1. September|October 2010
Historic
Pedro St. James
Bob Soto:
Diving to Greatness
Best Beachesof the
Cayman Islands
Best Beachesof the
Cayman Islands
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3. September|October 39
SandyShoresNot all beaches are created equal.
Here’s our guide to the softest sand, bluest water
and clearest skies in Cayman.
By Mary Nguyen
J.KevinFoltz
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4. 40 Cayman Airways www.caymanairways.com
Lucky you — you’re on your way to the Cayman
Islands, home to some of the Caribbean’s best
beaches. Frequent Caribbean travellers know that
there are a handful of things (litter or debris, pushy
vendors, huge crowds) that can disrupt a pleasant
experience on the sand. But these problems are
unheard of along the well-kept, salesman-free shores
of Cayman. From the famed shores of Seven Mile
Beach to the escapist’s hideaway of Point of Sand in
Little Cayman, and from Rum Point at the north end
of Grand Cayman to the hidden beaches of Cayman
Brac’s south-western shore, the islands are blessed
with a natural treasure trove of beaches.
The only problem? Deciding which one to head
to first.
Seven Mile Beach
Grand Cayman’s most famous beach is well
known for good reason. Even without the five-star
resorts and luxury condos that hug the gently curving
crescent-shaped coastline, the 5.5-mile-long beach
is a spectacular sight to behold. A majestic swirl of
white, powdery sand that stretches along the “ham-
mer handle” of the island’s western shore, from
its George Town capital up to the hammerhead of
West Bay, the beach is undoubtedly the country’s top
attraction.
Located a few miles away from Owen Roberts
International Airport, Seven Mile Beach is a tourist
mecca with most of the island’s hotels, restaurants,
shops and sporting activity centres concentrated in
the area. And with most of the human traffic flocking
to this strip of sand, people-watching with a piña
colada in hand is a most enjoyable activity.
More active travellers can enjoy a full range of
water sports along the length of the beach, from
horseback riding to parasailing, snorkelling and
going for a swim in the glassy greenish-blue water.
There’s no shortage of things to do on this beach;
and for those so inclined, satisfying hunger pangs is
as easy as firing up the barbie, since open grilling
is allowed.
One of the more pleasurable activities on Seven
Mile Beach doesn’t even require any equipment at
all. Entirely open to the public, as all beaches in the
Cayman Islands are (up to the high water mark),
this is one of the best beaches in the Caribbean to
walk along uninterrupted by private property mark-
ers or hostile hotel workers.
Visitors vacationing on Grand Cayman could
stay put on Seven Mile Beach and not want for any-
thing as shopping, banks and restaurants are all
located close by. Most of the shopping on West Bay
Road, which runs along the length of the beach, is
concentrated between the Westin Casuarina Resort
& Spa and the Grand Cayman Marriott Beach
Resort, and a number of strip malls along the road
also have supermarkets and bank machines.
When hunger strikes, beachgoers can head to
some of the area hotels, since their restaurants are
usually open to the public; there are also several
public beach bars. There’s no need to dress up
A majestic
swirl of white,
powdery
sand, Seven
Mile Beach is
undoubtedly
the country’s
top attraction.
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5. September|October 41
when dining out along the beach: “Caribbean cas-
ual” is as strict as most dress codes get, although
beachwear and tank tops are generally frowned
upon at the better establishments.
West Bay Road is also chock-full of restaurants
offering a mouth-watering assortment of local, ethnic
and classic American cuisine. It’s a reminder that
whilst the island nation is quite small, home to just
56,000 people, it boasts the diversity of any American
metropolis. Some 140 ethnicities call Cayman home,
and the variety is reflected in the culinary delights
from around the world available here.
Rum Point
For a glimpse into the Caribbean of years gone
by, head a half-hour’s drive north of Seven Mile
Beach to Rum Point. Located on the island’s
northernmost point, Rum Point beach has been
a popular weekend getaway for Caymanian
families and expat residents for years, with calm
and shallow waters that are ideal for younger
beachgoers to explore.
The fabled site where locals say barrels of
rum once washed ashore from a passing ship-
wrecked schooner, the beach is now a family-
friendly hangout for residents and tourists alike,
with open-air eateries and a few rustic picnic
tables scattered about for public use. Rum Point
has washroom facilities, showers, huts and ham-
mocks that are perfect for a beachside snooze,
and a long pier that makes an ideal backdrop
for photo ops.
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6. 42 Cayman Airways www.caymanairways.com
A must-do whilst at the beach is to enjoy a Mudslide
from the Wreck Bar & Grill, the original home of the fro-
zen cocktail, created by a bar hand back in the 1950s,
during the early days of the island’s tourism industry.
Fine dining is also available at the Rum Point Club
Restaurant, which has a wrap-around porch on the
water that lights up at night. The recently remodelled
restaurant also has an open-concept kitchen so diners
can watch the chefs cook up Caribbean concoctions
using seafood from the surrounding waters.
Guests coming from George Town can avoid the
commute to the Rum Point Club by taking a catama-
ran ride aboard a 65-foot watercraft that leaves two
nights a week from the Safehaven dock by Seven Mile
Beach.
Water sports enthusiasts have all their needs cov-
ered by Red Sail Sports’ Rum Point outpost, which is
open seven days a week, 365 days a year, and offers
scuba diving programs, as well as jet-skiing, kayaking
and renting a paddleboat. Red Sail also has a new
WaveRunner safari program that’s proven popular this
past summer, which takes participants on a 90-minute
snorkelling tour of the waters off of Rum Point for an
up-close look at the area’s rich aquatic life.
Local Favourites
Clean and quiet beaches abound in the Cayman
Islands, and many offer changing facilities and
restrooms. All you really need is a cooler full of ice-
cold drinks and a car to explore the bevy of beaches.
The islands’ exceptionally low crime rate is one of the
many reasons why visitors feel entirely comfortable
roaming the island on their own.
One of the best low-key beaches is the West Bay
Public Beach, which is located after the four-way stop
in West Bay. The beach has a placid but lively atmos-
phere and is a popular hangout for local families on
the weekends; it’s not unusual to see birthday par-
ties and wedding celebrations held on this picture-
perfect beach. A dock, restrooms, showers and huts/
benches are available — and though weekdays can
be a bit busy with the cruise crowd, visitors will find
it somewhat quieter on the weekends. And conven-
iently, two restaurants that are both open every day
are close enough to walk to: Alfresco Restaurant and
Tim Buc Tuu.
In South Sound, just less than two miles south
of Grand Cayman’s cruise ship terminal, is Smith’s
Cove. Located on the south-western coast of the
island, near George Town, the cove can be a bit busy
on the weekends with a mix of tourists and locals —
but it’s definitely worth a visit to see its shimmering
turquoise waters protected by the coral reef. Smith’s
Cove offers visitors restrooms, picnic benches and
showers. There’s also some spectacular snorkelling,
since the underwater marine life thrives in the shelter
of the cove.
ForsomeofthebestsnorkellinginGrandCayman,
head to West Bay’s Cemetery Beach, a spooky name
for what’s truly a stunning beach. Adjacent to the
Clean, quiet
beaches abound
in the Cayman
Islands. All you
need to explore
them is a cooler
full of ice-cold
drinks and a car.
MaryNguyen
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7. 44 Cayman Airways www.caymanairways.com
West Bay Cemetery, as its name implies, the beach
is a top spot for snorkellers despite not offering any
of the conveniences that other beaches do. You
won’t find any changing facilities, restrooms or water
sports operators at this local haunt, but Cemetery
Beach’s clear waters, quiet atmosphere and under-
water beauty are enough to make it an easy favourite
for some.
Hidden Gems
If absolute seclusion is what you’re looking for, a
trip over to the smaller Sister Islands is a must. Just
12 miles long and little more than a mile wide, diving
may have made the tiny Cayman Brac world famous
and its spectacular wildlife is certainly a draw for
many visitors, but its tranquil beaches are also a sight
to be seen.
Whilst much of the island is rugged in typography,
lengths of sandy beach like the one at Stake Bay
afford beachgoers the chance to stretch out in soli-
tude. Just a few thousand people call Cayman Brac
home, so the beaches here are as quiet as they come.
Small beaches line the south-western shoreline, and
there’s a protected beach just east of the island’s
hotels. Just don’t expect too much in the way of beach-
front amenities; the sun, surf, sea and solitude are the
highlights here.
Isolated stretches of sand are a Little Cayman
specialty. With just a few hundred inhabitants on the
smallest of the three islands, it’s entirely possible to
stumble on a beach and feel as though you’re the first
to ever set foot on it. Point of Sand on the east coast
of Little Cayman is as close to perfection as beaches
can be. Though it offers little more than a picnic table
under a thatch hut on a swath of white sand beach,
it’s well worth the visit just to see the impressive ocean
vista that the beach offers those willing to travel to
see it.
If tranquillity is synonymous with seclusion, then
the best beach in the country isn’t even located on
any of the three islands. Beachgoers looking for a true
“castaway experience” can find it on a beach that’s
just a 10-minute boat ride over from Little Cayman’s
southern shore. Just a few hundred yards off of South
Town is the tiny islet of Owen Island, where you won’t
find any roads, facilities or even people. What you will
find, however, are crystalline waters and some of the
best fishing in the area. Although it may be nothing
more than 11 acres of sand and trees, Owen Island
offers to some the ultimate luxury: an island escape
where you can really get away from it all.
DonMcDougall
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