I don’t know about you all, but I used to cut the Caribbean short. Thinking that I could just visit on a couple of cruises and be done. However, since visiting Cuba and St. Croix in the USVI, I’ve realized that there is a lot to explore. And my prior mindset wasn’t doing me any favors. The Cayman Islands are no exception. In fact, there are so many things to do in Grand Cayman, that a cruise stop just doesn’t do it justice. So we’re going to talk about EVERYTHING. From the popular Stingray City to the lesser known bioluminescent bay.
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Disclaimer
It may seem like I am dogging on cruises in this post, but I’m not. I know that there are a lot of people out there that love cruises. I also know that there are major benefits to cruises. Things like covering a lot of ground in a short amount of time and having onsite daycare and activities all are things that make cruises great. Cruises are also a great way to travel while still having most of the comforts of home, and are easy ways for first time travelers to get out there. I get it, I do.
However, my personal opinion is that cruises keep you from really seeing or experiencing a lot. Due to limited amounts of time and highly controlled days, you may miss the little things that make a place special. The choice is always for you, as a traveler, to decide what is best for you.
Logistics
Insert eye roll here… I know! But I would be remiss telling you all the things to do in Grand Cayman without talking about island logistics. The Cayman Islands are a British territory, so you drive on the left and the steering wheel is on the right side of the car. However, when renting a car, you can still get a vehicle with the steering wheel on the left side of the car. As you drive, just remember, “left shoulder to left shoulder.” Luckily Grand Cayman is very flat and easy to drive. If I can do it anyone can do it.
The other thing you, as a non-cruise passenger need to know, is the cruise schedule. Some days as many as 4 cruise ships and 11,000 to 12,000 additional people will be on the island! Madness right? So plan your most touristy activities accordingly, and on the days where there are a lot of people, head over to the other side of the island.
Budget
As an accountant I always try to talk about the cost of visiting a place so you can figure out if it is in your travel budget. The Cayman Islands are definitely a pricey place, especially compared to some other places in the Caribbean. Even with no taxes, the fixed exchange rate of 1.2 Caymanian Dollars to USD leaves a hole if your budget. These islands are full of luxury brands and the average price per person per day can range from $500 – $1,000. Ouch! Airbnbs, grocery shopping, and fixing some of your own meals definitely helps, but heads up this is going to be on the more expensive side.
Visiting the Cayman Islands can really add up! Be sure to figure out your budget before you go.
Things to do in Grand Cayman
Stingray City Sandbar
No blog post to the Cayman Islands is complete without mentioning first and foremost, the famous Stingray City Sandbar. It is the thing most everyone does, even cruise passengers, but you know what? It’s still pretty cool. The stingrays are wild but habituated as they have been fed for decades. The reason they are there is because there was a bad mosquito problem on the island, which caused fishermen to start to dump their leftovers at sea prior to bringing their catch in. The stingrays obviously enjoyed the free food, and stayed.
We went at sunset with Redsail Sports, in order to avoid the cruise passengers. The price is about $110 per person, plus anything that you may spend on drinks at the bar on the ride back. The stingrays really are like cats. They rub themselves on your legs as they swim through, and feeding them is literally like feeding a vacuum cleaner. Once they smell squid on you, they will REALLY start swimming all over you so just be prepared. They are friendly, it’s just a little freaky. LOL
Travel Tip: If I had the chance to do Stingray City again, I would do the sunrise tour. It may suck to get up early on vacation, but from what I heard it’s the most spectacular time of day because you get to see the stingrays all come at once when they hear the boats. So it’s worth it!
Diving and Snorkeling
We are divers, and definitely wanted to get some diving in while we were visiting the Cayman Islands. There is some world class diving offered on all 3 of the islands. What makes it so special is that the waters were crystal clear and visibility was typically 50 – 60 feet. Even if you’re not a diver, and have always wanted to learn, it’s a great place to get your certification. Just know that you need at least 4 days to get certified.
And if you’re not a diver, of course the snorkeling is great also. Since the Cayman Islands are reef islands, you get great snorkeling off any and every beach (though I still think you should give diving a shot!).
Starfish Point and Rum Point
One of my favorite days was when we visited Starfish Point and Rum Point. Even though it didn’t quite meet expectations, I really expected there to be orange starfish just everywhere! It was a very relaxing beach and the starfish really were huge and bright orange. Then you can visit Rum Point, where the mudslide is supposed to have been invented. Invented or not, I had a couple and they were truly delicious! I mean is there really anything better than sipping a tropical drink under a picturesque umbrella?
Fair warning, these areas are a bit of a drive from where you are likely staying. However, it’s very beautiful and the houses are something to behold as they are huge. Also, don’t take the starfish out of the water! You can hold them under the water, but if you lift them out you are killing them, and you will be fined $300 for doing so.
Beaches
So I don’t really think that I have to tell you that one of the best things to do in Grand Cayman is just relax by the beach… right? There are so many good beaches that you can just drive around and take your pick. All beaches on the Cayman Islands are public beaches, even ones with hotels on them. I guess because all the beaches belong to His Royal Majesty? Anyway, this interactive map may help you narrow down which ones you want to visit depending on who you are traveling with.
If I could recommend one beach, it would be Spotts Beach. Spotts Beach was this amazing, uncrowded, local beach. The waves can be a bit rough, so I wouldn’t recommend going in unless you’re a good swimmer. However, this is the beach that has your best chances of seeing sea turtles. We apparently just missed them when we visited, but you win some you lose some. Regardless there was pretty coral and schools of bright yellow fish.
Everything Else
Okay I’m going to try and wrap this up as the post is getting rather long, and no one likes to read anymore. Ha! As you can see there are really so many things to do in Grand Cayman that you really need several days. A couple of other things we did was visit the spa while the men played some golf. There are tons of luxury hotels, they all have spas, but we went to the Kimpton Seafire Resort. It was great to build in a day of self care.
Some other things to do, that we missed, are…
- Visiting the bioluminescent bay – we originally had a tour with Cayman Six Senses, but their boat was having mechanical issues. I am obsessed with bio bays. I think they are the coolest things in the world, and was eager to compare this one to the one in St. Croix, USVI. As the bio bay in Cayman allows motorized water vehicles and swimming. Alas, next time. The tour is $75 per person.
- The Blowholes – I really wanted to see these and just couldn’t seem to get the time!
- Other Islands – The Cayman Islands are made up of 3 islands, Grand Cayman, Little Cayman, and Cayman Brac. You can book little puddle jumping, 20 minute flight, day trips to go see them. Or you can spend one (or several) nights on them. I heard from basically every local that the marine life is even better on the other islands.
- Apparently there are also crystal caves and a submarine adventure! I didn’t even get to research those things!
Eat All The Food
Okay last thing. Also one I don’t really have to tell you, is to eat all the food! The Cayman Islands are very interesting as they are this eclectic mix of locals and expats. It makes the food very fusion-y with lots of European influences with Caribbean zing. There wasn’t a single restaurant that we ate at that I didn’t think the food was good. There is everything from Italian food to typical seafood, so just try it all! Below is my google map that I made and used for the trip with all the places to try.
Travel Tip: Lots of the restaurants are very popular, you will need to make reservations. Especially restaurants like Luca or The Lobster Pot.
Well that’s it! As if it’s not enough. There are so many things to do in Grand Cayman, and the Cayman Islands in general, that you really need more than a day. You probably need at least a week! And, if you want even more detail, don’t forget to follow me on Instagram @TheGlobetrottingAccountant to get more of all the things!
Did this blog post inspire you to plan an extended trip to the Cayman Islands? Anything that I missed? Let me know in the comments!
