One of the most popular Caribbean destinations is the Cayman Islands. It is made up of three beautiful tropical islands: Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman. And each of these dreamy, wildlife-filled islands has great reasons to visit.
The world-class diving is one of the many reasons tourists flock to Grand Cayman. A well-known hotspot you won''t want to miss is Stingray City, located just off northern coast of Grand Cayman. Here you can watch divers feed squid to droves of stingrays while you scuba dive, snorkel or view from a glass bottom boat. The locals say that the stingrays gather here because fishermen used to clean their fish here, and the stingrays ate the leftovers. Now they are fed their favorite treat of squid to keep the tourists flocking to this area for this spectacular sight.
The perfect place for a stroll on Grand Cayman is the Queen Elizabeth II Botanical Gardens. You can meander along a mile long trail where you''ll encounter rare blue iguanas, vibrant green parrots and hundreds of orchids and flowering fruit trees. The trail is labeled with educational signs for the curious, and you can keep adventuring onto a nearby trail that wraps through an old-growth forest.
Grand Cayman''s Cayman Turtle Farm is a great place to view the famous turtles of the Cayman Islands. The island trio was originally named Las Tortugas for all of the tortugas, or turtles, that lived there. (They were later renamed the Cayman Islands for the many caiman crocodiles spotted there.) The Cayman Turtle Farm is an ideal attraction for kids, who can pick up and hold some of the smaller turtles.
If you''re into the local history, a walking tour of George Town on Grand Cayman is a great way to spend an afternoon. You can learn about the history of the Cayman Islands at the Caymans National Museum, and visit Fort George, or what is left of it, from the 18th century.
Cayman Brac is named for the twelve-mile long "brac" or cliff that runs down the center of this island. Birds abound on Cayman Brac. Be sure not to miss the Parrot Preserve, where you can view the endangered Cayman Brac Parrot. You''ll also encounter colonies of boobies and yellow-bellied sapsuckers. Cayman Brac also boasts great caving.
Little Cayman is smaller and has fewer people than Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac. It also offers great wildlife viewing. Little Cayman offers the Booby Pond Nature Reserve, where it is common to see red-footed boobies and many other feathered wonders.
The summer season is from May to October, when the average temperature is about 85 ?F. Summer is the rainy season in the Cayman Islands, but showers are brief and serve to cool the temperatures temporarily. If you''re looking to avoid the crowds, summer is the best time to visit the Cayman Islands. Although this is hurricane season, the chance of one disrupting your vacation is remote. Simply check the weather before you depart for the islands.
The winter season in the Cayman Islands is slightly cooler and drier, but also twenty to fifty percent more expensive. It''s a great time to get away from the cold winter, but you''ll share the experience with a lot of other tourists.
Other great times to visit the Cayman Islands are during any of its many festivals. Here are a few that might be worth changing your travel dates to attend: