Cayman Islands - Tropical Island Travel Specialist

7-Mile Beach - Grand Cayman

Grand Cayman - The largest of the 3 Cayman islands but still only 22 miles long and 8 miles wide. We rented a car and drove around the island many times, seeing different things each day. It took a bit of getting used to driving in the left lane with the steering wheel on the right side of the car. We stayed on the NE end of the island at the Wyndham Reef Resort. We had a 1 bedroom suite on the 2nd floor with an absolutely gorgeous view. We had a gorgeous ocean view. There are a number of restaurants on site. You could eat inside or have every meal right on the beach under the Tiki Huts. There were 2 swimming pools, a hot tub and a large, wide open bar on the beach. A long white pier stretched out overlooking the reef where you could see the coral and fish through the crystal clear water. We snorkeled right there and around the pier and got to see a variety of fish, including an eel.Day 1: We went to the Queen Elizabeth II Botanical Garden and saw Blue Iguanas, known as the “Blue Dragon”, and a number of island wildlife and wild flowers. We stopped at Rum Point, located on the NW point of the island to schedule some excursions. It had a soft sandy beach and coral reefs for snorkeling and boardwalk paths that lead to all the colorful buildings where you could purchase food and tropical drinks. There were colorful picnic tables placed under the Casaurina trees (aka Whispering Pines or Weeping Willows). There were comfy lounge chairs to sit in the sun or shade and enjoy the beautiful turquoise water that surrounds the point. The long white pier stretched out far enough to reach deeper waters where you could get picked up or dropped off after a tour. It had the most perfect ambiance to spend the evening and watch the sunset.Day 2: Today was a waverunner tour through the Mangroves. Riding on the ocean at full speed, jumping 1-3 foot waves was a blast. Riding through the mangrove we were going at idle speed. The guide pointed out the various plant life, wildlife and large sand dollars on the ocean floor. One place we stopped had Starfish which we were able to pick them up and hold them. You could feel their little suction cups adhering to the skin on your hand. The next area was an opportunity to zip around on the ocean at full throttle, turn in circles, race the others and simply have some fun. After about 30 minutes, we continued on to a snorkeling location. We saw an Eagle Ray and many other types of fish.  After returning to Rum Point, we hung around  and saw a Lion Fish while snorkeling.We ended the evening at our resort, enjoying happy hour, ordered dinner and listened and danced to some lovely live music. Day 3: We started the day on a tour to “Stingray City”. A big sandbar out in the ocean. Historically, this is where fishermen used to clean the fish they caught. This create a feeding ground for the stingray. We got to hold them and feed them, it’s so cool!From there we were brought to Dolphin Cove where we got to interact directly with Dolphins. The director instructed the dolphins to perform different tricks with each of us. I was in heaven!  I would highly recommend this activity.After finishing here, we went to “Hell”. Yes, there’s a place here called Hell! This area is filled with sharp, pointy lava rock formations that, if you can imagine, look pretty Hellish. Our last stop for the day was 7-Mile Beach and named well. It was a beautiful day, calm breeze, clear skies and soft sand for as far as you could see. We spent the rest of the evening walking along the shore, checking out other posh resorts for when we come back and watched the sun as it descended below the horizon.Day 4: This was my 1st experience scuba diving. They offered a training class so we could dive the same day. What an amazing experience. We went diving in approx 20-30 feet of water. We saw an array of fish, coral and other sea creatures.Day 5: We spent today in Georgetown. We came to watch the Batabano Festival, held each year in early May. It’s a celebration for all people to gather and celebrate community spirit. They really showed off their spirit with this parade. There were guys on stilts, dancers, floats and a big truck blasting Soca music from their huge speakers. Everything in this town was so colorful!After the parade, we walked around, took some pictures and had dinner at Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville. On the way back we came upon some large crabs crossing the road. I was careful not to run them over.Day 6: We spent the day exploring the South Sound (SE part of the island). There were many scenic places where the waves crashed along the rocky shoreline. We found a huge blowhole and stopped for pictures. We discovered a most unusual tree. The "Shoetree". Find the story behind it online. We came to Smith Barcadere (cove), another beautiful white sandy beach protected by coral and limestone formations. Great for swimming and snorkeling.Day 7: If you're sad to leave, you know you've had a wonderful vacation!