Typically we do not encourage people to travel in luxury.  Only sometimes and this is one of those times.  Many of us have put off holidays due to the pandemic, but as more and more places open up and more and more of us look forward to travel, many want a beach holiday.  Many are thinking of the Caribbean.

The Cayman Islands is the perfect luxurious sunshine destination for your Caribbean vacay experience. Here, you get to enjoy the “real” crystal-clear waters and an endless flow of fantastic rum cocktails. Don’t just go to the Cayman’s islands on a Bookings.com holiday offer. Go exclusive.  Get ready to spend and get pampered with the best of everything. Go bon viveur — from stunning resorts, to meticulously prepared buffet, the lure of new escapades, and It won’t come cheap.

 The Cayman is one of the most expensive Islands in the Caribbean, but the exotic holiday experience is worth every dime spent in this heavenly luxurious beach haven.

The Cayman, as commonly referred to has three distinct Islands; the Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman.

You’ll mostly land on the biggest of the three Islands i.e. “The Grand” but let’s first see what the smaller ones have to offer then wrap it up with the best of the best.

So, here’s what to expect in the Cayman.

Cayman Brac

Breathtaking is an understatement. Charming, exotic and freshly peaceful, this little hidden gem has everything you dreamt of for an island to get away. If you love nature, organic food and rare sea creatures, this is the place to stay a little longer. The Island is only 30 minutes from the main Island – The Grand Cayman.

Cayman Brac was once a pirate’s haven nicknamed “Brethren of the Sea”. Most established pirates came here to seek refuge as well as hide their stolen treasures. 

In unison with nature, the small towns have distinct names – you’ll find charming names like “Watering place,” and “Cotton Tree Bay.” The resorts offer both luxurious and laidback accommodations close to the sites you plan to visit within the Island. Everything is compact, distances short, lots of open spaces to allow folks to walk/cycle instead of driving.

Sights & Activities in Brac

Explore the parrot reserve, the local Museum, the Heritage House, explore the limestone caves, the Captain Keith Tibbetts wreck; fishing expeditions, rock climbing or bicycling, and pirate elements like the sunken ship wreck.

Don’t miss the birdwatcher’s dream hidden in the lush forests as you come face to face with exotic parrots, beautiful falcons and elegant brown boobies perched in their natural habitat. As you hike in the crisscross trails within the Brac forest you will also encounter crawling reptiles – which you should keep off (some may be lethal) as you enjoy the beautiful floral scene around you. If you come across caves, do pop in for a brief history of the pirate’s bay.

The Cayman Islands is a perfect Caribbean getaway.

Little Cayman

Its tiny, remote, and right-of-the-books and films – a wonderland, a peaceful paradise that stretches only 10 miles long and a mile wide. This is Little Cayman. Life here is all about beach activities, deep sea diving and fishing as you indulge in all the fine things an off the grid island has to offer.

Bask on expansive quiet sandy beaches with the sound of rustling palm trees or take a ride along the shores. Explore South Hole sound lagoon for a lazy swim, or row in a boat and view the breathtaking landscape in Little Cayman. Venture off to neighboring Owen Island for more scenic views seascapes in the serene landscapes. 

If you love nature, you will enjoy humming birds at the Booby Pond Nature Reserve. Other popular places to visit include the Bloody Bay Wall Marine Park – a diving spot for watersports lovers with a drop-off height of 5500 feet! Enjoy marine life 100 feet below and get close to turtles, stingrays and sharks via a glass wall.

In the evening, dine at the only restaurant in Little Cayman – the Hungry Iguana and enjoy the Cajun cuisine and self-service bar where you grab a beer from the fridge and log it in the counter book. (Probably short-staffed)  

Best Places to Visit in Grand Cayman 

Seven Mile Beach

Seven Mile Beach takes on a crescent shape with pristine shorelines stretching out to beautifully designed resorts. It’s a favorite spot for most visiting tourists. The shoreline is public property so you can walk the entire length (6 miles) no matter the resident resort you’re staying. It’s also safe to stroll along the beach or laze all morning on stretchers without the tussle of beach vendors mostly found in the Caribbean beaches.

The Best times to venture into the Grand Cayman is mid-January and participate in the fabled Cayman Cookout. Hosted by some of the best chefs in the world like Eric Riper, Bourdain, you don’t want to miss out on this extraordinary event among other renowned chefs.

Starfish Point

Have you ever seen hordes of gorgeous colorful starfish swimming on shallow waters? It’s a sight to behold! That’s what awaits you at the Starfish point.  You get to see this stunning beach sprawling across the eastern side of Grand Cayman. Swim in the warm, clear waters on this breathtakingly beautiful beach. As you watch starfish off the shore trawling the shallows hunting for food. These fascinating starfish often like to swim alongside probing beachcombers. You can play with the five-legged creatures so long as you do not carry them off the under the water’s surface— or expose them to air. They’re quite sensitive and can suffer tissue damage if exposed within seconds.

Crystal Caves, Old Man Bay

Popularly known as the oldest natural wonder on Grand Cayman, this is a favorite spot for valiant explorers or regular beach enthusiasts looking for the perfect spot to beat the Caribbean heat. Crystal Caves are sure to satisfy. Formed thousands of years ago, Crystal caves offers spectacular views through three hollows with stunning rock formations, including calcium-based stalagmites and stalactites and the eponymous crystals that shimmer in the dim-lit caves. Legend has it that the caves still hold hidden treasures from the Cayman pirates that took refuge here moons ago. The sight of the caves is intensely beautiful, drawing droves of visitors to the site every year.

Travel tip: Wear sneakers to prevent slipping on the caves’ uneven terrain.

Red Sail Watersports, Grand Cayman

This is the Best Place to Jet Ski, taking to the waves as the perfect adrenaline pump you need for a cooling effect in the warm waters at the Red Sail.  If you’re a good driver, you’ll find it easy driving on the left side (British thing), if not, then hire a driver and an hour-two hours stops for an exhilarating jet ski experience across the Caribbean Sea. Red Sail Watersports offers speed junkies a chance to rave away splashing freely on the open seas as you skillfully glide along the reefs. Never experienced a jet-ski ride before? Don’t worry, the staff at Red Sail offer crash course ski training off Seven Mile Beach for rookies, after which, you’ll be raving in one of the wave runners in the Caribbean seas with confidence.

Kati and I are not cruisers. We like the freedom to roam, but the Cayman Islands are a popular stop for those that like to cruise.

Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park

If you think Jurassic park dinosaurs were fake, and a surreal fantasy, think again. Want to see real gigantic ugly dinosaurs? This is the place to be. The Queens Park is home to the endangered species, currently at about 750 of the massive over five feet long Blue Iguana – as they’re commonly referred to. Thanks to the Blue Iguana Recovery Program, a conservation effort from the local officials, the endangered species the only ones in the entire world —on Grand Cayman—the contemporary dinosaurs like to bask in the sun at the Botanic Park. To have a glance at these gigantic creatures, take a stroll along the park’s trail on the backdrop of some of the loveliest rugged landscapes on the island.

The Cayman Islands National Gallery 

Numerous artists worldwide visit the Cayman Islands to gawk and draw the spectacular landscapes fuelling countless creative pilgrims tot eh region every year. In fact, it’s now a tradition for aspiring artists to produce picturesque paintings with inspiration from the stunning natural beauty of Cayman. Most of these paintings are displayed at the magnificent Cayman Islands National Gallery of the Cayman Islands. Within the huge art collection, you’ll find exquisite display of the Islands stories preserved in ceramic and on canvas offering priceless awareness into the unique lands, and the people’s culture. The gallery receives about 2 million visitors annually just to witness brilliant works from Shane Aquart among other notables.

The Observation Tower at Camana Bay

Thinking of the perfect spot to watch the sunset besides the typical terrace ocean-view? The Camana Bay Observation tower offers the perfect spot to catch a romantic sunset from a perfect vantage point.

The Observation Tower room’s Top Deck is over 75-feet overlooking George Town, at the Shops at Camana Bay. From here you can gawk at the golden views of the sea and the city with remarkable architecture. The tower’s double-helix staircase, adorned with a magnificent mosaic of countless more delicate Venetian glass tiles, has a calming feel to it, making the strides up the tower well worth your while. If you’re not quite the artistic dreamer and prefer to skip the arduous stair case climb, take the elevator ride right to the top. If you’re early, the better, since you’ll have a firsthand experience of watching the magnificent sunset from start to finish. Make sure you take enough videos of this extraordinary moment to share on Insta!

Kimpton Seafire

Don’t think about the expenses here (maybe if you’re traveling on a budget) but this is a chic resort. Not one of the best in the region but here’s why you should consider Kimpton Seafire as the ideal place for your Cayman holidays:

Just a decade old, the Seafire offers the real Caribbean experience right from the ambience to the gleaming polished lime stones. The Décor, cutlery, the overall ambience is strictly a distinct Caymanian flavor, with drift wood, sisal ropes, sea shells, and locally-produced artwork. The rooms offer a natural Island lifestyle resort on the coveted Seven Mile Beach backdrop, including three excellent restaurants with a Caribbean bar setting. Try it. Get a room with a sunset view. You’ll love it!

The Seafire is a spectacular hotel on the beach with a great spa. Enjoy. Relax. And luxuriate.

Our Final Word

To sum up Cayman Islands, we’ll leave you with the best of the best – a spoiler alert for what you should start with when visiting this heavenly place. Smith Cove in George Town, you can have a dive here without a care in the world about safety measures. It’s absolutely gorgeous and safe.

The dock at Red Bay has an amazing calming effect. Everything around it unifies your peace of mind. The clouds, the water, and the breeze.  Overall, if you don’t mind spending double-double for almost everything while on vacation, this is the best place to be for a smashing unforgettable vacay.

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