More than a place for the wealthy to hid money, the Caymans are gorgeous. My boyfriend (now husband) and I visited in June at the start of hurricane season, which turned out to be a perfect time. The crowds were gone, but the weather wasn’t too bad. The water was calm and clear and the sun was out enough that we could spend a chunk of the day laying on the beach until the rain clouds rolled in.
Like most visitors, we stayed along the famous Seven Mile Beach at the Westin. Since it was the beginning of the rainy off season, rates were amazing low. The hotel is located next to the Governor’s residence and across the street from the Ritz Carlton. It was my experience at this hotel that made me a Westin fan. However, there are budget accommodations closer to Rum Point if that is what you need that looked really chill.
Aside from visiting Seven Mile Beach, the highest rated attraction is likely Stingray City. I enjoyed it immensely, but if I did it again I would try time it when it isn’t overrun with tourists. That said, feeding the rays and having them touch you is really neat.
Another fun but touristy activity is visiting the main town on the island, Georgetown. This is where the cruise ships stop, so it can get crowded. If you plan to shop, this is the area to do it. I didn’t see much shopping away from here.
One thing we found difficult to find was affordable food. There were two exceptions. Across the street from the Westin is a small strip mall with a restaurant called Eats Cafe where we enjoyed breakfast each day. The other restaurant was a recommendation by some local fisherman after we visited Georgetown. They sent us to Welly’s Cool Spot, a very low key place serving Jamaican food at reasonable prices.
The entire island is drivable in three hours. Unfortunately it rained our entire drive, but that is the risk of travel during rainy season. We passed tons of crabs on the way to Rum Point. We also stopped at a place they call Hell, but it really wasn’t worth our time.
I loved the sunsets in the Caymans. This is a great place for a low key vacation.
