To Hell And Back
TThe expression: "to hell and back", has a special meaning on Grand Cayman Island. Here, you can go to the small community called "Hell" and actually send a postcard back home postmarked from Hell. They say that a British Commissioner, arriving in the early 1930's at this now popular site, took one look at it and cried "Oh Hell!" Once you have visited Hell and seen the lava rocky crags lining the shoreline, you can imagine how forlorn the area must have been about 80 years ago.
Fortunately, "Hell" is not representative of the beauty of the rest of the Cayman Islands, nor the laid back friendly residents who make your arrival enjoyable.
Lying 240 km south of Cuba and 268 km northwest of Jamaica, between Cuba and Central America, the Cayman Islands are a British dependency and island nation whose territory is a three-island archipelago in the Caribbean Sea: Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac, and Little Cayman. They say that Columbus visited Grand Cayman Island on his fourth voyage in 1503. His ship was surrounded by sea turtles, satisfying the crew's hunger with the turtle's delicious meat. He called the islands Las Tortugas (The Turtles). In 1670 the Cayman Islands were ceded by Spain and have been British ever since.
This lens is one of a series that the author is providing on over twenty cruise destinations in the Caribbean. Each lens will include general information on the destination, suggested shore excursions, and video and photographic illustrations where appropriate.
Some Representative Photos of Grand Cayman
Suggested Shore Excursions For The Cayman Islands
As in other destinations, you have a wide range of shore excursions that you can choose from, but you can only choose one or two shore excursions within the time you have available.
Remember that you can always see the rest on your NEXT cruise to the Cayman Islands. I am listing a few of the shore excursions listed by Carnival cruise lines below. The full list of thirty-two plus excursions can be found HERE.
If you go to the Carnival Cruise Lines site above, you will be able to click on links for each excursion which will give detailed descriptions of each excursion.
The photos with the excursions below are from Carnival's site and are specific to their excursions. Other cruise lines may have different excursions.
Follow the links on the linked excursions to see the original pictures and a more detailed description of the excursion.
Atlantis Submarine 1.5 Hours Experience the thrill of journeying beneath the sea in the Atlantis XI Submarine, specifically designed for underwater sightseeing excursions.
Barrier Reef Snorkel 2.5 Hours Experience some of the Cayman Island?s best snorkeling at Fisherman?s Rock. Take a short bus ride to a private dock. Board a boat for the ride out to Fisherman's Rock; rich in local history, Fisherman's Rock offers pristine snorkeling conditions in the North Sound. Enjoy snorkeling shallow waters with beds of sea whips, sea fans, corals and schools of tropical fish. Have ample time to explore the reefs and abundant marine life before being transported back to the dock.
Cayman Parasail & Beach Escape
1.5 Hours Soar 400+ feet above the crystal blue Cayman waters and Seven Mile Beach on an exhilarating ride controlled by your certified crew! On this exciting excursion you will:Take an action-packed adventure that combines the thrills of a powerboat ride and parachuting.Be transferred by a pontoon boat to the nearby powerboat.Sit side by side on a tandem bar, and you and another guest will be gently lifted from the flight deck, controlled by your certified crew. Enjoy the best views of Grand Cayman and some of the most vibrant waters in the world as you glide in the air.Grand Cayman Golf 1 Hour The Cayman Island's Only 18-hole Championship Golf Course! A visit to the North Sound Club is a must for any golfer in The Cayman Islands, whether a seasoned enthusiast or an ambitious novice. With its sun-drenched greens set against the stunning blues of the crystal clear North Sound and the Caribbean sky, the course design takes advantage of the prevailing ocean breeze and the abundance of water and sand.
Cayman Pirate Encounter
2 Hours Relive the swashbuckling days of long ago when Grand Cayman became famous for being a safe harbor for pirates and their treasure.
Stingray Sandbar, Hell & Turtle Farm Experience 4.5 Hours Experience all the major highlights of Grand Cayman in one excursion. Visit world famous 7-mile beach and the old Homestead for a photo stop. Tour the Turtle Farm, a one of a kind facility that is home to thousands of turtles. Arrive at the town called Hell, featuring a pre-historical rock formation that some think hell must surely look like. Stop at Stingray City for a boat ride out to the Sand Bar. Hold, pet and feed the stingrays in shallow waters (3 - 4 feet).
Pedro St. James & Botanical Park 4 hOURS Discover the heritage and culture of the Cayman Islands at the Pedro St. James historical site followed by a tour of the botanical gardens.
Turtle & Butterfly Farms 2.75 Hours Enjoy an unforgettable encounter with nature?s creatures at Grand Cayman's Turtle Farm and Butterfly Farm.
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Cayman Islands Department of Tourism Video
The Cayman Islands Department of Tourism has put together a collage of activities and sites that can be experienced on their islands. This video will give you a good overview of what to expect in the Cayman Islands.
Additional Information On Grand Cayman Island
Grand Cayman is the largest of the three Cayman Islands at about 196 km2 and contains the capital George Town. Towns on the island are referred to as "districts".
The island is a high-lying reef of "ironshore" (limestone fringes with numerous marine fossils), with a highest elevation of roughly 24 metres above sea level. There is no natural fresh water on the island, so any fresh water needs must be met by catchments or desalination of seawater. The lack of rivers does however account for the exceptional clarity of the sea.
The island was devastated by Hurricane Ivan in 2004 from September 11 to September 12. With Category 5 strength, Ivan passed within of Grand Cayman, hitting it with winds over 180 mph (290 km/h) and gusts up to . The island reported no more than a few deaths - none directly caused by the hurricane - but over 80% of the buildings were either damaged or completely destroyed. Ivan was the worst hurricane to hit the island in 86 years.
The eastern side of the island is somewhat undeveloped, while the western side of the island, which holds George Town and the airport, Owen Roberts International Airport, is more developed. Fast food restaurants, night clubs and resorts can be found on the western side of the island. The eastern districts offer more restaurants specialising in native Caymanian cuisine.
More Caribbean Destinations For Your Consideration
The Cayman Islands are only one destination on the Western Caribbean Cruises. Although the specific destinations vary by cruise line, there are certain destinations that are common to most of these cruises.
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Current Weather In Georgetown, Cayman Islands
Current weather conditions in George Town, Cayman Islands
Local Pollen Reports
27°C (Feels like 32°C)
Last update: 11/10/09 8:50 PM Local Time
Humidity: 94%Visibility: 10.0 km
Dew Point: 26°C
UV Index: 0 (Lawn and Garden Weather)
Barometer: 1010.8mm steady
Moon: Rush Hour Traffic
Wind: 3km/h From: Airport Conditions
Tonight
Low
Low: 26°C
Sunrise: 6:31 AM
Sunset: 5:48 PM
Wednesday
Nov 11
N/A
High: 29°C
Low: 26°C
Sunrise: 6:31 AM
Sunset: 5:48 PM
Thursday
Nov 12
Scattered T-Storms
High: 29°C
Low: 26°C
Sunrise: 6:32 AM
Sunset: 5:48 PM
Friday
Nov 13
Scattered Showers
High: 29°C
Low: 26°C
Sunrise: 6:32 AM
Sunset: 5:47 PM
Other Web Sources For Grand Cayman Cruises
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Ramkitten wrote...
I've visited the Cayman Islands a couple of times while on cruises with my folks (lucky for me, they retired while I was in highschool and "had" to take me along on their travels). I've gone to Hell and taken the submarine ride. Great lens about this beautiful destination.
Posted April 04, 2009
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