BEST OF THE CAYMAN ISLANDS

by Madelyn Miller

Grand Cayman Island is one of the best island vacations. On this 22-mile-long island, shaped like a whale, you will find beautiful beaches, great scuba diving and snorkeling, wonderful restaurants and even some serious shopping opportunities. While Cayman is known for water sports, the cuisine of Cayman was a delightful discovery. Here are a few of my favorite things to do and see.

FUNNIEST THING TO DO ON THE ISLAND

Coconuts Comedy Club provides non-stop laughs. The only thing that is not continuous is their location. You'll find them on different parts of the island on different nights, so be sure to call ahead for reservations and location. The Big Kahuna, the "Island's Greatest Lover" (not sure how he got this title) according to his self-promotion piece is the host and emcee for this stand-up comedy venue.

945-0558

BEST UNDERWATER VIEWING FOR A COUCH POTATO

Try the Nautilus Undersea Tours and you can said underwater to the shipwrecks Cali and Balboa without even getting wet. You get to explore Cheeseburger Reef and its abundant marine life from the air-conditioned undersea cabin. I loved the diver they send down to hand-feed bait to guarantee great photo opportunities of the fish. The one-hour tour had a lively guide and was worth the $37 fee. Nautilus also offers a tour which combines the "indoor" underwater tour with snorkeling.

345-945-1355

BEST WAY TO GET IN TOUCH WITH HISTORY

Rooted deep in the culture of the Cayman Islands, the Sea Turtle represented a way of life and livelihood that today has almost disappeared. Now protected, you can experience the sea turtle at the Cayman Turtle Farm. It is fascinating to see the endangered species so successfully raised for conservation. And you can even pet and feed them in special tanks. Kids of all ages love this place. The gift shop is especially good. I could not imagine ordering the turtle sandwich offered in the restaurant after touring the place.

Open 7 days a week from 8:30am to 5pm.
North West Point Road, West Bay
345-949-3893
ctfl@candw.ky

BEST "DON'T MISS" ATTRACTION

If you only do one thing besides lay on the beach, I'd suggest Stringray City. It is incredible how tame and friendly the string rays are and since the water is only about 3 feet deep, you don't even need to be able to swim to enjoy petting these darling creatures. I went on a tour organized by Bob Soto's Diving and our guide Randy, certainly had a way with stingrays. He showed us how to hold them and feed them and even warned us how to avoid getting a "hickey" from an overly affectionate stingray.

800-bob-soto
345-949-2871
345-945-4576
bobsotos@candw.ky

MOST COLORFUL PLACE ON CAYMAND ISLAND

The Cayman Island's Queen Elizabeth II Botanical Park is a 65-acre property showcasing botanical displays, color gardens, nature walks and natural wetlands. Start at the Visitor's Center and Gift Shop, (one of the best places to find untouristy gift items) then enjoy the beautifully landscaped cafe. Stroll along an old-time lane bordered by stone walls on the way to the Heritage Garden and experience an authentic old Caymanian home set in a sand yard with traditional gardens. The Floral Color Garden showcases a range of horticultural plantings from throughout the tropics. Approximately 50% of Grand Cayman's native plants can be found naturally in the park.

947-9462

BEST PLACE TO FIND A CHOCOLATE FISH

Icoa Chocolates offers completely natural hand-filled chocolates. All the fillings are made from scratch using fresh local produce like Key limes, passion fruit, coconut, rum , pineapple and Caribbean spices. An exotic combination is the Cayman Key lime enclosed in milk chocolate. The tartness of the lime and the sweetness of the rich smooth milk make this their all time best seller. A close second is the Caribbean spice which has cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and Cayman honey.You might want to try the Cayman-flavored truffles filled with coconut or macadamia nuts. Or if you are a committed chocoholic, don't let the big chocolate fish get away.

127 North Church Street
345-945-1915

BEST SOUVENIR

You just can't leave Cayman Island without a rum cake. But unlike fruitcakes, you don't necessarily have to give these away, they are so scrumptious you will want one for yourself as well as all your friends.

The competition is fierce between the big three rum cake makers--Blackbeard's, Tortuga, and my personal favorite, Pirate. All of them offer tastes so you don't have to make a commitment without trying them.

HOTTEST PLACE TO BUY A GIFT

The Glassblowing Studio on the waterfront is almost like a small museum. Inspired by the vibrant colors of Cayman's diverse flora and its exotic marine life, the craftsmen are able to reflect the splendor of the island in their design. Their use of freehand techniques to gather, color and shape the glass means that no two items are exactly alike. Glassblowing demonstrations are held weekdays

BEST RESTAURANT WITH A VIEW

The Lighthouse Restaurant in the East End District was probably my favorite dining experience on the island. Maybe it was because of the pastry chef, Michael Jackson. (not the M.J. but the cookie monster) Try the hot sticky toffee pudding, a rich traditional English Pudding served on a chocolate toffee sauce. Or Choconut Mousse, a dark chocolate mousse on a mudslide soaked sponge base, rolled in roasted macadamia nuts. Or Limey Pie, a biscuit crumb crust filled with a zinggey lime filling topped with fresh cream and chocolate flakes. If this sounds like one of those places where you want to eat dessert first, you are right. But I had a fabulous Veal Chop and everyone around me raved about the lobster.

BEST ITALIAN RESTAURANT

Portofino is local Italian restaurant in the East End District that is worth a trip from almost anywhere in the Island. Be sure to order the bruschetta--toasted garlic bread topped with chopped tomatoes and basil. The menu has all the classic Italian dishes, plus local specialties like Turtle steak, conch steak and fritters, plus a Caribbean Mix of all the islands wonderful fresh shellfish.

947-2700

MOST CHARMING HISTORIC RESTAURANT

Grand Old House is a 90-year-old, former plantation house that is a legend on the Island. A favorite place with locals, it is both warm and welcoming and romantic. I will remember the seafood duet I had a lunch as one my best meals in Cayman. Served with a passion fruit sauce over macadamia-covered mahi-mahi and grilled tuna, plus plantains and vegetables, this was probably my most native meal. Legend has it that every full moon a restless spirit of a former House inhabitant drops by for dinner. I can understand. I plan to go back, too.

949-9333
South Church Street
lunch weekdays
Dinner nightly.
Closed Sundays June to November

BEST ENGLISH PUB

The Landmark is an authentic, warm and friendly British pub with remarkably good food. The pub boasts the Island's widest selection of imported draught beer. A popular local hangout, try the "Bangers and Mash" or smashed peas. Both are much better than they sound. Upstairs at the Landmark is more elegant and they will send a complimentary London Black Cab to pick you up and drop you off at the end of the evening.

345-949-2582

landmark@candw.ky

BEST DEAL ON A HOTEL ROOM

If you have never considered a time share, you might just want to rent one for a week. You'll find they cost less than half the cost of a similar hotel room.

I stayed at the Royal Reef owned by Royal Resorts on the North Shore of Cayman and really enjoyed having my own full kitchen with real dishes that looked like they came from Crate and Barrel rather than the plastic stuff you often find in hotel "kitchens." I confess to never actually cooking, but it was great to have a big refrigerator for leftovers from the delicious restaurants and then being able to microwave them whenever you were hungry. The only tip is the room does not have all the usual hotel amenities like shampoo and Kleenex. You can buy them in the onsite store but I wish someone had told me ahead to bring one of the dozens of bottles of sample shampoo I've collected at other hotels.

The resort has a great beach and two pools plus a nice restaurant that is reasonably priced.

http://www.royalreef.com
800-221-8090

Another new timeshare that rents suites is Grand Caymanian. It is near the center of Georgetown and offers lots of options for combing suites and rooms.

http://www.royalresorts.com
888-373-5959

BEST THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

Cayman Islands Department of Tourism
PO Box 67
Georgetown, Grand Cayman
British Virgin Islands
345-949-0623
800-346-3313
Fax 345-949-4053
New York 212-682-5582
Miami 305-266-2300
Chicago 847-678-6446
http://www.caymanislands.ky
http://www.divecayman.ky

Nautilus Undersea Tours
Nautilus@candw.ky

TIME: The Cayman Islands remains on Eastern Standard Time all year round.

MONEY: The US dollar equals 80 Caymian cents and can be used in all Cayman establishments.

TIPS ON TIPPING

Many hotels and restaurants automatically add a 15% service charge, so check your bill carefully before tipping.

INTERNET CONNECTION: Visitors can access the Internet by dialing 976-4638 and connecting. No log in or password is required. The rate is 12 cents a minute.

GREAT GUIDEBOOK

Lonely Planet Diving and Snorkeling Cayman Islands