Things to do in Grand Cayman

The three Cayman Islands – Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman – comprise a British territory located in the Caribbean Sea. Grand Cayman, the largest of the islands, is about 150 miles south of Cuba and 180 miles west of Jamaica. With a year-round tropical climate, white-sand beaches and coral reefs, Grand Cayman has become one of the hottest group travel destinations in the Caribbean and a popular diving venue. Compared to its tiny sisters, Grand Cayman is a party island, attracting of the majority of visitors who flock to the popular Seven Mile Beach.

Each year Grand Cayman plays host to group travel programs from all over the world. While the two smaller islands mainly cater to diving and nature enthusiasts, Grand Cayman welcomes a diverse crowd of people. The local absence of many controls on its banking system makes Grand Cayman one of the world’s largest offshore financial centers, attracting an international clientele. But by far the largest group of travelers is the tourists – club-goers, beach bums and diving devotees all call the island their paradise. Travel groups will savor both the hectic tourist hot spots and the remote island hideaways. While traveling in groups, many may choose to spend their time relaxing on the beach, partying in the nightclubs or exploring one of over 250 diving sites in the island’s crystal-clear waters.

Christopher Columbus first sighted the Cayman Islands on May 10, 1503, on his fourth and last voyage to the New World. He was actually on his way from Panama to Hispaniola when his ships were steered off course by strong winds and he sighted Cayman Brac and Little Cayman. The story claims that he reported sighting two small islands so full of tortoises that they looked like rocks, and he gave the islands the name “Las Tortugas” (The Turtles).