Grand Caymen

Grand Cayman Overview

Imagine the stereotypical cruise port -- one with white sand beaches, a plethora of duty free shops selling jewels and liquor, and de rigueur water activities like snorkeling and scuba -- and Grand Cayman might just be the destination the cliche is based on. In addition to the lovely Seven Mile Beach, George Town's retail center and water sports galore, Grand Cayman celebrates marine life at Stingray City and the Cayman Turtle Farm, and even offers a twist on island paradise with the town of Hell (THE place from which to send the quintessential kitschy postcard).Yet the cliche does have a negative side -- and those are the crowds.

It's not unusual to find five mega-ships docked in the harbor at the same time, which makes the tendering process slower than usual and the downtown streets jam-packed. (Building a cruise pier at which ships could berth is oft discussed, but it's never gone beyond the "pre-planning" stage.) The constant influx of cruise passengers keeps the waterfront restaurants bustling, so lunch in port is never a cheap affair. A stroll along the beach quickly turns into an obstacle course of sunbathing tourists, sandy children and watersports vendors.

Visitors have two choices -- embrace the crowds and touristy places with a laidback island mindset or escape them. Secluded beaches, like Cayman Kai or Rum Point, are a cab ride away, and even Seven Mile Beach has its less crowded spots. A mall at Governors Square offers designer clothes, housewares and even a healthy cafe for a refreshing change from pareos, shell necklaces and over-priced seafood. And the seemingly endless stretches of sea never feel too congested when you're swimming peacefully through coral formations.

And like any Caribbean island worth its salt and sand, Grand Cayman has weathered a few hurricanes -- most recently Hurricane Paloma in November 2008. With a solid infrastructure in place, the island survived the storm -- with the exception of a blown off roof or two (the Courtyard Marriott, for instance, lost its top) -- and easily bounced back to its jaunty self. After all, if Grand Cayman didn't offer its 1.7 million cruise visitors the beaches, shops, restaurants and attractions they've come to expect, the cliche wouldn't hold. And where would Grand Cayman be then?

Turtle Farm

Seven Mile Beach


Swimming with the stingrays.