Safe, clean, tropical and welcoming are words the Cayman Islands bring to mind. With a high standard of living and prime Caribbean location, this British crown colony’s three islands make an ideal destination if you’re a traveler who likes to venture outside of the resort.

After a short from Miami on Cayman Airways (featuring complimentary rum punch), my group arrived on Grand Cayman, the largest island, quickly clearing customs and immigration. We stayed at the AAA Three Diamond Comfort Suites Seven Mile Beach, a quick drive from the airport, an excellent value and a minute’s walk from the hotel pool to the white sand of Seven Mile Beach. The staff went out of its way to be friendly and helpful.

As I enjoyed a Thai chicken wrap by the pool, contemplating my options for getting to the far end of the beach to snorkel, the director of sales paused at my table and explained how the local bus system works. Just start walking along the road in the direction you want to go and listen for the shuttle van, whose friendly drivers beep as they pass by to see if you want a ride. Flag them down and hop aboard to go wherever you want for about $2.50 US (or $2 Cayman). The shuttles, easy to distinguish from private vehicles, and are individually owned and government licensed.

I rode to Cemetery Beach where I’d heard the snorkeling was good but, unfortunately, was in a rare state of murkiness when I visited. I gave up and walked along the beach until I tired. Then I just shifted to the road to flag down another bus. So easy!

That evening my group enjoyed a welcome dinner at Tiki Beach, new to Seven Mile Beach. In addition to a great restaurant and bar, the establishment offers beach space, activities, shower and restroom facilities and some really neat looking VIP cabanas for rent.

The next morning we rose bright and early for a flight to Cayman Brac which, like its even smaller “sister island,” Little Cayman, can be reached in 30 minutes via a tiny Cayman Airways Twin Otter plane. We visited several resorts and toured the main attractions, all by early afternoon. We climbed the bluff (brac in Welsh), the highest point in the Cayman Islands at 140 feet, to view caves used for shelter from hurricanes. We sampled fresh mangoes knocked from a tree by our driver and stopped at a local bakery for handheld spicy patties, the most delicious I’ve ever had and worth hunting down if you visit the Caribbean. I seriously considered routing my flights for upcoming trips through Miami airport just for another taste.

I spent the afternoon lounging in a shaded hammock on the wide white sand beach at the AAA Three Diamond Brac Reef Beach Resort, pondering residency requirements. The resort caters to the dive crowd with excellent shore diving (right off the beach) and an on-site dive shop and dock for excursions. The restaurant has excellent food. 

Evening saw us back on Grand Cayman with time to wander and find dinner. At the new Caymana Bay development, a 15- to 20-minute walk from our hotel, we chose Michael’s Genuine Food and Drink where I dined on delicious red snapper ceviche and roasted breadfruit salad with a pineapple rum drink called a “Shot of Grace.” We relaxed and watched the kids playing in nearby splash fountains before making the return waddle to the hotel.

See also: Cayman Islands Part II – Stingrays, Hell and the Turtle Farm