Grand Cayman
Grand Cayman is the largest of the Cayman Islands, and George Town is its capital. The island is best known for the rays and turtles of the North Sound and for Seven Mile Beach. Snorkeling is the activity most people come for, and a trip takes about half a day.
The most reviewed first. Prices are per person, booked with our partner, Shore Excursions Group.
Stingray City, Barrier Reef and Starfish Beach
Dolphin Swim Adventure and Turtle Farm
In-Depth Pedro St. James Castle & Botanical Gardens
Private Half Day Deep Sea Fishing Charter
Stingray City
Stingray City is a set of shallow sandbars in the North Sound of Grand Cayman, where southern stingrays gather around visiting boats. Most people reach it on a boat tour from George Town.
Cemetery Beach
Cemetery Beach is a quiet public beach at the north end of Seven Mile Beach, with a reef for snorkeling just offshore. It is one of the calmer spots on the island's west side.
Seven Mile Beach
A long crescent of coral-sand beach on the west coast of Grand Cayman, north of George Town. It is the island's best-known stretch of sand, and most people come here to swim, rest and eat lunch.
Boatswain's Beach
Boatswain's Beach is a fee-paying marine park in West Bay, with a saltwater snorkel lagoon, a commercial green sea turtle farm and a Caymanian Heritage Street. Visitors swim with turtles, walk the trails and browse the artisans.
Starfish Point
Starfish Point is a shallow snorkel stop on a reef in the North Sound of Grand Cayman. Stingrays and starfish live in the calm water here.
Coral Gardens
Coral Gardens is a reef snorkel site off Grand Cayman where visitors swim over coral formations and watch for turtles and stingrays. Most people reach it by boat as part of a tour.
Kittiwake
The Kittiwake is a sunken American warship that now serves as an artificial reef off Seven Mile Beach. Divers and snorkelers reach it by hired boat.
Eden Rock
Eden Rock is a shore dive off George Town, entered straight from the water's edge. You walk in from the shore, with no boat needed.
Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park
Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park is a garden park on Frank Sound Road in North Side, with roaming blue iguanas, butterflies, an orchid boardwalk and a lake full of birds.
Mastic Trail
Mastic Trail is a guided walk through old-growth forest in the interior Mastic Reserve, running through the middle of Grand Cayman. Hikers look for rare trees, birds and small reptiles.
Barkers National Park
Barkers National Park is an outdoor natural area on Grand Cayman where guided off-road tours take riders onto scenic trails. Riders see mangroves, coastal vistas and wildlife.
Hell
Hell is a small area of black limestone formations in West Bay, on the western end of Grand Cayman. Visitors walk along viewing platforms to look at the rock spires.
Pedro St. James
Pedro St. James is the oldest surviving stone Great House in the Cayman Islands, on the southern coast near Savannah. Visitors tour the house, a multimedia theater, and a gift shop and visitor center.
George Town
George Town is the capital of the Cayman Islands and the main town on Grand Cayman. Shops, craft sellers and museums cluster around the harbor, and most of it is within easy walking distance.
Good to know
Stingrays, turtles and dolphins
Stingray City is the island's most famous outing. Boats run out to a sandbar in the North Sound, where rays come close enough to feed and touch in waist-deep water. The Boatswain's Beach turtle farm in West Bay is the other main stop. It holds green sea turtles and a snorkel lagoon, and it is reached by taxi from town.
Beaches
Seven Mile Beach runs up the west coast north of George Town, and it is the island's best-known beach. It is not within walking distance of the harbor, so most people reach it by taxi for the day. Cemetery Beach at the northern end is a quieter stretch with snorkeling just offshore. Beach restaurants there rent chairs and umbrellas for a fee.
Snorkeling
Snorkel trips usually combine the Stingray City sandbar with one or two reef stops, most often Starfish Point or Coral Gardens. The boats leave from the George Town area, and the trips last about three to four hours. The reef is a strong draw in its own right, though the rays are the main attraction. Starfish Point is also a good stop for seeing starfish in shallow water.
When to go
Visits work year-round. The rainy season is when the Botanic Park lake fills, and it is almost dry for the rest of the year, so the lake is not a reliable sight.
Good to know
- Pack cash or cards, and remember that many prices are quoted in US dollars.
- Stingray and reef trips fill up, so it helps to book early.
- Wear sturdy shoes if you plan to walk the Mastic Trail.
Coming by ship
Ships usually stay about 8.5 hours in Grand Cayman, and most arrive between 7 and 9 am.
Getting ashore and around
The town center is small enough to walk, and there are shops around the harbor. Taxis wait in central George Town, and they also serve all the resorts. Seven Mile Beach is not within walking distance of the harbor, so most people take a taxi. Stingray City is a boat trip from George Town, about 30 minutes away. The Botanic Park is about 40 minutes by drive from George Town, and Pedro St. James is a short taxi ride from town.
Taxis are the simplest way to cover longer distances, and they wait at the resorts and in central George Town.
Questions people ask
Can you walk to Stingray City from George Town?
No. Stingray City is a boat trip from George Town, about 30 minutes away. The sandbar is in the North Sound, and most day trips include one or two reef snorkel stops as well.
How do you get from George Town to Seven Mile Beach?
Take a taxi. Seven Mile Beach is not within walking distance of the harbor. Taxis wait in central George Town and at all the resorts.
Is the Stingray City trip good for snorkeling?
Yes, the trip includes a sandbar stop with rays and often a reef snorkel stop at Starfish Point or Coral Gardens. Researchers advise against feeding or lifting the rays, so keep hands off them.
These places share what it's known for.
