Find It Your Way - Cayman Islands Style!
Author: Sarah White
Renowned the world over for its spectacular diving, friendly locals and
beautiful pristine beaches, there is plenty to see both on land and water.
Whether you want to explore a sunken wreck, dance the night away, or simply
go sightseeing, Grand Cayman is the place to start.
Diving is the number one watersport in the Cayman Islands. There are many
excellent dive operators that offer you every type of professional dive
service, whether you are a beginner or a dive master, you can find what
you are looking for. There are over 200 dive sites among the three islands
that include a mixture of wall, wreck and reef dives. Your choices are endless.
Other popular watersports include snorkelling, parasailing, board sailing,
water skiing and ocean kayaking. Sportfishing is also very big in the Cayman's.
Grand Cayman, the largest and most active of the islands, attracts 95% of
the tourists. This island features over 120 dive sites, some with beach
access and some by boat. One of the largest tourist attractions in the world
is found here and that is Stingray City. You can swim alongside and feed
swarms of stingrays in just 12 feet of water. It's a snorkelling and scuba
diving adventure that will never be forgotten!
If getting wet isn't your thing, or maybe you're just looking for a really
unique experience; well that can be found aboard the Atlantis Submarines!
Atlantis submarines offer rides aboard the 48-passenger Atlantis XI, and
the Deep Explorer 1000 which takes two passengers on dives of up to 800
and 1000 feet below the ocean's surface. The Seaworld Explorer takes 35
passengers just five feet below the ocean's surface, and Cayman Submarines'
SEAmobile Submarine Tours also offers room for two passengers to explore
underwater life at depths of up to 60 feet with a 360-degree view. Nautilus
offers the 60-passenger air-conditioned Nautilus semi-submarine with a protected
glass hull that cruises five feet below the sea's surface. What a way to
explore the world that lives under the sea!
To see a miracle of nature, head over to the Cayman Turtle Farm, the only
one of its kind. The turtles are a protected species and there is no where
else that you will see an endangered species raised so successfully for
conservation. It is home to over 16 000 sea turtles that range in size from
6 ounces all the way up to 600 pounds! The farm has released close to 30
000 turtles back to their home in the wild since 1980 to help replenish
the population.
While the real beauty of Grand Cayman lies under the water, it has plenty
to offer on land. There has been an incredible amount of work and dedication
to restore landmarks and bring the true history and beauty of this island
alive. A true must see is Pedro St. James Historic Site. The birthplace
of democracy and its first national landmark, you will find a historically
accurate reconstruction of the 1780 Great House, formerly known as Pedro
Castle, it is truly a spectacular site to see. One of the most beautiful
locations in the Cayman Islands, it is a popular location for weddings and
social events, with landscaped yards resembling a tropical park and an amazing
view of the Caribbean. Among the many attractions located here, the main
one is the 49-seat state of the art multimedia theater featuring a 20-minute
video presentation on Pedro St. James and highlights 200 years of Cayman
history.
There is a destination that most people who visit the Cayman's have never
heard of that should not be missed. It is Grand Cayman's Queen Elizabeth
II Botanic Park featuring a visitor's center, Heritage Garden and Floral
Garden, a 2 acre lake and it is also a safe home to the endangered Grand
Cayman Blue Iguana. You will see a diverse landscape of native trees and
shrubs, wild orchids and epiphytes in a 65 acre park. The Park not only
preserves a segment of the Caymanian landscape, but also offers a walk through
time into the rich floral history of these islands and by demonstration
encourages conservation and horticultural values.
As you can see, there are so many sites to see here on Grand Cayman. Others
to note are a trip to the National Museum, as well as the National Trust
where you can learn all about historic buildings, bird sanctuaries, wetlands
reserves and nature trails on all three islands. And of course, no trip
to Grand Cayman would be complete without a trip to Hell! You can go there
and then come back with tales of a blackened and jagged rock formation that
gives this little district in West Bay its name. Hell's intriguing weathered
rock formation is over 1 1/2 million years old and resembles the charred
remains of a hell fire. Its own post office was opened in 1962 for tourists
who wanted to send postcards from Hell.
The Cayman's have the unique ability to make you feel at home as soon as
you arrive, with beautifully landscaped resorts, you are sure to feel close
to nature wherever you stay! If ever there was a place to live your fantasy
lifestyle, the Cayman's are it! Whether you are looking for luxury four-star
hotels and condos on Seven Mile Beach, to comfortable guest houses and casual
dive resorts, the islands are sure to meet your vacation needs. One of the
Caribbean's best selections of luxurious beachfront condominiums, apartments
and villas are also found here.
There is so much to be found on Grand Cayman that you are sure to have the
vacation of a lifetime! With unparalleled beauty, sophistication and a surprising
amount of variety, whatever you choose to do, you'll find your way - Cayman
Islands Style!
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