How to choose the right Cayman Island for you

The tri-island archipelago, located in the western Caribbean Sea, is known for its postcard-perfect beaches, tangerine sunsets and poolside cocktails, but there’s so much more to the Cayman Islands. Dig a little deeper and you’ll find a treasure trove of cultural sites, adventurous activities and natural beauty. The idyllic island trio comprises Grand Cayman, Little Cayman and Cayman Brac. Each has plenty to offer, be it hiking trails or a sophisticated culinary scene, meaning there’s an island for every type of traveller.

Grand Cayman

Best for: culture and cuisine
The largest of the three islands, Grand Cayman is the ultimate beach break, with the added appeal of cultural treasures and top-notch cuisine. Close to the elegant hotels of Seven Mile Beach, the capital George Town is home to the Cayman Islands National Museum, showcasing artefacts from the region’s seafaring past. More history can be uncovered in Bodden Town, the island’s first settlement, while the National Gallery of the Cayman Islands exhibits Caymanian paintings and sculptures. 

For nature-lovers, the Mastic Trail cuts through dense forest, while the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park is the place to spot endemic blue iguanas. You can spot wildlife beyond the shoreline, too. The journey by boat to Stingray City ends in a shallow sandbar, where rays swim elegantly by. Grand Cayman is ideal for eating out, too. Colourful beachside shacks offer fresh local fish cooked on the barbecue, while there are plenty of restaurants serving up inventive farm-to-table and sea-to-plate menus. 

Little Cayman

Best for: first-class diving
The smallest island in the archipelago, Little Cayman is a tiny slice of coral-and-sand paradise. It’s 10 miles long, one mile wide and home to fewer than 200 residents. With swathes of empty beaches, this diminutive isle is blissfully peaceful, surrounded by pristine waters named by Jacques Cousteau as among the finest in the world for diving. The island’s Bloody Bay Wall beckons underwater enthusiasts to its dramatic vertical cliff, which starts in the shallows and drops to a depth of 1,000ft. Fantastic visibility allows for close-up encounters with big-lipped groupers, stripey sergeant majors and massive spotted eagle rays, not to mention reef sharks and sea turtles. 

Back on dry land, the flat landscape of Little Cayman lends itself to bicycle exploration, with opportunities to stop off in secluded bays for a spot of snorkelling. Few places capture Little Cayman’s understated magic more than Point of Sand; its blindingly white sands, fringed by a blue lagoon, are free of development, so pack a picnic and spend the day here. Alternatively, kayak to Owen Island, a tiny islet off the southwest coast, where there’s rarely another soul in sight.

Cayman Brac

Best for: jaw-dropping scenery
Adventurers can plan an action-packed getaway on Cayman Brac, blessed with the most striking scenery of all three islands thanks to The Bluff, a towering limestone plateau. Hiking trails crisscross the island, offering the chance to spot indigenous and migratory birdlife. Brown boobies nest on the edge of The Bluff, frigatebirds glide above the sea cliffs and the endangered West Indian whistling ducks paddle around the Salt Water Pond, a sanctuary on the south coast. 

The rocky island also has hundreds of climbing routes, attracting novice and seasoned climbers alike to scale The Bluff while waves crash below. It’s pocketed by 170 craggy limestone caves, many accessible by foot or a short climb. Popular caving spots include Bat Cave, where shining a flashlight into the gloomy caverns reveals hordes of resident fruit bats. Another is Great Cave, which requires a challenging climb via a near-vertical ladder but rewards with beautiful formations of stalagmites and stalactites.