ONE HUNDRED metres under the sea, I glided among angel fish, stingray and turtles as I dived the Caribbean’s coral reef.
But I didn’t have to worry about getting wet or running out of air during my 50mins under water. This was diving Cayman style, in a glass-sided submarine called Atlantis.
Atlantis is one example of how, in the Cayman Islands, nothing is quite what it seems.
Grand Cayman’s main stretch of sand, called Seven Mile Beach, actually measures five-and-a-half miles long; Cayman is the only place in the world where you can swim with, feed and even hold huge stingrays the size of dustbin lids without fear of getting attacked; and drive a US car on the British side of the road.
On Little Cayman, iguanas have the right of way – the airport’s runway is a dirt track and passengers await their call to board propping up the bar next door, known locally as the departure lounge.
The Caymanians even create their own diving attractions. A popular dive is the wreck of a Russian ship which was deliberately sunk to create an artificial reef. And you can bet your bottom dollar that everyone you meet is a relative of the Tibbetts, Foster or Scott family, some of the first people to settle on the islands.
Grand Cayman, the islands’ hub, has a population of 31,000 who enjoy a good standard of tax-free living combined with beautiful beaches and some of the best snorkelling, swimming and diving in the whole of the Caribbean. For food, visitors are spoiled for choice, from fast-food outlets such as Burger King and Pizza Hut to top-level restaurants serving the catch of the day. Conch chowder, conch fritters and turtle are all specialities.
On Cayman Brac, the 1,200 residents, called Brackers, can spot an unfamiliar face a mile off. Refreshingly, they treat newcomers with a smile, not suspicion.
In the absence of serious crime or earth-shattering stories, the TV station grabs at every opportunity to cover what’s going on around Cayman. One day, the lead news story was that stray dogs were loose on Grand Cayman’s airport runway and when my flight home via Nassau was delayed because of Hurricane Floyd, Cayman TV was at the airport within minutes to film holidaymakers being sent back to their hotels to spend another night in paradise. Little Cayman is the quietest island, inhabited by 100 people, two dogs and lots of iguanas. I arrived by boat which pulled up right outside my hotel, the Little Cayman Beach Resort.
Having never spent time with divers before, I had always thought they were all 6ft tall and tanned, but was pleased to find myself having a drink with people of all ages, shapes and sizes whose main purpose at the Beach Resort was to spend time under the water. I was green with envy at hearing about their adventures, and resolved to return to the Cayman Islands with a Professional Association of Diver Instructors certificate to hand.
Things to do
n Do a learn-to-dive course.
n Visit Stingray City to swim with the stingrays.
n Dive or snorkel to Captain Keith Tibbetts’ ship, a Russian wreck off Cayman Brac.
n Visit Pedro St James, one the oldest homes in Grand Cayman, now an historical exhibition centre.
n Visit the QE11 Botanical Gardens, home to thousands of tropical plants.
n Visit Grand Cayman’s Turtle Farm.
n Relax with a Stingray beer – brewed in Grand Cayman with no preservatives.
n Do a cycle ride around Little Cayman.
n Try the Cayman Islands’ home-produced rum.
Cayman islands
Location:480 miles south of Miami, 150 miles south of Cuba, and 180 miles northwest of Jamaica.
Status:British colony, made up of three inhabited islands: Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman.
Time:GMT-5hrs.
Currency: Cayman Islands dollar (CI$), which is equal to US$1.25. US dollars are also accepted.
Visa: not required for UK citizens.
Climate: 30C-32C during July and August. March and April are the driest months, October the wettest.
Getting there: British Airways flies from Gatwick to Grand Cayman, via Nassau, twice weekly. Cayman Airways, American Airlines and Northwest Airlines fly fromMiami; other carriers fly from Cuba or Jamaica.
Hotels: I stayed at the Marriott Beach Resort onGrand Cayman and the Little Cayman Beach Resort on Little Cayman.
Diving:this is what attracts most people to Cayman. A one-day resort course costs £54-£67; PADI open-water certificate costs £220-£260.
Eating out: lunch costs £4-£7 per person; three-course dinner with wine costs £24-£50 per person.
Operators: include Hayes and Jarvis, Harlequin Worldwide Travel, British Airways Holidays, Virgin Holidays, Tradewinds and Premier Holidays.