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Grand Cayman Visitor Attractions

Grand Cayman lies in the western Caribbean Sea and is the largest of a group of three islands collectively known as the Cayman Islands. Grand Cayman is still small by most standards, measuring around 20 miles in length and approximately 8 miles across at its widest point.

If you have never visited the islands before, this article outlines just a few of the things you can do during your stay. Many visitors arrive on the island via cruise ship, and stay only for a brief few hours, but, you will still find plenty of things to occupy your time. However, this article is aimed more at the stay over visitor, who has a more leisurely schedule.

Although famed for its beautiful beaches, and as a prime location for scuba diving and sport fishing, the island has plenty to offer aside from these activities. Of course, if you prefer to do nothing but lounge on the beach, there are few better places to do so than on the beautiful shores of Grand Cayman.

Seven Mile Beach is justifiably famous and offers a long crescent of white powdery sand and crystalline blue waters, just what one would expect of a Caribbean beach. It is close to the Capital of George Town and easily accessible for cruise ship visitors and offers most amenities you would hope to find. Even at its busiest, Seven Mile Beach is rarely what you could call crowded and there is plenty of room to find your own private spot to relax.

If you prefer a little more seclusion, there are plenty of out of the way spots where you can enjoy a beach entirely to yourself, although finding them if you are not familiar with the island might require the enlistment of a little local help. Taking your own supplies will be required if you intend to visit one of these smaller slices of paradise as very few are served by anything more than the shade of a coconut palm or sea grape tree.

When you're ready to explore the island a little more, a car, although not essential, will give you far greater flexibility and freedom. There are plenty of car rental companies on the island, so finding an affordable set of wheels should not be difficult. Alternatively, you can use the bus services, which although cheap are not always convenient if you need to get to the more out of the way spots. Taxis are also available, but can be costly if you intend to travel any distance.

For something different, you could always head to the North East end of the island, where you will find the heavenly Cayman Kai and Rum Point. From here, you can take a kayak tour from the Kaibo Yacht Club. All equipment is provided and you need no prior experience to join one of these fun and educational outings. They offer sunset and full moon tours too, where participants get to drink rum punch under the stars. Whether you choose a daytime or nighttime trip, you will see and learn plenty about the island and its marine life and ecology.

Exploring the island's eastern districts is a must for anyone wanting to catch a glimpse of the more traditional Cayman, away from the development and "civilization" of the capital and its environs. You will encounter a slower pace of life and various charming distractions along the route east. You can purchase what is known as a "Discover The East Adventure Card", which offers free admission to the Botanic Park, and the Pedro St James National Historic Site, as well as free gifts and discounts at other local restaurants, tourist stops and businesses.

If you prefer to get an overall view of Grand Cayman, why not try a helicopter flight? You can opt for a full island tour, a Seven Mile Beach Tour or a Stingray Tour. You can even arrange a full package which includes collection and delivery from your location by limousine which delivers passengers to the airport. From there, a sunset tour by air followed by a romantic meal at one of Cayman's premier dining spots, after which diners are whisked home again by limousine.

If flying is not your thing, how about going under instead? A ninety minute tour on the semi submersible "Nautilus" is affordable and you will see some of the amazingly beautiful marine life without the need to get your feet wet. For those who prefer to get up close and personal, there is a stop which allows for a half hour of snorkeling.

If you prefer to stay inside, you can watch divers feeding the fish right outside your window at Cheese Burger Reef, one of the best spots to snorkel in Grand Cayman. Keep an eye out too for sea turtles and southern stingrays as well as the large Tarpon that frequent the area. You will also glide over two fascinating shipwrecks during the course of your trip and an on board narration explains the history of these as well as all the other things you will witness. It's a great trip for families or those taking out guests of all ages.

These are just a handful of things that you will find to do on our beautiful tropical island - there are plenty more. Cayman is a friendly and culturally diverse island; safe and well appointed with accommodation and the infrastructure to ensure that there is something for everyone whatever their budget.

Article Source: http://www.travelarticles.org

You can find a selection of Cayman Islands videos and clips from some wonderful Cayman Beaches compiled by the author to give you a better taste of the beauty of Grand Cayman. The author lives and works on the island and blogs regularly at The CaymanHost Blog