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Cayman is a great jumping off spot for visiting other islands in the Caribbean. Cuba and Jamaica are only about a one hour flight away and Cayman's very own Sister Islands are even closer. Then there is Panama and Miami for shopping and Costa Rica to explore. Wherever you choose to go there is a lot to do in the area.
Another encouragement to helping you book a trip away is the phenomenon of "Rock Fever" which many residents begin to feel after having been on-Island for over three months. It is a feeling akin to claustrophobia or an overwhelming desire for a change of scene.
So with that in mind, we have come up with a list of places that you can visit to get away. We start with resorts on Grand Cayman where you can stay for the weekend. Then we move on to the Sister Islands, before moving further afield to Cuba, Jamaica, Costa Rica and more.
LOCAL WEEKEND DESTINATIONS
Grand Cayman
A great weekend getaway without the expense of an airfare is staying at one of the local resorts in Grand Cayman. Many offer a special rate to residents, especially in the summer months and even though you may not be flying off-Island a change of scene can be as good as a trip away. The following places are two of our favourites:
Cobalt Coast
Sea Fan Drive, West Bay
Tel: (345) 946 5656 Fax: (345) 946 5657
A charming place located right on the water in West Bay. They have a good waterfront restaurant that specialises in seafood. The resident rate is CI$135 per night per room, regardless of the time of year.
The Reef Resort
Colliers, East End
Tel: (345) 947 3100 Fax: (345) 947 9920
Located on the beach in East End. Resident rates, depending on room size, start from CI$119 per night (summer) to CI$266 (winter). The resort now features La Soleil Spa, Whitesands Watersports and a gym.
Another really nice option is to rent a cottage or villa on the beach in North Side or Cayman Kai. Cottages must be rented for a 3-5 night minimum and many come with kayaks, snorkelling equipment, BBQs and games to entertain the kids. Contact Cayman Villas on (345) 945 4144 or www.caymanvillas.com.
The Sister Islands
Cayman Brac and Little Cayman are known as The Sister Islands. Cayman Brac and Little Cayman were actually discovered a few years earlier than Grand Cayman. If it's peace and tranquillity you are after then look no further. The Sister Islands are known for their own unique identity and an experience very different from that of Grand Cayman. These are the idyllic tropical islands one dreams of escaping to when imagining the picturesque tropics. For a great website on the Sister Islands see www.itsyourstoexplore.com.
There is no ferry service operating between the Islands so you'll have to travel by air. Cayman Airways flies to Cayman Brac and Little Cayman several times daily (US$130 return) via two De Havilland Twin Otters that seat 17 people each.
Cayman Airways Express
Tel: (345) 949 2311, ext. 2
Cayman Brac
On his second voyage to the New World, Christopher Columbus sighted Cayman Brac and Little Cayman on the 10th of May 1503. He named the Islands "Las Tortugas" (The Turtles) and claimed them for Spain. Eventually they came to be known as the Cayman Islands. Cayman Brac was a prominent home for pirates, known as the "Brethren of the Sea", seeking hiding places for their stolen treasures. Of these swashbuckling pirates, the most famous one to roam the Island's shores was Edward Blackbeard Teach. Legend has it that Blackbeard's booty is still buried or hidden in the recesses of a Cayman Brac cave.
The Brac is the most easterly of the Cayman Islands. With a total land mass of 14 square miles, the Island is small enough to maintain a peaceful, tranquil atmosphere but big enough to have a plethora of hidden caves, winding trails and a unique cultural history. Cayman Brac (Gaelic for bluff) is known for its charm, friendliness, the most dramatic scenery of the three Islands and is great for couples or families. The small towns have names like West End, Watering Place, Cotton Tree Bay, Creek and Spot Bay. A haven for a multitude of bird species, Cayman Brac has a Parrot Reserve created by the National Trust of the Cayman Islands, an International Airport, boasts the oldest museum in the Cayman Islands and has the highest elevation of the three Islands at 152 feet.
Things to do/points of interest: Museum, parrot reserve, diving, fishing, rock climbing and exploring the bluff.
Where to stay:
There are a variety of places to stay, most offering special room and diving rates for residents. Shop around to see what deals are on offer, but below are some ideas.
The Alexander Hotel
West End, Cayman Brac
Tel: (345) 948 8222
Newly opened in the summer of 2009, The Alexander Hotel has 32 rooms and overlooks Salt Water Pond (an area of protected wetland which supports a wide variety of birds) and the ocean. Each room has a view of the ocean and the nightly rate is CI$125-$175 depending on the size of the room. An international restaurant on premises serves breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Brac Reef Beach Resort
South Side, Cayman Brac
Tel: (345) 948 1323
Email: brac@reefseas.com
A family-owned all-inclusive getaway located on four-and-a-half acres of beachfront. Brac Reef caters to divers and non-divers and has a special rate for residents year-round.
Carib Sands Beach Resort
Tel: (345) 948 1121
One, two, three and four-bedroom apartments costing from US$130 to US$220 per night year-round, depending on room size.
Little Cayman
Little Cayman was the site of the Cayman Islands' first settlement when turtle fishermen set up fishing camps in the 1600s. Raided by a Spanish privateer and abandoned in 1671, Little Cayman was not settled permanently until 1833 when a few families established Blossom Village. By the early 1900s, several hundred lived on Little Cayman, exporting phosphate ore, coconuts and marine rope. Little Cayman, the smallest and least developed of the three Cayman Islands, is located 80 miles northeast of Grand Cayman. A nature lover's dream, the Island consists of 10 square miles of unspoiled surroundings, including more than a dozen secluded beaches, numerous lagoons, mangrove forests, salt ponds and tropical forests strewn with orchids.
Today the Island is most commonly known in the diving community as the Mecca of the Caribbean. Bloody Bay Marine Park draws the majority of visitors to the Island. Most of the resorts have their own diving centres that cater to all your underwater needs. Increasingly, visitors also come to enjoy the privacy, quiet and timeless beauty of the Island's unspoiled natural splendour and to return to simpler times. Little Cayman also boasts a number of natural and cultural attractions. Venture to remote Point of Sand for a private swim or row out to tiny, deserted Owen Island to enjoy a view of nature in its most pristine form and truly ease the body and soul. A very popular escape for individuals and families from Grand Cayman as it is so close, very friendly and completely relaxing.
Things to do/points of interest: Diving, fishing, exploring, bicycling, beach picnics, bird watching.
Little Cayman Beach Resort
Tel: (345) 948 1033
Toll Free: 1 800 327 3835
Email: frontdesk@littlecayman.com
They feature a full-service spa, guided fishing, dive shop, pool and restaurant. Rooms range from CI$119-$213 depending on the time of year. Little Cayman Beach Resort also manages The Club at Little Cayman and Conch Club Condominiums, premium 1, 2 and 3-bedroom condominium units located beachfront. Prices start at CI$205 for a 2-bedroom condominium in low season and go up. These are an excellent option for families with children and guests of both condominium complexes enjoy all of the services and facilities of Little Cayman Beach Resort.
Paradise Villas
Tel: (345) 948 0001
www.paradisevillas.com
Email: iggy@candw.ky
12 one-bedroom self-catering villas within 50ft of the beach with large oceanfront patios from CI$125 per night. They have a fresh water pool, a dive company on-site and a restaurant next door.
Southern Cross Club
Tel: (345) 948 1099
Email: scc@candw.ky
www.southerncrossclub.com
The casually sophisticated SCC is Little Cayman's original resort, offering professional in-house diving and fishing operations. The property has an untraditional layout featuring 12 spacious ocean-view beachfront bungalows and set in the middle of this row of bungalows is the Club's main building. The clubhouse features the main dining room; a screened, open air dining pavilion; the main bar and thatched tiki bar around the freshwater pool. There is a spa on-site. Packages include three meals a day for approx. CI$200 per person per day depending on the time of year. The resort has a policy of not allowing children under the age of ten. Children over 10 are welcome provided they are dive certified.
OFF ISLAND WEEKEND DESTINATIONS
It is a good idea to check the local newspapers for holiday-weekend charters which can be excellent value, as well as contacting the travel agents in this chapter.
Havana, Cuba
Due to the US embargo in place because of their Communist government, Cuba has been closed off to much of the world for the last 51 years. As a result, the Cubans have become experts in patching up and repairing what they own. There is no better example of this than the Cuban capital of Havana, which has been preserved as a 1960s time-capsule with huge American classic cars and decaying Spanish-style architecture. Music is another big part of Cuban life; the Island is the birthplace of much of Latin music including the rumba, cha-cha and mambo (the precursor to salsa). Cubans are also famous for their art.
Take a walk around old Havana with its fascinating historic buildings, museums and churches. Tour the Partagas Cigar Factory to see how Cuba’s legendary cigars are made. Book a cabaret show at the Tropicana or take a taxi ride in an old American car to Ernest Hemingway’s house.
Prices per person for a two-night package with airfare, 4 star hotel, breakfast, transfers, health insurance and taxes cost in the region of CI$375 in low season and CI$420 in high season. Cayman Airways to Havana three days a week on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays and also often on a bank holiday Monday. The flight takes 60 minutes. Passports of foreigners are never stamped by Cuban immigration officers, instead they stamp the tourist visa that you must purchase at Cayman Airways before you fly (cost: US$20). Please also note that you will have to pay Cuban departure tax on leaving the country. The cost is CUC$25 or the equivalent is about US$30. Health insurance coverage is now mandatory for a trip to Cuba. You can either buy it once you arrive at the airport in Havana but the wait time might well be a few hours, or you can purchase it from the only authorized company to sell it in Cayman (Latin World Travel Tel: (345) 945 2846 / 917 3790). The cost is CI$3 per day and every member of your party must purchase it including infants. This insurance will cover you for any illness, accident or medical expenses incurred while in Cuba and includes transport and repatriation, liability insurance and the loss of your passport or ID.
Editor’s Note: Having a guide to take you around Havana is a great idea for many reasons, not least of which is that they will keep hagglers away from you. Walking around Havana can get exhausting if you don’t have a Cuban-looking, Spanish-speaking person with you, as you will constantly be bombarded with people asking to guide you, take you in a taxi or offer you cigars. For the last 13 years we have used Modesto Hernandez every time we or anyone else we know has gone to Cuba. He speaks brilliant English, has a great sense of humour, knows the place inside and out and is a huge addition to the trip. You can contact him directly on (53) 7 5239 8697 (hm), (53) 7 52308607 (cel) or email: modestoplaya@yahoo.com. He can arrange accommodations in a local bed and breakfast too.)
Montego Bay, Jamaica
Montego Bay is great for couples or families and offers gorgeous beaches, world-class golfing, historic homes and a rich cultural and musical heritage. Accommodation ranges from older, well-established luxury hotels, newer all-inclusive resorts and numerous small and intimate places. For reggae lovers, we recommend two music festivals, which take place every year in August – Reggae Sumfest and Reggae Sunsplash. The airfare is approximately US$329 with Cayman Airways.
Things to do/points of interest:
Rose Hall Estate, horseback riding, river rafting, golfing, Dunn's River Falls.
Hotel Suggestions:
Upscale: Ritz-Carlton and Half Moon Club. All inclusive resorts: Sandals Resort, Breezes Resort and Sunset Beach Resort.
Blue Mountains, Jamaica
These mountains are consistently covered in mist giving them their bluish colour; the highest point is 7,402ft and you can take a seven mile hike to the summit. Due to a humid and cooler environment the plant and bird life has thrived. Located on the eastern part of the island, it is home to the famous Blue Mountain Coffee, offers spectacular views and numerous hiking trails. This is a romantic destination and hosts many weddings, honeymoons and relaxing spa getaways. Many Cayman residents love the fact that in the hot summer months in Cayman, the Blue Mountains are a cool and refreshing get-away.
Strawberry Hill
Blue Mountains, Jamaica
Tel: (876) 944 8400
Located 3,100 feet above Kingston in the Blue Mountains, Strawberry Hill has 12 beautiful cottages interspersed among lush gardens.
Things to do/points of interest: Explore local trails, take a guide and walk along the river all the way down to Gordontown (do this in July and August and the path will be overhung with ripe mangos!), visit the nearby coffee plantation, have spa treatments in their Aveda spa, rest and relax.
Negril, Jamaica
With its soft white sand beaches contrasting sharply with the crystal blue ocean, and rugged beautiful cliffs, Negril is not only visually spectacular but culturally rich as well. Although serene and calm during the day, the nightlife in Negril is bustling.
Tel: (876) 944 8400
Located on the beach, The Caves is home to an Aveda Amenity Spa, fossilized caves, a rum and cigar bar and beautiful cottages to stay in.
Orlando, Florida
Although Walt Disney put Orlando on the map, it is not just Disney World that makes this city the capital of theme parks around the world. Favourite Disney theme parks include the Magic Kingdom, Epcot Centre and MGM Studios. Other fun theme parks include SeaWorld and Universal Studios, but there are dozens more places of interest within the Orlando area as well as very good shopping and excellent restaurants.
Miami, Florida
A great getaway for weekend shopping and entertainment. Miami has a huge variety of areas to stay and to visit like South Beach, Coconut Grove and Dadeland. They also have very good restaurants, nightlife, museums, shopping and things to do with kids. Cayman Airways operates direct flights daily for approx. US$400 roundtrip.
FIVE TO SEVEN DAY BREAKS
Costa Rica
This small country is a nature and adventure lovers' paradise with mountains, volcanoes, waterfalls, rainforests and rivers from coast-to-coast. We highly recommend the Tabacon Grand Spa and Thermal Resort, where you can enjoy the natural hot springs in a jungle setting and a magnificent view of Arenal Volcano, which is still active. Hardcore surfers also flock to the Pacific side for great waves.
The airfare is approximately US$700. Various flights are available with connections via Miami, although travel agents frequently offer charter package tours.
Panama
While Panama is famous for the Panama Canal, this country's natural attractions offer an irresistible allure to travellers. We recommend visiting Casco Viejo (Old City), with its Spanish colonial buildings and churches reminiscent of Old Havana, Cuba which overlook the sea. It also offers great shopping of name brand clothing, electronics and housewares at fantastic prices.
Flights are available with connections via Miami or Jamaica (approx. US$650).
Outdoor activities: bird watching, snorkelling and deep sea fishing.
Cancun, Mexico
Cancun offers all the delights of breathtaking beaches, luxury hotels, restaurants and nightclubs for a fun-filled holiday. Adventure divers can explore numerous underwater caves in nearby Ceynotes. Above water, you can explore the Mayan ruins of Tulum or shop at one of a dozen malls, packed with name brand and duty free shops at bargain prices.
Airfare to Cancun is approximately US$600. There are daily flights via Miami.
Things to do/points of interest: visit nearby Mayan ruins, jungle tours, horseback riding, cave diving, numerous water activities, Xcaret, Xel-ha, golfing, deep sea fishing, swimming with dolphins and bullfights.
Rio De Janeiro, Brazil
The world-famous Carnival in February turns the already vibrant city of Rio de Janeiro into an over the top party of street dancing, eye-popping costumes and passionate samba. However you might choose to enjoy the Carnival a little further north in Salvador in a more family-friendly environment. The city is also the jumping off point to do a trek through the Amazon jungle. Contact Marcelo Sa for a true and safe Rio-Brazilian experience on +55 (21) 22559720.
OTHER CARIBBEAN ISLANDS
Bahamas
With more than 700 islands, exploring all of the The Bahamas could take years. We recommend visiting Nassau, which exudes a special charm, lent by a blend of Old World architecture and contemporary vitality. It also offers an array of restaurants, glitzy casinos and posh hotels. Airfares are approximately US$510. British Airways operates direct flights four times a week.
British Virgin Islands
Lush green hills and sheltered waters attract sailors from around the world. The BVIs are not as crowded as other tropical islands, and so they are an excellent location for friends and families to get away from it all.
The airfare is approx. US$950 and it will take all day to get to Tortola from Cayman.
Turks and Caicos
At first glance these oddly named and misshapen islands may not be the prettiest in the Caribbean, covered as they are with cactus and thorny acacia trees. However, they are fringed with exquisite beaches and several hundred miles of coral reef that keeps the Turks and Caicos on the world's top 10 dive list. Since it is also a destination for luxury spas and exclusive villas and resorts, celebrity-spotting is a popular sport. The airfare is approximately US$550. Flights are available daily to Providenciales via Miami and from Provo you can get to Grand Turk by small prop plane.
LOCAL TRAVEL AGENCIES
Cayman 123 Travel
Tel: (345) 943 1238
Email: infocayman123travel@candw.ky
Specialise in: International travel, Cuba vacations, accommodations and cruises.
Cayman Travel Services Ltd.
Tel: (345) 949 5400
Email: info@caymantravel.ky
www.caymantravel.ky
Specialise in: corporate travel, vacation packages, cruises, tours, etc.
Cuba Vacations
Tel: (345) 949 3099
www.cubarez.com
Specialise in: Travel arrangements to Cuba, airline tickets, accommodations, transfers and tours.
International Travel
Tel: (345) 949 2923 or (345) 945 4323
Email: info@itravel.ky
Specialises in: International travel, group charters, cruises.
Latin Tours
Tel: (345) 946 1420
Email: latintours@weststartv.com
Latin World Travel
Tel: (345) 945 2846
Email: latinworld_travel@candw.ky
Travel Pros
Tel: (345) 949 8182
Email: ellen@travelproscayman.com
Specialise in: International travel, cruises and group bookings.
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