Grand Cayman in a Weekend

In early August, I attended my 3rd wedding of the summer season and my 2nd destination wedding. Yes, I said 3rd wedding. I was extremely excited about this trip, because it was one of the many islands on my list to visit. But also, I had heard many great things about the island, especially about the snorkeling and scuba diving. My major disappointment for this entire trip, was it would only last 4 days. Since a few activities had been planned by the bride- and groom-to-be, that only left a little time for exploring. 

Oh the Places You will Stay!

As far as where to stay, 7-mile beach is a must! From the lavish Ritz Carlton to the family-friendly Marriott Grand Cayman (where I stayed), you have numerous options for hotels and resorts with great views. Just look above and you will see the breathtaking view from our room. Clear blue water and tempting sand everyday! One thing to know is the Grand Cayman is not an all-inclusive island. So if you are looking for the constant flow of rum punch and endless food stations, this is not the island for you. You will not find any hotel or resort that has this option. But don’t let this deter you from vacationing on this quaint and beautiful island.

Treats to Eat

I don’t know about you, but I generally grow tired of hotel food after day 1. I prefer to eat outside of where I am staying for a more diverse spread and yummy cuisines representing the island or city. So, after the bland breakfast buffet, I was on the hunt for something better. Just about a 8 minute walking distance from the hotel is a shopping mall that has Subway, the Body Shop, a Cigar shop and a cute cafe called Treats. I immediately fell in love after seeing the delectable cakes staring back at me from the dessert case. As soon as I walked in, it felt cozy and welcoming. The staff was great and the food was really good. I had the best turkey club sandwich I have EVER had, along with a salad! And all for $10 CI (Cayman Dollars)! You can’t beat that at all. It was so good, that I went back for breakfast the next day and was not disappointed by the mouthwatering french toast.

Sail Away with Me!

The last tidbit of information I will give you about the Caymans is you must do a catamaran or yacht. This was by far one of the best activities I did on the island. The bride-and groom-to be rented a boat for about 3 hours for the wedding guests, so we could sail, snorkel and swim with the stingrays. Fun, fun, fun!!! We had a great guide named Nick, who was from Ireland and had been living on the island for 8 years. He first took us out to a coveted spot, that only he knew about, to swim with about 6 stingray. Who by the way, were very friendly. It is a little freaky when they are all swimming underneath you, but totally cool. Oh and yes, if you kiss a stingray you will have 7 years of good luck. Lucky me!!!  

On to snorkeling. We made our way to a quiet section of the blue waters to do some snorkeling for about 45 minutes. It was a decent spot for fish eye candy, but it would have been great to see a few more. I hear there are some other spots that have plenty of fish to see. Tip: Drink lots and lots of water and I don’t mean the salt water!

Alas, it was time to bid adieu to the Caymans. I can’t wait to go back for a lengthier stay and try a new hotel. I think I would love to sink into the luxurious beach chairs at the Ritz Carlton, instead of running pass them on the beach with my mouth open in awe of their chicness. Not there is anything wrong with the Marriott Grand Cayman. The staff and were rooms were nice, but the beach chairs were a clear indication that the Ritz is TRULY on a whole other level.

Oh one last tip I promise. The ole’ mighty dollar is not so great here. The exchange rate is $1 CI=$1.25 US. I asked for CI in exchange for my $40 US and I got back $32 in CI. My suggestion is to just get CI. It makes life so much easier while you are there. Travel safely!