George Town is the capital of the Cayman Islands, a British Overseas Territory, and is located on the largest island, Grand Cayman. Cayman Brac and Little Cayman complete the archipelago and all three islands adopt similar regulations as in the United Kingdom, but at a much more relaxed pace. Well maybe not in George Town—when there are 5 cruise ships in port, it gets crowded!
Within walking distance from the cruise terminal one can find many historical buildings and places of interest such as the Elmslie United Church. The current building was erected in 1920 by Captain Rayal Bodden, but the Presbyterian Church dates back to the mid 1800s. There is the library and the post office, which were also built by Captain Bodden in 1939.
Other points of interest are the remnants of Fort George, one of the oldest structures in the Cayman Islands and the Clock Tower, which was build in 1937 in memory of Queen Elizabeth II’s grandfather King George V.
Seeing these landmarks doesn’t take very long so venture out and take the time to get in a little cultural and historical sightseeing.
If you love shopping, George Town is a shopaholic’s paradise with duty-free shopping, high-end stores, jewelry and souvenirs stores galore lining the streets of the small cruise port.
For us it was unthinkable to go to Grand Cayman and not plunge into those crystal-clear waters and do a little scuba diving or at the very least snorkeling.
We opted to go snorkeling on the famous Kittiwake Wreck since our cruise ship didn’t offer scuba diving. We knew we were missing out since we had visited the island 6 months earlier to dive Grand Cayman’s East End. The reefs were full of life and colorful and with a visibility of more than a 100 feet!
Tip: We didn’t know but there was a diving operator right next to the cruise port with an easily accessible reef. We could have easily organized our own scuba diving excursion just a short walk from the tender boat docking area.
Some other possible excursions for visitors include: Snorkeling with stingrays at Stingray City or just chilling out on Seven Mile Beach, visiting the Cayman Turtle Farm or the Queen Elizabeth II Botanical Garden with it’s Blue Iguana Recovery Program, exploring the island’s rocky shore and watching blowholes shoot up to 20 feet in the air. These are just a few of the other things to do when visiting Grand Cayman.
Those thinking of renting a car to explore on their own should keep in mind that the driving is on the left side of the street and that an international or Cayman Islands specific driver’s license is required to drive a motorized vehicle in the Caymans. You can purchase this right at the rental counter for about $20.
Should you get an International Driver’s Permit?
Caribbean Ports of Call – Cayman Islands
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