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Condé Nast Traveler picks
 Best of Grand Cayman
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First came Christopher Columbus, who spied the Cayman Islands on one of his later trips to the New World. Then came the British, who wrested the isles from Spanish hands, making them a colony-—and, inadvertently, a safe haven for pirates, who hid out in their caves and coves when not plundering gold-filled galleons. Today's visitors to this top Caribbean draw hail primarily from the north (mostly from the United States, Canada, and Britain), lured in large part by the enviable beaches and by the diving off the islands' coral reefs in crystalline waters. Larger than its sisters Little Cayman and Cayman Brac, the main island of Grand Cayman measures a mere 4 miles wide and 22 miles long. Home to the capital of George Town and its lucrative offshore banking industry—more than 40,000 companies with some $500 billion in financial assets are ostensibly based here—Grand Cayman has its busy, businesslike side. But it also offers plenty of opportunities to unwind for those looking for nothing more than a little R and R.
Attractions & Activities Although Grand Cayman is small, you will need to either rent a car or depend on taxis to get around. The country's British ties mean that the driving is on the left side of the road (luckily, traffic moves at a leisurely "island" pace so you have time to get used to the switch). On arrival, the best way to get a feel for this pocket-sized isle is an aerial tour. Cayman Island Helicopters' popular 45-minute ride hits all the highlights, and its pilots provide an informative commentary as they gently swoop and dip over the terrain (345-943-4354; caymanislandshelicopters.com; $280). Grand Cayman has a number of gorgeous strands, but the most famous by far is Seven Mile Beach, on the west coast. In 2004, Hurricane Ivan actually widened the beach with sand stolen from the south end. The area is lined with upscale condos hidden in private gardens. On the Atlantic side, Rum Point has a protected beach that's nearly hidden by a string of local restaurants. Escape the crowds at South Sound Cemetery Beach, where the water is safe for swimming and the sands are pristine. Novice scuba divers can enroll in a three-hour course at many of the big hotels, and certified divers choose from a host of day and night dives. Tour operators Divetech (345-946-5658; divetech.com; two-tank dive, $95) and Sunset Divers at Sunset House (345-949-7111; sunsethouse.com; two-tank dive, $95) are both fantastic. Red Sail Grand Cayman is especially good for beginners and has locations at many of the island's top resorts (345-945-5965; redsailcayman.com; one-day resort course, $150). One of the island's most popular attraction is Stingray City, a shallow snorkeling and scuba diving site just northwest of North Sound. Stingrays originally gathered here to feast on fishermen's leftover scraps, and now visitors who dare can swim with them and feed them by hand. Plenty of operators offer half-day snorkeling trips, which usually include transportation from your hotel to the boat as well as all equipment. Stingray City Charters is one of the most established (345-949-9200; stingraycitycharters.com; three-hour trip, $40). A drier way to get below the surface is on the Atlantis XI Submarine, a glass-bottomed and -walled sub that transports passengers down 100 feet along the Cayman Wall, a renowned dive spot, into a world of barrel sponges, star corals, stingrays, and turtles. If you can spring for $395, a mini sub will take you down to 800 feet (800-887-8571; atlantisadventures.com; 90-minute trip, $80). Grand Cayman has worthy sights on land, too. Built in 1780, the Pedro St. James Castle is the Caymans' oldest stone structure, with seven acres of slightly diminished gardens. Hurricane Ivan destroyed many of the mature trees, but smaller ones are starting to return. Visitors can explore the grounds—don't miss the scenic lookout atop Great Pedro Bluff—and watch a 20-minute multimedia presentation of the building's history (345-947-3329; pedrostjames.ky). Set aside several hours to experience the Butterfly Farm, where species from around the globe flutter in all their multicolored glory. Knowledgeable guides fill you in on the habits of butterflies and their stages of metamorphosis. All visitors receive a complimentary return ticket, so you can come back and view multiple stages in the butterflies' life cycle. Lovely shaded cafés are great places to sip a cold drink and unwind (345-946-3411; thebutterflyfarm.com). Rare blue iguanas and brilliant green Cayman parrots share space in Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park's 65 acres. The Heritage Garden has a restored turn-of-the-century Caymanian farmhouse with the original furnishings as well as walls built of old coral. Next to the lake, the two-and-a-half-acre Floral Colour Garden is segmented into brilliant patches of red, orange, yellow, white, blue, and purple. In addition, volunteers give lectures on the current efforts to save the endangered Cayman blue iguana (345-947-9462; botanic-park.ky). Lodging Travelers who want to go all out book rooms at the Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman. The oversized resort commands the island's narrowest east-west point, with towers fronting North Sound. The 365 rooms and 11 suites have a classic Caribbean design, with soft yellow walls, botanical prints, and chaise longues. Some of the island's best finds are the spiffy condominiums lining Seven Mile Beach. Lacovia Condos has 55 one-, two-, and three-bedroom units available for nightly rental or for purchase. The resort fronts a 400-foot private beach and also has tennis courts, a swimming pool, and easy access to the Britannia golf course. The well-designed Casa Caribe has 25 two- and three-bedroom condos with en suite washers and dryers. The entire complex occupies over two and a half acres of prime Seven Mile Beach sand. One of the newest and coolest condo offerings is the Meridian, which opened in November 2005 with 28 spacious, fully kitted out apartments, many overlooking Seven Mile Beach. These and other high-end condo properties will pre-stock your kitchen per your requests and can arrange for private chefs for a special dinner or an entire stay. Sunshine Suites, an all-suite hotel that's on Seven Mile Beach but somewhat removed from the madding crowd, is a hidden gem. All 132 suites—from studios to three-bedroom units—have full kitchens and were recently renovated. Dining Grand Cayman's hottest restaurant is celebrated chef Eric Ripert's Blue, in the Ritz-Carlton. The eco-friendly menu (read no endangered fish) includes local lobster in a light coconut-ginger soup with avocado and mango and sautéed mahimahi with an apple, cucumber, and caper salad. The tasting menu changes monthly and may feature standouts such as tuna foie gras or pan-roasted swordfish. A more low-key option is Periwinkle, Blue's casual sibling, also at the Ritz-Carlton (Blue prix fixe, $100; Periwinkle entrées, $13-$28). On the grounds of a 1908 coconut plantation just south of George Town, the Grand Old House is the island's top special-occasion spot. Fireflies flit over the oceanside gazebos and patio, lending the atmosphere a dreamlike quality. Inside, a classical pianist sets the mood and the perfectly trained waitstaff anticipate your every whim. The European-flavored menu has Caribbean influences, including seared lobster and mango skewers with papaya mint chutney and green turtle braised in white wine sauce (S. Church St.; 345-949-9333; entrées, $27-$41). At The Wharf, on the outskirts of George Town, reserve a table in advance and request one by the oceanfront railing. The menu has a selection of well-executed island specialties, but the real reason to come is the nightly tarpon feeding (43 W. Bay Rd.; 345-949-2231; entrées, $24-$46). Slightly off the beaten path, the elegant Ristorante Pappagallo, in West Bay, has multiple dining rooms and open-air patios looking out on a lake and a 15-acre bird sanctuary. Appropriately, brightly hued tropical parrots frolic behind glass panels inside the restaurant, where diners feast on superfresh Italian seafood dishes (Villas Pappagallo, Conch Point; 345-949-1119; entrées, $16-$36). Truth in Travel is the guiding principle for all content published in Condé Nast Traveler. Other travel publications often accept free travel and accommodations. Condé Nast Traveler does not. It is independent of the travel industry. The magazine always pays its way, and, as far as possible, its correspondents travel anonymously. By doing so, they experience the world—both the good and the bad—as other travelers do, and their reports and recommendations are fair, impartial, and authoritative.
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