Luxurious and laidback, Grand Cayman makes livin’ easy. Just back from the Caribbean, HoneyTrek travel experts share the best in restaurants, hotels, and good times.

Camana Bay Pier

Photo by HoneyTrek.com

Unlike many Caribbean isles where it’s recommended to stay at an all-inclusive resort, explore with a guide, and only drink bottled water, Grand Cayman is carefree. Safe, clean, straight-forward, and exquisite, it’s the perfect getaway for those who want an easy foray into Caribbean exploration. Not to mention it’s got some of the best restaurants, scuba diving, and prettiest water in the tropics. Stay, dine, and play with our tested-and-approved Grand Cayman travel guide.

WHAT TO DO

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Kayaks, sailboats, jet skis, and more fun vessels line up along Seven Mile Beach. Photo by HoneyTrek.com

Water Sports on Seven Mile Beach

The sugary white sand and serene waters of Seven Mile Beach make it a water sport paradise. Beach shops offering stand-up paddleboards, Hobie cats, Flyboards, kayaks, and even pontoon bikes abound. We’d highly recommend these sleek bicycles with pedal-powered propellers and outrigger-style floats. They really get cookin’! If anyone has ever dreamt of being Rocketeer, try a Flyboard session for a crash course and a soft landing.

Spot Iguanas

Whether in your hotel garden, the side of road, or lush canals, iguana sightings are in your Cayman future. We saw at least 30 green iguanas with their gorgeous spots and colorful spikes. Try the Camana Bay mangroves’ aptly named “Iguana Alley” and Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park for the endemic blue iguanas.

Stingray City

For decades, fisherman have been stopping at this sandbar to clean the day’s catch…and over time, Southern Sting Rays caught on to the free buffet in the North Bay. Join a late afternoon tour or hire a boat (we loved Cayman Luxury Charters) and dive in with dozens of rays—some as wide as five feet! Swimming with “sting”-rays may sound like a dangerous prospect, but these guys are so friendly, they nuzzle up against you. Note: Each boat is allowed one small bag of squid, to not overfeed them. We chose not to feed them and still had some truly incredible encounters.

Stingray City Grand Cayman

Snorkeling through Stingray City. Photo by HoneyTrek.com

Starfish Point

For a super chill and secluded beach, come to Starfish Point. Do a little wading safari for sherbet-colored starfish, basking in the shallow waters and soft sand. Bring a snorkel, cooler, and beach chair to make it a full-day affair.

Find History at Pedro St. James

Head to the town of Savannah and the Cayman Islands’ “birthplace of democracy.” Walk around the grounds of the 18th-century stone home, where the country’s goverment was established, slavery was abolished, and the pioneering Eden family once lived. Get your tour by Stacey Eden Hurlston, the original owner’s great, great, great, great grandson!

Go to Hell

The Cayman Islands kitschiest attraction is also one of its most endearing. This area of West Bay is called Hell for its dramatic ironshore, a charred black and inferno-esque landscape. Of course, Hell needs a gift shop. So in 1987 Ivan Farrington stocked up on flame T-shirts, hot sauces, trinkets emblazoned with “Go to Hell,” opened up the Devil’s Hangout and has been dressing up in red horns every day since. When he asks you “where the hell are you from,” enjoy the puns and chat with a local legend.

Hell Grand Cayman

The town of Hell and the Devil’s Hangout. Photo by HoneyTrek.com

Scuba Dive the Wall & Wrecks

The Cayman Islands are the peaks of an underwater mountain range, which means just five minutes from shore the sea floor plummets thousands of feet. For those who want to dabble with cave diving, try Trinity Caves. The Trinity reference is for the three caves and the look of a rough-hewn cathedral, adorned with dragon whips, sea fans, and colorful fish. Wreck divers will adore the famous Kittiwake or the Doc Poulson Wreck, an old telecommunications cable layer that’s found a second life as a coral garden. We dove with Epic Divers and had a blast.

Watch the Blowholes Spout

Grand Cayman’s ironshore comes to a head on the East End, where waves rush under the eroded rock and erupt from the fissures. Watch this natural fountain show, spraying plumes of water fifty feet in the air and see how close you can sneak without getting drenched. Photo Pit Stop: On your way to the blowholes, pull over at the “Lover’s Wall” for a cute pic in front of the heart-shaped wooden sign. For more East End travel tips, check out our Road Trip video.

WHERE TO EAT

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The inviting entrance to Calypso Grill in West Bay. Photo by HoneyTrek.com

Calypso Grill

Along Morgan’s Harbour, Calypso Grill patio entices with twinkle lights, palm trees, and a cool breeze. Find a table inside and you’ll be surrounded by colorful walls and local art. Enjoy their “Calypso Style” lobster, crab cakes and Sticky Toffee Pudding (their dessert is so legendary, the adjacent street is actually named Sticky Toffee Lane).

Macabuca Tiki Bar

Part tiki bar/part scuba shop, this restaurant on the northwest point of the island is a great place for lunch and entertainment (you can watch shore divers descend into the water right from the patio). Try the roasted spiced veggie sandwich or battered lion fish on coconut bread and wash it down with a local Caybrew.

Avecita

Belly up to the new Kimpton Seafire’s exclusive ten-seat chef’s counter for an awe-inspiring culinary performance. Chef Remy—French-born and trained in Spain—crafts seven-course tasting menus that change around his creative impulses and the freshest possible ingredients, like Turbot with grilled fennel and Emmental or Lobster with beetroot and wild mushroom gazpacho. With the support of a sommelier, grill master, saucier, and pastry chef, each course shines with flavor and creativity. (Just look at that dessert?!)

Avecita Kimpton Seafire

An artful dessert adorned by the palm print of Avecita’s pastry chef. Photo by HoneyTrek.com

Morgan’s Seafood

Sail or drive up to Morgan’s Seafood in the new Cayman Islands Yacht Club. You’ll only find locally caught fish here, so try a fresh tuna sashimi, Wahoo ceviche, or your favorite catch of the day in the chic dining room or waterfront patio.

Brasserie

To all the farm-to-table foodies, don’t miss Brasserie! This savvy and delish restaurant raises their own chickens, has fishermen on staff, harvests honey, and even has veggie beds in the dining room.

WHERE TO STAY

Westin Grand Cayman Seven Mile Beach

The freshly renovated lobby of the Westin Grand Cayman Seven Mile Beach Resort. Photo by HoneyTrek.com

Westin Grand Cayman Seven Mile Beach Resort

After a multi-million dollar makeover in December 2016, The Westin is rising again as the premier address on Seven Mile Beach. The sexy new lobby, outdoor bar, and pool area were just unveiled and the suites will be finished this summer. Enjoy the largest freshwater pool on Grand Cayman and all the water sports you can imagine.

Compass Point Dive Resort

If you’re a scuba enthusiast, go all in with a stay at a dive resort along the East End reefs. Far from the crowds, but closest to some of the best diving on offer, Compass Point gives you that liveaboard access and camaraderie with the comforts of a cozy hotel.

Kimpton Sea Fire

Just voted onto Travel + Leisure’s 2017 “IT List,” this boutique lifestyle resort is the island’s hot new thing. Adult-only and at the west end of the Seven Mile Beach, this chic retreat exudes style and romance.

HoneyTrek Grand Cayman Travel Guide

Photo by HoneyTrek.com

That’s a wrap for our Grand Cayman Travel Guide. We hope you discover the good life of the Caymankind.

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