DESTINATIONS — CARIBBEAN

CAYMAN SEE FOR YOURSELF

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27 September 2012 — travelweekly.co.uk • 49

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CARIBBEAN

Pricey but pristine, the Cayman Islands are well worth a closer look, says Jo Cooke

TURKEYPAGe 67

They say it’s always the quiet ones you have to watch, and that’s certainly true of the Cayman Islands. You may not

find them featured in every brochure, but this British Overseas Territory can certainly give its West Indian neighbours a run for their money.

With Jamaica to the east and the Yucatan Peninsula to the west, the archipelago is made up of three isles. Cayman Brac, the second-largest, only nods to tourism. It caters primarily for divers, and has a striking limestone bluff at its centre, perfect for hiking and birdwatching.

Neighbouring hippy-chic Little Cayman has a sleepy, desert-island feel, friendly beach-bar nightlife and is a scuba mecca.

Grand Cayman, the largest island, is the hub of holiday activity and choice of the vast majority of visitors. Served by direct BA flights from Heathrow four times a week, it’s the gateway to the trio. With dazzling, white-sand beaches, crystal-clear turquoise waters and a slick infrastructure, Grand Cayman is certain to please the discerning client.

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DESTINATIONS — CARIBBEAN

l STAY: H IGH E ND,

ROOM- ONLY

All-inclusive resorts may be synonymous with the Caribbean, but room-only is the standard offering from operators to this tropical paradise. It’s quality rather than quantity that Grand Cayman excels at. Upmarket names such as Marriott, Westin and Ritz-Carlton back the island’s longest and most popular expanse of sand, Seven Mile Beach, the main resort area on the west coast. In between these flash properties, with their sizeable swimming pools set in exotic gardens and plethora of land and watersports, stand the handsome condominiums of those the island has hooked and who return time and again.

While budget accommodation is very thin on the ground, a popular alternative for the cash-flow conscious is self-catering at properties such as the Sunshine Suite Resort. Set in

smart, landscaped grounds on the opposite side of the coast road to Seven Mile Beach, studios come with well-equipped kitchenettes and breakfast is included.

Those who aren’t counting the pennies can find seclusion and exclusivity by the bucket load at the island’s luxury boutique properties, such as the Cotton Tree. Located on the quieter

north-western tip of the island, within gated floral gardens, this collection of four gabled cottages has high-spec kitchens, sumptuous furnishings and elegant, artistic decor. The pool is just as swish, and beyond it a copse of tropical trees leads to a wildly beautiful beach. Whether clients opt for hotel, self-catering or private cottage accommodation, on Grand

tRieD AnD testeD

Grand Cayman Marriott Beach Resort

The 295 rooms at this four-star, beachfront property are spacious,

comfortable and contemporary. Many look out on to a swanky

atrium at the hotel’s centre where lounge chairs nestle

between tropical planting and water features. Beyond it, a

curvaceous pool sits above Seven Mile Beach, as does a restaurant.

Torch-lit at night, it’s a perfect spot for watching the sunset. The property is sold by both

Caribtours and Kuoni.

the Casuarina suite at the

Westin, Grand Cayman

FAST FACT the Ritz-Carlton

hosts the annual Cayman Cookout,

with tastings, demos

and dinners, from January 17-20, 2013

the Marriott is one of several smart hotels on seven Mile Beach

Camana Bay is a

lively shopping and

entertainment venue

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DESTINATIONS — CARIBBEAN

Cayman all are geared just as much towards the family market as couples.

l SE E: RE E FS, RAYS

AND RETAI L

Glorious wall, wreck and reef dives are a big draw, with environmental initiatives ensuring you slip into some of the cleanest and clearest waters in the Caribbean. Snorkellers, too, can get a bird’s-

showcases 40 years of Caymanian art in a plush exhibition space and sculpture garden. The capital George Town boasts the intriguing Cayman Islands National Museum which charts the islands’ history, while on the south coast Pedro St James Castle, a former great house, has a fabulously theatrical audio-visual show about the island’s colonial era that will especially appeal to kids.

Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park is another highlight. The vibrant and meandering Floral Colour Garden has a mesmerising selection of exotic blooms and you can also meet some of the island’s endangered endemic blue iguana. Animal lovers are in for another treat at the Turtle Farm at West Bay, where you can touch and hold the residents. Next door is Cayman Motor Museum,

an enviable private collection of sports cars and automobile movie stars including the original Batmobile from the 1966 movie and a Daimler that used to belong to Elton John.

Shopping is another major attraction, with top-end duty-free stores in George Town, craft shops and art galleries island-wide and delightful boutiques at Camana Bay, an elegant shopping

FAST FACT Caybrew is the

local beer and the indigenous seven Fathoms rum is

matured in barrels underwater

insiDeRs’ tiPs

Helen TaBOIs,

senior product

and marketing manager, ITC

Classics:“As well as superb diving that’s well controlled – with

only one mooring per dive site to ensure a

quality experience – there’s underwater viewing by other

means including snuba, sea trek (walking on the ocean floor)

and submarine rides.”

KaTHerIne HOBBs,

product manager, Caribtours:

“Home to a successful banking

industry, the Cayman Islands are wealthier than most

Caribbean islands and as well as having a chilled-out vibe, are clean and safe. Grand Cayman

also works well as a twin-centre with Miami, Bahamas, Jamaica or Cuba if clients are looking for

greater diversity of experience within the same holiday.”

sTepH DIllnuT,

team leader for Caribbean

sales, Kuoni:“The Cayman Islands boasts a sophisticated culinary and

entertainment scene. It’s ideal for those who’ve been

to the Caribbean before and are looking for a different

destination to try.”

eye view of the ocean’s treasures. Two of the most popular sites are the USS Kittiwake, a sunken Second World War submarine rescue ship, and Stingray City Sandbar, where you can stand in luminous-blue shallows on soft sand as dozens of these elegant fish circle you.

Cultured tourists will appreciate the new National Gallery, which opened in February 2012. It

Dive with turtles and

explore coral reefs

Feed and swim with the stingrays at stingray City,

Grand Caymanthe wild banana

orchid is the

national flower

of the Caymans

54 • travelweekly.co.uk — 27 September 2012

DESTINATIONS — CARIBBEAN

and entertainment village with restaurants, bars and a cinema edging a lagoon.  

l SE LL: LEARN WITH

NEW WE B SE RVIC E S

Finding out more about the Caymans just got easier: a new UK website, Caymanislands.co.uk, provides details on everything from accommodation to weddings.

There’s also the Cayman

concierge@caymanislands.co.uk. The Cayman Concierge will also give contact details for the travel industry’s Cayman Islands Academy-trained specialists to consumers, so it’s worth completing at least the four basic modules at caymanislandsacademy.com.

Grand Cayman is a specific sell and won’t suit everyone. With a bias towards independent, moneyed clientele, it’s not the ideal destination for those looking to achieve a personal best in pina colada consumption.

Eating out and drinking is pricey. Clients can expect to pay London prices, but they can also expect similarly high culinary standards and levels of service. There are almost 200 restaurants in Grand Cayman, with local cuisine including conch fritters, or food from around the world including French, Italian and Japanese. The island also has a distinctly British feel, and good, old-fashioned manners are prevalent.

While many islands in the Caribbean are geared towards hotel-based holidays, Grand Cayman suits clients who prefer to be more independent, eating outside their accommodation and experiencing local nightlife. There are plenty of restaurants, takeaways and bars within walking

Kuoni offers seven nights with breakfast at the

Sunshine Suites Resort from £1,182 per person based

on two sharing a studio including direct flights

and transfers for October 2012 departures.

kuoni.co.uk 01306 747008

Caribtours offers seven nights’ room-only at the

Cotton Tree from £2,355 per person, based on

two sharing the Almond two-bedroom cottage and including flights, private transfers and

complimentary breakfast items for October departures.

caribtours.co.uk 020 7751 0660

ITC Classics has seven nights’ room-only for the price of

six at the Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman from £1,999 per

person based on two sharing a Garden View King Guestroom. The price includes flights and

private transfers and is valid for bookings made by October

31 for travel completed by December 19, 2012.

itcclassics.co.uk 01244 355550

sAMPlePRoDuCt

exPeRienCe the unique siDe oF CAyMAn

l See IguanaS: Christopher Columbus named the islands Las Tortugas after the turtles that live there. They were later renamed Las Cayamanas for the iguanas they mistook for crocodiles. See the blue iguanas roaming at the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park. botanic-park.ky

l go KayaKIng: A lagoon in Grand Cayman is one of a handful of places in the world where bioluminescence can be found. Kayak during a new moon to see the green and blue lights in the water. caymankayaks.com

l geT hITChed: Resorts in the Cayman have a ‘one wedding a day’ policy to ensure every

couple feels unique. Couples can get married in church, on a beach or even underwater using an anchor as an altar. caymanislands.co.uk

l feel feSTIve: Cayman celebrates many festivals, including Pirates Week. This 11-day festival runs from November 8 this year, with parades, boat races, sea swims, music and dancing. piratesweekfestival.com

l dIve In: The Caymans offers some of the world’s best diving, but even those who don’t want to get their feet wet can see the vast coral canyons and brilliant tropical fish on the Atlantis Submarine. caymanislandssubmarines.com

Concierge, a service open to both trade and consumers. Want to know the best restaurant for an intimate anniversary dinner or a big family celebration? Or the best Stingray City snorkelling trip for young children or for a person with a disability? This is what Cayman Concierge is for, and it is staffed by experts from the Department of Tourism. You can call 020 7491 7771 or email

distance, or a short drive away from, the properties on Seven Mile Beach, and Grand Cayman has a very low crime rate. 

Another plus is that driving is on the left and the roads are good. Encourage clients to rent a vehicle for a day or two and they will discover that while Seven Mile Beach is sensational, there are many other idyllic bays and coves along the island’s coast – and you can often get one all to yourself.

For those willing to go those extra miles to escape the crowds, Caribtours, Kuoni and ITC Classics can arrange onward travel and accommodation in Cayman Brac and Little Cayman. TW

Pirates Week in

november features

parades, costumes

and street dancing