20 things to do in Grand Cayman – a week in the Cayman islands

With sparkling turquoise water, white sand beaches, luxurious hotels and a cosmopolitan food scene, Grand Cayman offers a sophisticated Caribbean holiday experience. The Cayman Islands have come a long way since the days when they survived on turtle farming, named Las Tortugas by Christopher Columbus who sighted the islands in 1503.

Turtles are still the symbol of this trio of islands, which make up the autonomous British overseas territory. Yet the vibe here feels more American than English, with Miami just a short flight away.

Most visitors spend their time on Grand Cayman, where I spent a week, while the smaller sister islands of Cayman Brac and Little Cayman offer a quieter and more relaxed experience. I enjoyed the boat trips and watersports, ate fantastic seafood and dipped into the culture of the Cayman Islands.

Now I can share my experience of some of the best things to do on Grand Cayman and everything I enjoyed in the Cayman Islands.

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1. George Town – Visit the Cayman Islands National Museum

Let’s start our tour of Grand Cayman at George Town, capital of the Cayman Islands and the government centre of Grand Cayman. The Cayman Islands National Museum offers a great insight into the local history and culture, and is well worth a visit when you visit George Town in Grand Cayman.

It’s easy to spot the museum building on the waterfront, with its red roof, white painted shiplap and shutters. This is one of the few remaining 19th century buildings on the island, the rest being destroyed by hurricanes and building development.

Over the years this Cayman museum building has served as a post office, courthouse, schoolhouse, library and jailhouse so is embedded in collective Cayman memory.

Check out this historic tour of George Town including the National Museum and other historical sites such as Pedro St James.

You may also enjoy: The Cayman Islands: watersports, Stingray City and the best beaches in Grand Cayman

Cayman Islands history

Inside the museum you get a little bit of everything, from the natural history of the islands, to Cayman traditions like fishing, rope making and ship building. The talking fisherman told me all about turtle fishing in the old days.

Turtles were the main source of meat in the local diet, so ships often stopped to take turtles on board as part of their fresh provisions. When Christopher Columbus sighted the Cayman Islands in 1503 he named them Las Tortugas, the Spanish for turtles, due to the large number he saw swimming in the sea.

I also learned about Cayman Airways, the national airline that has been serving the islands since 1968 and about life at home in the Cayman Islands. Until the growth of tourism daily life seemed pretty uneventful, with not much happening apart from fishing, going to church and fending off the mosquitos.

More info: Cayman Islands National Museum

Time for an ice cream at Gelato & Co?

After my visit to the National Museum, I popped along the road to Gelato & Co where they churn their own gelato, all made from fresh ingredients with no preservatives and artificial colours and flavours. Dodging the Cayman chickens outside the door I ordered a tub of gelato from the constantly changing selection of creamy and fruity tropical flavours. Mine was coconut – yum!

Check out this historic tour of George Town including the National Museum and other historical sites such as Pedro St James.

Shopping in George Town, Grand Cayman

I wandered around the waterfront area George Town which is tiny and seemed to be made up mainly of malls aimed at cruise visitors. There are lots of shops selling souvenirs, designer watches and jewellery.

But to be honest if you enjoy shopping I think you’re better to take a taxi the short distance to Camana Bay. Apart from the National Museum building, there seemed to be little left of old style Cayman houses in George Town.

2. The Fish Market in George Town

One other spot I enjoyed having a look was the Fish Market of Grand Cayman, just a short distance along the waterfront from the museum. “Fish Market” actually seems rather a grand term, as when I visited there were just a couple of stalls shaded under makeshift canopies, with the fish laid out for sale on bare wooden tables.

The stallholders at the Fish Market were friendly and happy to chat. You can buy some fish here and then take it to Cayman Cabana right next door, where they will prepare and cook it for you. I like the restaurant’s ethos of supporting local farmers and producers.

Every Thursday there’s a Farm to Table feast served under the stars at a long communal table. While I didn’t get a chance to eat at the restaurant, I did try a dish from their pop-up stall at the KAABOO Cayman festival where they were serving delicious Cayman style dishes made with local produce.

Eat at: Lobster Pot in Georgetown

A good place to eat on the edge of George Town is Lobster Pot, where I sat on the deck with a prime view of the ocean and the cruise ships sitting off shore. I felt quite smug as I relaxed with a view of the ocean, while the taxis passed on the coast road behind the restaurant, taking all the cruise passengers back to the ship!

Lobster Pot on Grand Cayman is one of the original seafood restaurants on the island and is on the upper floor of the building. Eat inside if you like air conditioning, or outside on the shaded deck which is what I always prefer – that warm air is one of the reasons I love the Caribbean!

The menu has plenty of local seafood and I tried the tasty ceviche followed by coconut crusted shrimps accompanied by a vibrant Miss Mona’s fruit punch (the non-alcoholic version of a rum punch).

If you visit: Lobster Pot Grand Cayman | 245 North Church Street, George Town

3. Seven Mile Beach – the best beach on Grand Cayman

Seven Mile Beach is probably where most visitors head after George Town and it’s also where many of the hotels and resorts on Grand Cayman are located. A glorious white sand beach that stretches for nearly seven miles, Seven Mile Beach on Grand Cayman regularly features on those lists of best beaches in the Cayman Islands and even the Caribbean.

The beach stretches northwards from George Town towards the less developed end of the beach at West Bay. There are a few good spots for snorkelling such as the reef just off Governor’s beach, the spot in front of the Governor’s residence, at Cemetery Beach and at Boggy Sand Road.

If you need transport to Seven Mile Beach, check out this beach trip from your hotel or from George Town to Seven Mile Beach.

Activities on Seven Mile Beach

If you are used to beaches in Europe where you can easily hire sunbeds, be aware that things work a little differently in the Caribbean. If you are staying in one of the many beautiful hotel properties along 7 Mile Beach, such as the Westin Grand Cayman or the Kimpton Seafire, you will have full access to the hotel’s pools, restaurants, beach bars and sunbeds.

Even if you are not staying in a hotel on the beach, you can still easily access the beach itself (as beaches on Grand Cayman are public) but you may not find much in the way of facilities such as sun loungers that you can use, even if prepared to pay.

Instead you’ll need to look for the spots of shade under the Grape Trees or perhaps use a beach equipment rental service like Adventura Cayman. There’s plenty of choice for water sports on Seven Mile Beach and you can hire paddle boards, snorkel gear and dive gear from several locations such as the Red Sail Sports dive shop on the beach by Kimpton Seafire Resort, as well as organising boat trips and dive excursions.

If you need transport to Seven Mile Beach, check out this beach trip from your hotel or from George Town to Seven Mile Beach.

Restaurants near Seven Mile Beach

Coccoloba beach restaurant at Kimpton Seafire

While many of the restaurant along Seven Mile Beach are set back within the hotel grounds, there are some on the beachfront open to non-residents such as the stylish Coccoloba restaurant at the Kimpton Seafire Resort. The restaurant has a casual ambiance, open on three sides to the beach with the breeze blowing through and the ocean right in front.

It’s open through the day and into the evening, with a menu inspired by Mexican street food. I enjoyed my Daily Market Ceviche with plantain chips and plate of Fish Tacos. All washed down with a Homegrown Margarita with lemongrass, grapefruit, cucumber and lime.

Ragazzi Italian Restaurant, near Seven Mile Beach Grand Cayman

Along the West Bay Road which runs parallel to Seven Mile Beach, there are also lots of small commercial centres set back from the road with a range of shops and restaurants. I enjoyed dinner one evening at Ragazzi, a popular Italian restaurant serving excellent pizza, pasta and other Italian dishes.

4. Stingray City on Grand Cayman – swim with the stingrays

One of the most popular Grand Cayman excursions is the boat trip to snorkel and swim with stingrays on the sandbar known as Stingray City. This sandbar to the north of the island, is the place where fishermen would stop to anchor while they cleaned their catch of fish before returning to shore.

Attracted by the prospect of a free meal, stingrays would come to feed here. The area became popular for diving and snorkelling, as a place to see the stingrays. It’s now one of the most popular things to do on Grand Cayman for visitors. The activity is regulated by the Cayman Islands government.

Check out lots more things to do in Cayman including a 3-stop Stingray City Tour

There are lots of licensed boat trip providers who will take you to Stingray City. For instance, this boat trip that combines Stingray City with other snorkelling locations such as Starfish Point.

My trip to Stingray City

The trip out to the sandbar took around 30 minutes. When we arrived there were a number of different boats all anchored around the same spot. Snorkel masks are provided and we took the ladder from the back of the boat, jumping into chest deep water.

The guides used small pieces of squid to attract the stingrays. They then guided the large female stingrays towards the groups of people. A professional photographer was on board our boat to take pictures, that you can buy afterwards.

The stingrays seemed docile and curious, and as I went snorkelling around the sandbar, I could see them swimming freely around the legs of people in the water. This is definitely one of the iconic things to do in the Cayman Islands.

Staying on Grand Cayman and want to have a less crowded experience? I’d suggest choosing a time when there are less likely to be cruise ship excursions at the sandbar. Visit in the afternoon or on days when no cruise ship is in port. If you need any gear for snorkelling check out Globo Surf.

Looking for a boat tour to make the most of your time on Grand Cayman? Check out this 3-stop Stingray City tour with snorkelling

5. Take a sunset cruise on Grand Cayman

There are lots of other boat trips on offer in the Cayman Islands. We took a sunset cruise on Grand Cayman with Red Sail Sports, leaving from the beach in front of Kimpton Seafire resort. It was a beautiful evening, with the light turning golden. We left Seven Mile beach behind and headed offshore with the breeze blowing through our hair.

The catamaran had plenty of different places to sit, including the webbing area at the front where the waves rippled underneath the boat below us. Rum punch was flowing from the on board bar, as the sun set in a golden haze.

Sadly the cloud meant that we didn’t get fireworks of orange and purple. But, this sunset sail on Grand Cayman was a most enjoyable and relaxing trip out on the ocean.

Our sunset cruise as offered by Red Sail Sports, with pickups from Kimpton Seafire or Westin Hotel on Seven Mile Beach. It is one of a number of Grand Cayman excursions offered by the company.

6. Beaches in the north of Grand Cayman

Rum Point in Grand Cayman

If you continue your drive to the north of the island you’ll reach the popular beach at Rum Point. This is also included as a stop for many boat trips and cruise excursions. The water here is shallow, and there are lots of facilities. It’s also ideal for families with young children or those who want to settle in for a few hours.

There’s a large car park, busy beach bar, restaurant, shop, rest rooms and changing facilities. Free beach chairs are provided for the use of customers. Rum Point is more of a party beach, and when boat trips arrive I imagine it can get quite crowded. The atmosphere is lively and fun.

At the beach bar look out for their Mudslide cocktail, with vodka, Baileys Irish Cream and Coffee Liqueur which is seductively sweet and deceptively alcoholic! To reach Rum Point by car, it’s around 40 minutes drive from the island capital of George Town.

From Camana Bay you can also take the Cayman Ferries service to the Kaibo Beach Bar and then take the shuttle bus to Rum Point. Or visit on a tour like this one that includes a trip to Stingray City.

For a boat tour that includes snorkelling at Starfish Point, check out this 3-stop Stingray City tour with snorkelling at Starfish Point.

Starfish Point in Grand Cayman

Starfish Point is close to Rum Point and may be a better choice if you like a beach that is natural and unspoiled. It’s just a 10 minute walk from the Kaibo Beach Bar. You can also reach it on the ferry from Camana Bay or there’s a small car park.

The shallow waters here are well known for the starfish that sit on the sandy bottom and can be seen if you go swimming or snorkelling. When I visited on a Sunday afternoon, the area was busy with boat trips. It felt a bit touristy, although there are no cafe or facilities here.

I didn’t see any starfish near the beach so I think that you may need to swim and snorkel around to find them. If you find any starfish while swimming, don’t take them out of the water as they will die. Instead gently hold them under the water for a photo.

Close to Starfish Point is a bay where you can visit at night to see the Bioluminescence. This is a natural phenomena that makes the water glow in the dark.

7. Camana Bay – for shopping, dining and chilling

Looking for a tour to make the most of your time on Grand Cayman? Check out this 3-stop Stingray City tour with snorkelling

I visited Camana Bay in Grand Cayman a couple of times during my week’s visit. This purpose built development of shops, restaurants and apartments was a fun and relaxing place to hang out, especially for those who enjoy shopping.

This is where you’ll find a collection of stylish and upscale boutiques and clothes shops, including Sand Angels. Their store has one of the biggest collections of swimwear on the island. You can perfect your beach look, whatever your shape or size.

The neighbourhood is largely pedestrianised, with shady avenues lined with palm trees, leading down to the waterfront. At the Crescent overlooking the marina, jets of water made a fun play area for the children. Parents keep an eye from the terrace cafés and restaurants.

Cross the small bridge to your own miniature desert island to swing in a hammock or visit the island’s only movie theatre. In an island that fuses Caribbean and American influences, Camana Bay has a European feel. Its five small squares offer a place to relax among sculptures and water features.

Every Wednesday there’s the Local Harvest market (Aug-Nov) offering farmer’s locally grown produce for sale. Later this switches to the Farmers and Artisans market. (Nov-July).

A pedestrian bridge leads across the main highway to enable you to walk from here to Seven Mile Beach. Look out for the colourful murals in the car park that were created by AmandaLynn as part of the KAABOO Cayman festival.

8. Camana Bay – climb the observation tower

Deserving of its own mention is the observation tower at Camana Bay. This is a contemporary Caribbean version of the campanile and church towers of old Europe. It offers a perfect view point over the town.

Rising 75 feet, the slatted shutters of this square tower allow natural air conditioning from the sea breezes. The interiors are decorated by mosaics created from Venetian glass by artist Jim Hellemn.

Walking up the double helix staircase, you’ll want to pause and take in the colourful murals. Scenes of coral and fish from the sea life of the Cayman Islands.

On each floor there are viewpoints and by the time you reach the top of the tower you can see far across the waters of the marina. Then take the lift down if you want to rest your legs!

Take this tour of the West side of Grand Cayman, including a stop to swim at Seven Mile Beach and a visit to the Turtle Centre.

9. The Turtle Centre on Grand Cayman

Let’s continue north on Grand Cayman to the West Bay neighbourhood where there are few more things worth seeing. The Cayman Turtle Centre is a popular place to visit for families. You can easily spend the whole day here seeing the turtle enclosures, snorkelling in the lagoon and playing on the waterslides.

In many parts of the world turtles are endangered and the centre has an element of conservation in its activities. However, be aware that it is more like visiting a zoo where you can see turtles in a captive rather than a wild environment.

Although billed as a wildlife encounter, the centre also farms turtles for food. This will appear on the menus of some more traditional restaurants. To put this in context, in the past turtle meat was a staple of Cayman culture, with an economy supported by turtle fishing.

So the centre supplies turtle meat to meet local demand, preventing wild stocks being used and also releases some turtles back into the wild. Personally I’d prefer to do my bit for conservation by not eating turtle meat at all. Instead, look for invasive species like lionfish and green iguana that are increasingly on local menus.

Tickets at The Turtle Centre

There’s a two tier pricing structure at the Turtle Centre. One ticket allows you to access the Turtle Centre Exploration tour. Here you can see the huge sea turtles swimming in their enclosure and visit the turtle touch tanks.

Hold the smaller turtles under supervision and wade into a small pool with them. I enjoyed holding one of the small turtles to take a closer look. The area appeared well controlled around hygiene and handling the turtles.

The higher priced ticket for the Turtle Adventure Tour allows you to access a wider range of activities. For instance, the Turtle Lagoon where you can snorkel with the turtles and the Breaker’s Lagoon with water slides. The Predator Reef aquarium and Caribbean Free Flight Aviary to see some of the native bird species.

Take this tour of the West side of Grand Cayman, including a stop to swim at Seven Mile Beach and a visit to the Turtle Centre.

If you are going to pay for this level of ticket then you probably need to make it a day out to get your money’s worth and make use of all the attractions of the Turtle Centre. Personally I’d prefer to find a beach where I could snorkel with turtles in the wild.

However, I can see that the safe, controlled environment and guaranteed access to see the turtles will be attractive to many. This is especially good for families with young children.

If you Visit: Cayman Turtle Centre

10. Taste the Fish Fry at Heritage Kitchen

While on Grand Cayman I enjoyed some fabulous restaurants and diverse cuisine. The Cayman Islands easily justifies its reputation as the “Culinary Capital of the Caribbean”.

Some of my favourite memories however, were from the more local places where you can eat “Fish Fry.” Local fried fish served with sides of bakes (a fried savoury doughnut), potato salad and rice & peas.

One I’d certainly recommend was Heritage Kitchen on Grand Cayman. It’s tucked slightly off the main road on Boggy Sand Road, facing the beach at West Bay.

It opens from 12pm at lunchtime and I was there a little too early, but luckily the proprietor took pity on me. They served me a plate of delicious coconut grouper with bright red guava juice, which tastes like a sweet fruit cordial.

I was recommended a few other local places that offer Cayman style home cooking of fried fish and other dishes. Most are normally served take-away style on informal picnic benches beside the sea.

These are the places you might come on a Sunday afternoon to hang out with your friends over a few beers or rum punches. Then spend the day swimming and relaxing at the beach.

More Fish Fry in Grand Cayman

For fish fry on Grand Cayman you could also try;

Captain Herman’s Fish Fry in East End – a beach kiosk serving locally caught fresh fish to eat on the tables outside overlooking the sea.

Vivine’s Kitchen in East End – Caribbean style home-cooked dishes with table seating outside overlooking the sea – expect fried fish, barbeque meats with rice and peas and other local favourites.

Grape Tree Cafe in Bodden Town – On the public beach at Bodden Town, serving fried fish, fritters, sodas and other local favourites.

11. Dining at the Cayman Islands Yacht Club – Morgans and Bàcaro

While fish fry is the local foodie experience, you can also eat cosmopolitan and upscale in the West Bay area of Grand Cayman. The Cayman Islands Yacht Club boasts two excellent restaurants. This is the place to wander around in the daytime to admire all the yachts. Imagine yourself into the millionaire lifestyle!

I ate at Morgan’s Grand Cayman one evening, which has a wonderful waterfront position. If I went back I’d probably go for lunch, since you can eat on the terrace with a fabulous view over Governor’s Creek.

The focus here is on the seafood, with an “ocean to table” philosophy. A fresh daily catch is on the menu delivered direct by local fishermen.

Inside the restaurant is airy and open to the rafters. The outdoor terrace is also very pretty as the lanterns coloured light up at night. My “catch of the day” was beautifully grilled and presented with a lime butter sauce and fresh vegetables on the side. We finished with a tangy key lime pie.

Dining at Bacaro in Grand Cayman

Nearby and also overlooking the waterfront was Bàcaro. It’s modelled on the simple Venetian restaurants that serve cicchetti or small plates designed to accompany a glass of wine. The Cayman islands version was a somewhat less humble and more stylish version of the Italian working man’s café.

Of course the menu featured lots of delicious seafood, such as the black tagliolini with lobster, jumbo shrimp skewers and seared octopus. This was perfectly executed, high end cuisine with an excellent wine list and a range of different size plates. You can choose starter or main course size portions.

12. Stay in luxury – Westin Grand Cayman Seven Mile beach

I stayed for a couple of nights at the Westin Resort Grand Cayman. This luxurious Grand Cayman hotels faces Seven Mile Beach and makes a great base for your holiday. The hotel decor feels calm and relaxed, with pale tones, iridescent finishes and shades of blue inspired by the ocean.

It’s a luxury resort that has something to offer families, couples and groups of friends. My balcony had a delightful view over the pool area, Tortuga Beach Grill and swim up bar with views towards the beach beyond.

I loved the modern style that’s inspired by nature with soft blue accents and a lobby bar that’s curved like a local fisherman’s catboat. The airy lobby is a place to relax or meet friends. Local artwork is on display and a cooling burst of fragrance in the air when you walk in from outside.

The resort offers a busy programme of free activities such as yoga on the beach. Of course you can also just relax and swim in the pools. Or, access all the water-sports available through Red Sail Sports that has a location at the hotel.

Along the beachfront of the resort are beautifully maintained gardens and plantings with colourful tropical foliage under the casuarina trees that shade the two restaurants, upscale Beach House and more relaxed Ferdinands.

13. Luxury hotels on Grand Cayman – Kimpton Seafire Resort and Spa

I also spent several nights at the Kimpton Seafire Resort and Spa which is a truly luxurious property. It is inspired by the vibrant Caribbean sunsets, with accents of warm pink in the bedrooms and lobby.

The materials of stone, marble and woven cotton used in the design are relaxed and natural. Intriguing details are everywhere that reference the natural beauty and heritage of the Cayman Islands.

The bedroom headboards are inspired by local fauna. A ground floor library features the local silver thatch rope and faded framed photographs that hark back to the old style Cayman.

Dining is the Ave restaurant, with a sea view balcony serving Mediterranean style seafood and steaks. It incorporates the relaxed Avecita section with communal tables serving Spanish inspired tapas plates.

Although I didn’t dine in the restaurants, I very much enjoyed a relaxed sunset dinner at the Kimpton Seafire’s beachside Coccoloba restaurant. They serve small dishes inspired by Mexican street food.

The Kimpton Seafire Resort and Spa is the newest property to be built on the gorgeous Seven Mile Beach. Threre’s access to all the water sports and ocean activities you could wish for at the beachfront dive centre of Red Sail Sports.

14. The local’s beach – Smith Cove Grand Cayman

I suspect that many visitors to Grand Cayman barely get further than George Town and Seven Mile Beach. But, use your hire car to explore the other parts of the island. You will be rewarded with lots more things to see on Grand Cayman.

Driving south along the coast road from George Town you’ll find Smith Cove. This lovely beach is more of a local’s spot. Also known as Smith’s Barcadere, you can relax in the shade of the sea grape trees around the beach. Bring a picnic and stay here for a few hours.

There’s no restaurant or sun beds here but there are restrooms and showers, with a small car park across the street from the beach. The rocky outcrops around the beach curves around to enclose a swimming lagoon and the water deepens as you swim out.

It’s easiest to get to by car, so one to combine with your swim at Smith Cove. Or, visit when you are driving to see some of the other attractions in the Bodden Town neighbourhood such as Pedro St James.

There’s snorkelling around the rocks, which also form a natural diving board to jump off. This is a fun place for families and all ages, as the beach is sheltered by the rocks. There’s fine sand and shallow water as you enter.

Check out this historic tour of Grand Cayman including 8 major historical and cultural landmarks such as Pedro St James.

16. Pedro St James Grand Cayman – visit the historic Great House

An easy next stop is the heritage attraction of Pedro St James. Find it near the coast road in the Bodden Town neighbourhood, on the south side of Grand Cayman. The stone tower that forms the heart of this “Great House” was built in 1780 by an Englishman, William Eden, using the labour of enslaved people from Jamaica.

At the time that he established his house and plantation, most people lived in single storey wattle and daub buildings. This house was seen as very grand and known locally as “The Castle”.

Over the years the building was used as a courthouse, jail and government building. It’s known as the “Birthplace of democracy” on Cayman Islands. The decision was made here in 1831 to form an elected parliament for the islands.

Gradually the building fell into disrepair, until it was bought and renovated in the 1960s and 70s for operation as a restaurant and hotel. It closed in the 1980s after damage by a hurricane and fire.

A heritage visitor attraction

In the 1990s the Cayman Islands government bought and restored the historic property to make it a heritage visitor attraction, reflecting the history of the Cayman Islands. A visit to Pedro St James begins with an audio-visual presentation about the history of the house. After that you can take a guided tour of the house and wander around the grounds.

The central rooms within the stone tower are furnished in traditional Caribbean style with painted walls and dark wood antique furniture. This shows how the owners would have lived in comfort in the 18th and 19th century.

Around the stone centre, shady wooden verandahs offer views towards the sea and a chance for the cooling sea breeze to blow through the house. On the ground floor you can see the kitchen and the room that was once used as the jail.

I especially enjoyed visiting the small Watler House in the grounds, a traditional Cayman style house. It has been filled like a mini museum with information and photos about the history and culture of the Cayman Islands.

If you visit: Pedro St James

17. Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Garden

Another attraction that I really enjoyed in Grand Cayman was the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Garden. You’ll find it on the road as you drive to the north side of the island.

Entrance is through an air conditioned visitor centre. Pathways that take you on the circular woodland trail and lead to the lake and wetlands area, with several different garden areas along the way.

To be honest, I found the woodland trail unremarkable, taking you through shady scrub and trees on a flat path. However, it is a true reflection of the natural Cayman habitat.

The part of the garden I enjoyed most was the floral colour garden, where different borders and pots had been planted according to colour. They displayed exotic plants in red, pink, yellow and orange, mixed in with pergolas, palms and a gazebo overlooking the lake.

Check out this tour of the Eastern side of Grand Cayman, including a visit to see the Blue Iguanas at Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Garden

Also interesting was the heritage garden with a pretty old Cayman House containing a few small rooms. It’s furnished simply as a family would have lived a hundred years ago.

Around the cottage had been made as a sand yard, a traditional domestic garden, where the sandy ground is planted with shrubs. Shells are used as decoration, and a separate kitchen and privy located away from the house.

The garden around a house like this would have contained fruit trees, medicinal plants and useful trees like the silver thatch palm that was used to make baskets and rope.

If you visit: Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Garden

18. Discover the Cayman Blue Iguana on a special tour

Also at the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Garden I went on the Blue Iguana Safari Tour, which I highly recommend. If you visit the gardens, you can see a few of the native blue iguanas in their pens.

The tour takes you right into their enclosure for a behind the scenes look at their breeding programme. Since the fast breeding and voracious green iguana has arrived on Grand Cayman, the slower breeding native blue iguana has become endangered by its invasive cousin.

Just 30 years ago the numbers of Blue Iguana on the Cayman Islands had fallen to dangerous levels of only 20 animals. But with the captive breeding programme numbers have now risen to 1100 and animals are being introduced back into the wild.

Iguanas change colors!

Our naturalist guide Nick told us all about the breeding programme and the habits of the blue iguana. They become a more intense blue later in the day after they have eaten more vegetation. In the wild this native species would only have a 20% chance of surviving to adulthood. This is increased to 80% survival within the breeding programme.

During the tour we saw some of the larger iguanas roaming around the enclosure. We even got a chance to handle one of the more passive animals Gloria, who was unusually docile.

The blue iguanas tend to be aggressive and bite, so you definitely wouldn’t want to try this if you were lucky enough to see one in the wild! I strongly recommend that you take this fascinating special tour, which is normally held daily at 11am except Sundays and takes around 1.5 hours.

Check out this tour of the Eastern side of Grand Cayman, including a visit to see the Blue Iguanas at Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Garden

The Lighthouse – Restaurant near the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Garden

Just before the coast road turns north past the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Garden, you’ll see the Lighthouse restaurant on Bodden Town Road. It’s an Italian style restaurant built around an old lighthouse. There’s a cosy bar filled with nautical memorabilia and a light filled dining room and deck overlooking the sea.

There was an outside deck but it was a bit windy. So, I sat inside and ordered a salad and conch fritters from the extensive menu, with a mix of Italian and local dishes as well as lots of fresh fish.

19. Explore the Crystal Caves of Grand Cayman

I can also highly recommend a visit to the Crystal Caves of Grand Cayman. They are located a little further along the road from the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Garden.

The caves can be visited on a pre-booked tour. From the car park our guide Rudy drove us up a track up to the caves, where we started our tour at the small cafe and relaxation area.

This area of natural caverns was formed millions of years ago under the sea. Although known to the locals, they could only be accessed by ropes hanging down through holes in the cave ceiling.

In the 1990s the caves were developed as a tourist attraction, with stairways and new openings constructed. Lighting was installed to enable visitors to see the amazing shapes of the stalactites and stalagmites within the caves.

As we passed through the caves, Rudy pointed out the different shapes in the rock that had been seen by other visitors. A herd of tiny elephants, the snowman, the Neptune’s trident.

In one of the caves a pool of water was lit up, with a powdery bottom of fine silt. If it gets stirred up the water takes weeks to become clear again.

The caves had been used in the past as a place of shelter and a refuge from hurricanes. We were assured that the caverns had been searched thoroughly for pirate treasure, but none had been found!

In one of the caves we saw bats clustered on the ceiling, their guano a source of fertiliser for farmers in the past. This really was a fascinating tour and our guide was both amusing and knowledgeable, a fount of stories and folklore about these ancient caverns.

If you visit: Cayman Crystal Caves

20. See the Blowholes on Grand Cayman

Further along the south coast of Grand Cayman, the shoreline becomes wild and rocky in the East End part of the island. You can stop to see the blowholes where the waves crash up through holes in the rock on the shore. These spout a high jet of water every so often, especially when the wind is blowing from the south and the tide is high.

You’ll see the sign on the road where there’s a pull in area to park your car. Then walk down the wooden steps onto the rocky shore – there isn’t a sandy beach here. Depending on when you visit there might be an impressive amount of spray or just a gentle swell, so you probably won’t need to stay long.

Following this coast road will give you a feel for the more natural and local part of Grand Cayman. I didn’t manage to get any further but I’d have loved to make a driving tour around the Eastern side of the island.

If you are looking for a place to eat, I heard good things about Tukka. This restaurant and bar offers an Australian twist on Caribbean food. It’s one of the places you may find the invasive green iguana or lionfish on the menu, so that you can do your bit for conservation.

Check out this tour of the Eastern side of Grand Cayman, including a visit to the Blowholes and the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Garden

Roadside snacks in Grand Cayman

At the point of the coast road, where Frank Sound Road turns north towards the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Garden I stopped at a local market stall stall. They were selling local veg and snacks, and I bought some cakes and pastries.

I really appreciated the semi-frozen fresh juices that appeared out of the cool box. For the curious foodie I’ve found these roadside stalls in the Caribbean can often be a source of delicious home-made things to try.

21. The Flip Flop tree on Grand Cayman

The Flip Flop tree on Grand Cayman is ….. a tree with lots of old flip flops nailed to it! Not really sure why it’s become a tourist attraction, but in this instagram age, the strangest things seem like a novelty.

Apparently it started as a way of drawing attention to the amount of unwanted garbage that is left behind on Grand Cayman’s beaches. The message is “Enjoy our beaches but take your plastic and old flip flops home with you!”

You’ll find the Flip Flop tree on South Sound Road as you drive along the coast on the South West of Grand Cayman. There’s a spot where you can pull over and take your photo. There’s nothing else around there so it probably won’t take you more than 10 minutes.

22. Festivals in Cayman islands

What a fantastic time I had at KAABOO Cayman, a two day festival that was held on Grand Cayman in February 2019. The festival site was at the end of Seven Mile Beach and right next to the Kimpton Seafire Resort where I was staying. You can read my full review of KAABOO Cayman here.

The organisers of KAABOO San Diego had brought the same relaxed format of a weekend music festival by the ocean. Lots of art, food and comedy as well as some legendary music artists covering a range of genres and tastes.

I loved singing along to my generation’s rock anthems from Duran Duran, Brian Adams and Blondie. The younger crowd and Caribbean audience were appreciating artists like Salt-N-Peppa, Shaggy and Sean Paul.

I also enjoyed the artistic vibe of the festival with large scale murals on shipping containers. Artists were working on their murals which developed throughout the festival.

Local and international artists were featured in a popup art gallery. It’s curated by artistic director AmandaLynn, with help from the National Gallery of the Cayman Islands. Other art installations used plastic waste to create colourful montages. This aimed to remind us of the work done by the festival on recycling and sustainability.

Food was a big part of KAABOO Cayman, with local and international chefs appearing in the PALATE Food theatre. Thomas Tennent showed us how invasive species such as green iguana and lionfish can be used to create tasty dishes.

Many of the local Grand Cayman restaurants had food stands. It’s a fun way to dip into the food culture of the Cayman Islands.

More festivals in Grand Cayman

Other festivals worth checking out if you can time your visit with them;

Cayman Cookout Festival – held in January, this week long festival features cooking demonstrations, beach barbecues, artisan marketplaces and food events with top local chefs, hosted at the Ritz Carlton Hotel.

Batabano Carnival – in February carnival events take place all over the Cayman Islands, especially on Grand Cayman with a big weekend street parade.

Pirate Week Festival – takes place in November on all three islands, with pirate themed parades, street parties, boat races and a firework finale.

23. Cayman Islands souvenirs to take home

For those of you who’s like to bring a little piece of the Cayman Islands home as a souvenir, there are a few things to look out for.

The Tortuga Caribbean rum cake is sold everywhere, not just in Cayman Islands, but it’s a delicious rum soaked cake to try. As you’ll find on most Caribbean islands there are spicy and hot sauces on sale. Use these as a meat marinade or to spice up your dish with a Caribbean flavour.

Look out for the spicy sauce range created by local chef Thomas Tennant with options like Plantain on de side and Coco Fiyah. They are on sale direct from the Tomfoodery website or at Cayman Spirits distillery.

While in the Cayman Islands you can learn the secrets of rum and vodka making on a guided distillery tour.

At KAABOO Cayman I got chatting to Kelly Reineking. Kelly uses the fins of invasive lionfish to make iridescent pendants, cufflinks and earrings. She also makes jewellery from the skins of the invasive green iguanas. If you visit Cayman Islands, this would make an unusual souvenir that supports conservation efforts on Cayman.

The jewellery is sold through artisan markets such as those at Grand Harbour and The Strand. Check the Mermaids Touch website for times and locations. The Wednesday artisan market at Camana Bay is another good place to find locally made gifts.

And finally… Look out for the wild chickens

You may think you’ve hit some pretty sophisticated spots on Grand Cayman until you spot its wild chickens in the most incongruous of places. Chickens pecking by the roadside, chickens in the car parks, chickens outside swanky designer shops.

In other places you’d imagine that the chickens had escaped from someone’s farm! Here they are just part of the local wildlife, fending for themselves in the bush, the ultimate free range chicken!

More Caribbean articles to enjoy

Top 10 things to do in St Kitts – for cruise visitors

30 things to do in Antigua – best beaches, heritage, food and more!

Hiking, volcanoes and waterfalls in St Lucia

Shopping in St Kitts – where to shop for local crafts and souvenirs

Plan your trip to Cayman Islands

Heather flew from the UK with British Airways, which flies direct from London Heathrow to Grand Cayman via Nassau four times a week. Other flights are available via Miami and there are many direct flights from US airports.

More information on getting to Cayman Islands on the Cayman Islands Tourism website.

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Discover The Cayman Islands: watersports, Stingray City and the best beaches in Grand Cayman

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My trip was hosted* by the Cayman Islands Tourism Authority who provided the experiences, accommodation stays, and meals mentioned.

* More info on my policies page

This article is originally published at Heatheronhertravels.com

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