Caribbean diamond Grand Cayman is full of treasure, says Jo Cooke
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Lying to the south of Cuba and the west of Jamaica, the Cayman Islands are an unassuming little trio. Unlike their Eastern Caribbean cousins, Grand Cayman, Little Cayman and Cayman Brac stand alone with no close neighbours, surrounded on all shores by the calm Caribbean Sea.
UK operators focus on selling the archipelago’s largest island, Grand Cayman, which, despite being a mere 22 miles long and no more than four miles wide, is packed with alluring attractions. These will keep active types busy, while those seeking to chill are equally well-catered for with deserted virgin beaches, spas and tranquil botanical gardens.
In addition, the island’s weather is predictably perfect. Temperatures hover between 26 30C from January to December and there is negligible rainfall. Airlift is super-easy to organise too. British Airways serves the island year-round, flying four times weekly from Heathrow’s Terminal 5. Alternatively, you can fly clients to Miami and connect with the Cayman Airways daily flight.
The only ‘but’ in the Grand Cayman sell is the price tag. It’s noticeably higher than the average cost of a week in the region but the phrase ‘you get what you pay for’ is how to counter that. This is very much high-end Caribbean.
The island is affluent and the roads, restaurants, resorts, residences and retail outlets reflect this. A British Overseas Territory, Grand Cayman has a home-from-home feel with a vibrant burst of Caribbean flavour thrown in. It’s an ideal destination for clients who appreciate comfort, quality and familiarity as part of their West Indian experience.
Ship Ahoy!
Play: With strict environmental policies and no rivers adding silty water to the ocean, Grand Cayman boasts some of the clearest seas in the Caribbean. Dive sites and operators abound, offering wall dives with spectacular drop-offs, reef dives, caves, gullies, pinnacles and wrecks to explore. The USS Kittiwake, a sunken former submarine rescue ship, is the classic and popular half-day trip. For confident swimmers armed with a snorkel, there’s a good view of its deck and bow from the surface, while scuba fans can dive into the mess hall, crew quarters and navigation room.
Pause: For those who want to be surrounded by marine life without making too much effort to meet them, suggest a lazy, sun-kissed sail aboard a catamaran to Stingray City and Sandbar. This is a one-of-a-kind natural wonder. As you stand knee-deep in bath-warm water, toes sinking into the soft sand, stingrays appear by the dozen. They swim in circles, like silver foil rippling through the calm, turquoise shallows.
Room for You
Play: The Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman on Seven Mile Beach is the island’s all-out winner when it comes to in-resort activities. A five-court tennis centre, created by the coach behind Andre Agassi and Maria Sharapova, holds tournaments and clinics, plus there’s a Greg Norman-designed nine-hole golf course. Watersports include trikes, kayaks and sailing, while a kids’ club entertains four to 15-year-olds with photography lessons and night snorkelling.
Pause: Those seeking to live out their Desert Island Discs fantasy would do well to book into the Cotton Tree. This gated enclave of four two-bedroom, high-spec cottages set in lovingly tended tropical gardens has a chic pool for residents to share. A short meander through a grove of seagrape trees reveals the ruggedly beautiful Barker’s Beach which lies just off the tourist trail.
Beach Life
Play: For a beach with a party atmosphere, great bars and cafes, head to Rum Point (pictured above). This spit of land on the picturesque north side of the island is a great spot for snorkelling, has hammocks draped between the trees and volleyball nets for team games. Take a glass bottomed boat ride, shop in the boutique or enjoy a few mudslides, the cocktail of choice here with many of the locals.
Pause: Encourage clients to rent a car for a day, pack a picnic and set out on a hunt for a secluded cove all of their own. Drive along the coast road from the capital George Town towards East End and there are numerous bays shaded by casuarina trees to stretch out on, far from the crowds that Seven Mile Beach and Rum Point attract.
Nature Trail
Play: When Christopher Columbus discovered the Cayman Islands in the early 16th century, he named them Las Tortugas due to the droves of turtles luxuriating off shore. The wild population is a lot smaller now but conservation efforts are in full swing at the Cayman Turtle Farm to turn that around. At this interactive attraction, guests can visit the hatchery, pet one-year-old turtles or swim with adults of the species in the lagoon, as well as checking out the menagerie of parrots, peacocks, sharks and a crocodile. An on site mini waterpark with a double-loop slide adds to this lively and fun excursion.
Pause: For a more genteel way to spend a day, there’s the delightful Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park, an oasis of flora on this largely arid isle. Clients can wander along winding pathways past lily ponds and over ornamental bridges through a flourishing landscape of palms, shrubs, orchids, heliconia, ginger lilies and crotons. There’s also a chance to see the island’s indigenous blue iguana.
Travelling in Style
Play: For the ultimate thrill ride on Grand Cayman, clients need to put on their swimwear. Pampered Ponies offer horseback trekking along the mesmerisingly beautiful beaches of West Bay. The excursion is suitable for all abilities (including beginners) and the highlight is a swim in the ocean for both steed and rider.
Pause: Petrol-heads will enjoy the fleet of classic, vintage and former movie-set vehicles that are on display at the Cayman Motor Museum. Exhibits include the Batmobile used in the 1960s TV series Batman and Robin, a collection of red Ferraris, plus Corvettes, Mustangs, Thunderbirds and motorbikes.
Image credit: Cayman Islands Department of Tourism
Sign up for some Therapy
Play: Those who can’t bear to go a week without a bout of retail therapy are bound to be impressed by the delightful Camana Bay complex. Boutiques, gift shops and duty-free outlets are set around an attractive marina, and restaurants overlooking the water boast plenty of al-fresco dining venues. Suggest clients also climb the observation tower which offers views of Seven Mile Beach and George Town.
Pause: Clients after serious head-to-toe pampering sessions could pop into The Westin Grand Cayman’s Hibiscus Spa. This 13-room ‘temple of Zen’ offers a 90-minute Ginger Renewal treatment that includes an exhilarating ginger body scrub, scalp, neck and shoulder massage, and foot treatment.
Cayman Flavours
Clients heading out to Grand Cayman in the next few weeks can take advantage of two food festivals running on the island.Cayman Cookout will run from January 15-18, with a roster of world-famous chefs, wine experts and distilled beverage blenders offering tastings, demonstrations, tours and dinners.
Then on February 7, the 27th Annual Taste of Cayman Food & Wine Festival will be held at Camana Bay.
Taste of Cayman began life in the late 1980s with a small number of Cayman Island restaurateurs meeting in a field to compete in a chilli cook-off and has since grown to see over 45 restaurants and distributors participating in an open-air event that attracts thousands.
Find out more: caymanislands.co.uk
Sample Product
ITC Luxury Travel is offering seven nights’ room-only at The Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman from £2,329 departing September 15, including flights and private transfers. itcluxurytravel.co.uk
Turquoise Holidays offers seven nights’ room-only at Cotton Tree from £2,599, including British Airways flights from Heathrow and a welcome grocery pack. turquoiseholidays.co.uk
Kuoni offers seven nights’ room-only at the Grand Cayman Marriott Beach Resort from £1,549, departing August 26, including flights and transfers. To book quote CC0001.
kuoni.co.uk
