play equipment. Children under the age of 12 are guaranteed to find tons of fun things to do at O2B CHILDZ! Call 345-946-5439.
O2b Childz Fun Zone and Silver Thatch Excursions come together to present fun and educational summer programmes for your children to experience. Camp highlights include:
Red Sail Sports
Offers a full array of watersport activities for children and adults. With the introduction of the SASY program Supplied Air Snorkeling for Youth, children as young as 6 years old can now join diving partent on an ocean scuba adventure.
Smyles Play Time Paradise
It’s play time in Cayman! At Smyles children enjoy the largest play area in Cayman in a colorful, positive environment. Whether it’s climbing, walking sliding or just handing out, there is never a shortage of things for your children to do! Work your body, rest your mind. Smyles provides fun in a safe environment. Bring your children for hours of family fitness and fun. World Gym and Smyles exclusively offer the only play center where children can have an adventure while parents work out in the world-famous World Gym. Smyles offers the latest in children entertainment with games and fun stations by some of the world’s leading children play area designers. Call 345-946-5800.
Mini Golf
Miniature Golf Course is an 18-hole course with a unique Jungle style theme including Elephants and Giraffes concrete not real and a waterfall, stream and pond that is challenging for children and adults alike! Miniature Golf Course is located in the Seven Mile Beach near the Hyatt Regency on West Bay Road and is open every day of the week.
Planet Arcadia
Cayman’s all-inclusive video game arena features the latest video games, sports, martial arts, car, truck, boat and bike racing! At Planet Arcadia you’ll also find: Science Fiction Games,Simulator Games,Pool Tables,Air Hockey , Pinball,Basketball Hoop Shot … A snack counter is also provided offering a wide variety of cotton candy, hotdogs, frozen drinks, sodas, juices and popcorn. Planet Arcadia is located in Grand Harbour, Red Bay. top
Horseback Riding
Nicki’s Beach Rides
There are tons of activities for children and parents alike in these islands. How does a 1 1/2-hour leisure family horseback ride along one of the many white-sand beaches sound? This is an experience that is sure to last a child a lifetime. If this sounds good then Nicki’s beach rides is the thing for you. As one rider put it, “I learned a lot about the history of the islands; how the pirates buried gold here, and how the early settlers were a mixture of folks from Scotland, England, Wales and West Africa.” We all know children like horses. What better way for a child to enjoy these islands than riding one of the many friendly horses. These rides are educational as well as enjoyable. Call 345-945-5834. Honey Suckle Trail Rides
Horses can be enjoyed by experienced or non-experienced riders. You can enjoy riding one of the unspoiled beaches of Cayman on a horse. Guided, personal attention is given to children on these rides across scenic trails with extremely gentle horses. All horses are trained in the United States. You can enjoy a sunset ride or have a full-day of fun riding in the sun! Call 345-947-7976 or 916-3363. Pampered Ponies Ltd.
Featuring first-class professionally trained big and beautiful horses! Walk, trot and canter the beaches and beach trails of Grand Cayman. Offering private rides, early-mornings, sunsets, and evenings under the moonlight. Pick-up at your accommodation is available! Please call 345-945-2262 or 916-2540.
Cayman Brac’s Caves
It’s well worth the trip to Cayman Brac if you want to see amazing caves on a tour of the island’s many Heritage Attraction sites. Some of Brac Cave highlights include:
Peter’s Cave offers a spectacular view overlooking the South Side bluffs. The Great Cave is an amazing formation of stalagmites and stalactites near the old Lighthouse out by the bluffs. The Bat’s Cave, which is a well-lit, large cave where you may see some small bats “hanging out” in plain view.
Over the past 200 years the residents of Cayman Brac have sought shelter in these caves through some rare but severe storms that have crossed the islands. The caves also serve as home to a unique group of plant and animal inhabitants including small bats that feed on the insects.
Stingray City
One of the largest tourist attractions in the world, Stingray City is in 12 feet of water and mainly, but not exclusively, visited by scuba divers. The site was first noticed about ten years ago, when North Sound fishermen came to the calmer, shallower waters just over the reef to clean their fish. Soon they noticed stingrays, scavengers by nature, hanging around the boats inhaling any leftovers they could get their suckers on. Next, some particularly brave divemasters got in the water to hand-feed them, and before long the stingrays had become tame, almost pet-like. Today, you can swim under, over, and along with the rays. Their favourite food is squid, which you can feed them by hand. At Stingray sandbar, which is only waist deep, you can use a mask and snorkel and watch the rays swarm around you, brushing their velvety bellies against your hands and feet. This is the rays’ way of begging for food. The rays have no teeth, but use a powerful sucking motion to draw in their food. Some nearly six-feet in diameter. Their only means of defense is a barbed tail.
February
Cayfest: Caymanian Cultural Extravaganza
Little Cayman Annual Mardi Gras Festival
March
Crazy for Cayman CayFest
Sunrise Golf Center Hosts Golf Classic
April
During April’s colorful Batabano Carnival, revelers dress up as dancing flowers and swimming stingrays.
June
At the Cayman Islands International Fishing tournament in June, huge cash prizes are awarded, including one for a quarter of a million dollars that’s given to the angler who breaks the existing blue marlin record.
June 16 – Queen’s Birthday bash in June features a British parade spiced with island-style panache,
July
Celebrity Golf
August
Lobster Season Opens
September
Total Submersion Dive Festival
October
Miss Cayman competition
The end of October sees the carnival-like atmosphere of Pirates Week which lasts 10 days and includes a mock invasion of Hog Sty Bay by a mock Blackbeard and company. Visitors and locals dress up like pirates and wenches; music, fireworks, and a variety of competitions take place island-wide.
November
Pirate’s Week Wrap-Up
Souvenir Christmas Stamps
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