The Cayman Islands are located in the Caribbean Sea. Grand Cayman, Little Cayman and Cayman Brac form the archipelago. The trio of islands is considered a British Overseas Territory and adopts similar regulations as found in the United Kingdom, including driving on the left side of the street, which might require some extra vigilance when driving. If renting a car, a special permit is necessary and costs approximately $20 US.
Tip: Getting an International Driving Permit prior to departure would be useful and save you time on arrival.
The Cayman Islands are renowned for excellent year-round scuba diving conditions; the diverse sea life combined with sheer drop offs and vertical walls, numerous swim throughs, colorful reefs and the famous Kittiwake and Tibbetts wrecks and Stingray City dive spots attract many scuba divers and snorkelers alike. Numerous resorts, including specialized dive resorts, can be found around the islands.
Grand Cayman is the main island, and also the easiest to get too. The capital, George Town, is located near the international airport, which has convenient daily flights to and from Miami, which is perfect for us. A dive paradise only an hour away! Many also visit the islands by cruise ship.
Tip: For those who like shopping, the Cayman Islands are a tax-free haven.
Most of Grand Cayman’s coast is rugged except for the famous Seven Mile Beach and a few other beaches nestled in-between the rocky shores. The lack of churning sand combined with the sheer drop off to the ocean floor probably plays a role in creating ideal dive conditions with crystal clear waters. With a visibility of 100+ feet and warm sea temperatures (80°-87°F or 26°-30°C) there’s no question as to why Grand Cayman is a prime destination for scuba divers!
A few more sites to see around Grand Cayman
- Seven Mile Beach is the ideal location for beachgoers and is also the island’s longest beach, no wonder numerous beach resorts lines its shores.
- Blowholes can be seen around the rocky shores, some can even spray up to 20 feet in the air!
- The Cayman Turtle Farm, a renowned research and conservation center, is the ideal place to learn about sea turtles.
- The Queen Elizabeth II Botanical Park displays flora from around the world, although some may not be in bloom during your visit.
- The Blue Iguana Recovery Program is located inside the botanical garden, but during our visit we only saw one roaming around the park. Sadly, we saw more of these endangered iguanas dead on the side of the road! Do slow down and watch out!
This time around we didn’t have time to explore George Town but we would like to do so on our next visit to Grand Cayman.
Cayman Brac and Little Cayman are a bit trickier to get too, and require an internal flight or boat transfer. From what we’ve seen and heard, we are sure the extra effort would be worth it. The diving is supposedly phenomenal on both of these islands and if it’s anything like Grand Cayman’s East End, we believe it!
As we were waiting for our flight back home to Miami, we were already planning a return trip…
Latin America & The Caribbean – Grand Cayman Gallery
Related posts:
- Diving Grand Cayman’s Est End
- Vacationing at the Compass Point Dive Resort, Grand Cayman
- Scuba Diving Vacation in Grand Cayman