Travel: Grand Cayman's Grand Comeback

Seven years ago this month, Hurricane Ivan became the most destructive hurricane ever to hit Grand Cayman and was a natural disaster of epic proportions. But after years of rebuilding, Grand Cayman is once again a beautiful paradise, especially for Minnesotans weary from winter.

Warm ocean breezes, great snorkeling and scuba, sailing to Stingray City and beautiful sunsets are just some of the reasons to start planning that winter getaway now. Arrival at OwenRoberts International Airport (GCM) is made from several U.S. cities and airlines.

Hotels are just a few miles from the airport along a stretch known as Seven Mile Beach (SMB). Rental cars are available at the airport but they observe British traffic laws so they drive on the left side of the road. Traffic signs warn motorists to drive on the left, which is easy to forget when you're from the U.S.

If you don’t plan to explore the entire island, you can easily travel from your SMB resort into downtown George Town, where there are dozens of shops and restaurants. The island’s form of public transportation — vans that stop at designated places along a route — cost a few dollars. You can save a bunch on taxi fares by flagging down the vans.

There are lots of hotels and resorts in all price points to choose from along SMB. I’ve stayed at the Marriott and a few of the timeshares located on or near the beaches. The North Sound features diving resorts and is a much quieter and less traveled area of the island.

Cruise ships arrive in port at George Town, so if you’re staying on the island, it’s best to avoid that area when ships are in harbor. My favorite restaurants include cocktails at Breezes, which has second- and third-story decks overlooking the harbor; The Wharf or Lobster Pot, for seafood; and sticky toffee pudding for dessert at Hemmingway’s at Cayman Beach Suites. And by all means, plan at least one late night stop at the sidewalk stand where a Caymanian spends most of the day simmering jerk chicken, the best I've eaten hands down. Locals drive up to the stand and he hands the Styrofoam containers through the car window (you can do that when you drive on the left). The stand doesn’t open until around 10 p.m. though, so plan at least one late night for a midnight snack of jerk chicken.

A visit to Grand Cayman wouldn’t be complete without a sailing trip out to Stingray “City,” a sandbar off Palmetto Point near the West Bay. An Apple Valley neighbor gave me a tip on which tour to hire and I’m so grateful she did. Thanks Lynne. Dexter’s Fantasea Tours is the only one I’d travel with to see the stingrays. Dexter has a catamaran and only takes groups less than 20, which makes for a very enjoyable experience. He claims to know the stingrays by their markings and has named them. He’ll pick you up at your resort and drop you off afterward if you don’t have transportation. He also makes a quick stop at the grocer for some fresh squid to feed the stingrays, an unforgettable experience if you dare to try it.

Cayman is a must-see scuba and snorkeling paradise. Dozens of locations for the novice to the master diver are literally just steps from the beach. Grab a mask and fins and walk in at Cemetery Beach for some great snorkeling. I also did a shore dive with Dive Tech at Turtle Reef, where there were giant lobsters, cowfish, blue tang and a moray eel.  Diver’s Down took me through a series of tunnels in a boat dive at Little Tunnel. There were not many fish but it was interesting to traverse through the underwater tunnels. One of the newer Dive Tech centers is Lighthouse Point, where I bought a packaged shore dive and lunch deal.  The mini-wall was teeming with fish, coral and fans and lunch was delicious at the Cobalt Coast restaurant.

A couple of other areas of the island to visit include a Boatswain's Beach turtle farm and, a botanical park and Rum Point, which can be accessed ferry. If you’d like to prove to your friends and relatives that you’ve been to “hell and back” visit the Hell Post Office near the turtle farm and send them a postcard.

Each November, the island celebrates its heritage with an event known as Pirates Week. Events include an underwater treasure hunt, steel pan band competitions, a
parade, fireworks, and much more.

The best free attraction not to be missed is the evening sunset in the Caribbean Sea.