Cayman Brac is the best island for hikes and a little climbing on your sightseeing journey. With a bluff that rises to 140 ft/43 m at East End, you can climb the natural steps up to Peter's Cave and then continue on to the lighthouse—the highest point in the Cayman Islands.
Sightseeing on Little Cayman is best done on a bicycle or in a Jeep. Make sure to stop at the Booby Pond Nature Reserve, and take the unmarked side roads, which usually lead to great deserted beaches.
On Grand Cayman, it's probably best to invest in a full- or half-day tour of the island that takes you to all the main attractions—Hell, the Turtle Farm, Seven Mile Beach, downtown shopping, the National Museum, Pedro Castle, East End's blowholes and Wreck of the Ten Sails Historical Park, and the Queen Elizabeth II Botanical Park in North Side. Of course, you can always do it yourself with a good map and a rental car. Do visit the world-famous Stingray City for a half- or full day and plan to see the sights below water on one or two dives. Try a sunset cruise, too, preferably on the Jolly Roger, where you can enjoy a fabulous sunset on a pirate ship, complete with pirates and complimentary drinks. For a bird's-eye view of Grand Cayman, try a helicopter tour.
Note: Gambling is illegal in the Cayman Islands, so there are no casinos. In keeping with this law, cruise ships must also close their casinos while in Cayman waters.
Recreation
Recreation opportunities include scuba diving, windsurfing, snorkeling, fishing, caving, bird-watching and nature-trail hikes. There are also some watersports activities such as kayaking through the mangroves in the North Sound and Jet Skiing off Seven Mile Beach. There are no golf courses on Cayman Brac or Little Cayman, but golfing is a huge must on Grand Cayman.
Although Seven Mile Beach is probably the main attraction on Grand Cayman, smaller beaches, such as Smith Cove in South Sound, Spotts Beach in Spotts and Cemetery Beach in West Bay, offer a little more peace and quiet. Snorkeling at Smith Cove is particularly good. You should also take your snorkel and fins out to Hamburger Reef off the waterfront—its name is an indication of the various colors and formations you'll see.
Horseback riding on secluded beaches has become a popular activity on Grand Cayman, as well as parasailing for some spectacular panoramic views of Seven Mile Beach. Tennis courts can be used on many properties with a nominal fee for nonguests. Though there is no official marina in the Cayman Islands, a yacht club is located on West Bay Road.
Shopping
You'll find a small variety of Caribbean crafts and products, including crochet work, paintings and sketches of Caribbean scenes, thatch work, pepper sauces, Caymanite (the islands' own semiprecious stone), jewelry, sculpture and wood carvings. Most of the items are not made in Cayman, except for the Caymanite jewelry and sculptures. Antiques and treasure-coin jewelry attract an enthusiastic clientele, though these items can be expensive.
You may see items made from black coral and sea-turtle products, but we urge you not to buy them: Both the coral and the turtles are endangered, and each sale encourages more of these rare species to be harvested. (The gathering of black coral is done in the waters of other countries—it's prohibited in the Caymans.) The importation of turtle products is illegal in most countries.
Shopping Hours: Monday-Friday 8:30 am-5 pm, Saturday 8:30 am-12:30 pm. Most George Town businesses lock up tight after noon on Saturday, unless there is a cruise ship in port. Some shops stay open until 9 pm on weeknights. All businesses are closed on Sunday (with the exception of cruise ships days), except gas stations, restaurants and dive shops.
Day By Day
To get a look at more than one island, we recommend the eight-day itinerary below. Veteran divers—or those wishing to avoid the busy atmosphere of Grand Cayman—may want to go straight to Little Cayman or Cayman Brac.
Day 1—Arrive on Grand Cayman.
Day 2—Do whatever appeals to you on Seven Mile Beach—parasailing, waterskiing, snorkeling, diving, kayaking, windsurfing or simply sunbathing.
Day 3—Rent a car and spend the day driving around the island to see some of the sights. First, head west to Hell and the Turtle Farm. Then, drive up to North Side and around the exclusive Cayman Kai neighborhood, where luxury beach houses sit side-by-side. Have lunch at the Kaibo and relax on the beach or rent a Jet Ski or kayak. Stop by the Pirate Caves in Bodden Town and see the natural blowholes. Watch the sunset from your hotel balcony. Have dinner at a restaurant of your choice. Many are within walking distance.
Day 4—Rise early, shop in George Town and visit the museum. Walk through the Hero's Park in the town center, which is surrounded by the Cayman Islands Legislative Assembly and Courthouse buildings. Take an exciting Atlantis Submarine tour of Grand Cayman's underwater scenery or the more intimate Bubble Sub run by Cayman Submariners. Have lunch on the Breezes' balcony overlooking the harbor or on Paradise's patio with its view of visiting cruise ships.
Days 5-7—Fly to Little Cayman or Cayman Brac. Spend a day and a night on each island.
Day 8—Depart the Cayman Islands.
If time permits, add a few more days on the sister islands.
