Best At Caribbean Holidays

Although he didn’t land there, Christopher Columbus’s sighting of the Cayman Islands as far back as 1503 is the first existing record of the islands. Given the huge number of turtles seen around the islands, it is no surprise that Columbus gave them the name Las Tortugas. It was Francis Drake who gave them the name that stuck, choosing the word that meant ‘alligator’. A Caymans Islands holiday is as nature-filled as its history suggests. Any fantasy you have entertained of spending time on a gloriously warm remote tropical island can come true when you arrange a Cayman Islands Holiday. The location blends the best of both: upmarket, populous resorts sited on long inviting beaches yet very close to shops, golf, dining and nightlife; and tranquil, gently washed sands, off the beaten track, where modern civilization doesn’t so much as get a look-in. Indeed, visitors cannot help being awestruck when they wash up on one of the Caymans’ many unspoilt beaches. The Cayman Islands were scarcely inhabited at all for sixteen hundred years. In the seventeenth century these islands were under Spanish then British rule and to this day they remain a British overseas territory. The small population dwelling on these islands enjoy the privilege of unusually high living standards. Located just 20 degrees north of the equator, and 150 miles from Cuba, the nearest mainland, these West Indian islands not only benefit from very pleasant temperatures, but also, apart from the developed western side of Grand Cayman, remain unspoilt and extraordinarily empty of crowds. All commentators on the Cayman islands are agreed that there is an immense warmth and charm to the people you will encounter and that the quiet backwaters offer a palpable sense of unwinding and surrendering to peace and nature’s soothing presence. Overall, the experience is guaranteed to make you feel special. Ideal as a destination for couples, Cayman Islands Hotels offer the ultimate in romance and adults-only Cayman Islands Deals exist to cater for them.

Getting hitched in the Caymans islands is an option chosen by many; it is one of the most romantic locations for a wedding and many of the better Cayman Islands Hotels can arrange every detail for you. On the other hand, there are Cayman Islands Resorts which cater for families with children, and activities for youngsters abound, especially on Grand Cayman. More senior travellers take Holidays to Cayman Islands due to the large number of accessible attractions. Visiting the restored Pedro St. James Castle gives a flavour of the old colonial days, while the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park is a feast for the eyes of every plant-life enthusiast. A trip to the turtle farm at Boatswain’s Beach is a must for animal lovers, and Smith's Cove delights visitors of all ages due to its sheltered and compact ambience, its shaded spots and magnificent sunsets. Active holidaymakers will enjoy the phenomenal diving opportunities, bearing in mind the fact that the Caymans are situated where the Caribbean is at its deepest. Scuba divers flock all year round to sample dive spots like Stingray City, so-named because of the opportunity to descend 20 feet and swim alongside stingrays. Diving trips are also led to explore the Cayman Islands’ two wrecks. The list doesn’t end there. Snorkelling is popular and provides another way of meeting the much-loved stingrays. Motorcycles and the more humble scooter can be hired and there is a hiking trail on Grand Cayman. But many holidaymakers com simply to laze, swim and soak up that Caribbean vibe. Those who have managed to book a Cheap Cayman Islands Holiday simply can’t believe their luck. The only difficult element is choosing which of the Caymans’ three islands to holiday on. Though most settle for the varied menu of activities and attractions on Grand Cayman, with its 76 square miles, its two smaller siblings, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman, offer another type of experience. For those wishing to holiday in Cayman Islands, particularly for the first time, the decision to give Grand Cayman a try won’t be regretted. With its outstandingly varied assortment of beaches, all of them public, as is the case throughout the Caymans, Grand Cayman is marvellous for lovers of sand and sea, who can visit a different beach every day, if they wish. To name just three, there’s Seven Mile Beach, which lives up to its name and is flanked by hotels and spa resorts; Spotts beach, a wilder option and frequently deserted, and Rum Point, where gentle shallow waters make it a safe choice for young families. Also on Grand Cayman, you’ll find Hell, so-named because of its ancient spiky rocks which have turned black with the passage of time. With its souvenir shops, this has become one of Grand Cayman’s most-visited attractions. Away from the sea, the Mastic Trail takes walkers through a delightful forest landscape. A little over eighty miles from Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac, at just 12 miles in length and a mile wide, is a charming under-populated island. Like the other two, the island is the result of a coral head emerging after the ice age and it possesses, at its eastern end, the one hill in the Caymans, known as The Bluff. Hotels, holiday homes and inns here offer a simple, authentic Caymans experience. Cayman Brac has two the shipwrecks belonging to the islands. Those choosing to holiday on Cayman Brac will be certain to make the short sail to Little Cayman which with just one hundred and fifty inhabitants is the baby of the Cayman Islands family. An extremely natural, unspoilt island, visitors will love the snorkelling and diving that is available here amid dazzling clear cerulean blue waters, while on land you are likely to spot colourful Amazonian parrots. The accommodation offered on the Caymans is varied, in terms both of standard and price. High-end luxury all-suite resorts vie with quiet guest houses. There are self-catering options, too. Most accommodation is sited on or right next to the enticing snowy-white sands of a beautiful Cayman’s beach. When booking a Cayman Islands Late Deal or making a choice among the various Package Holidays to the Cayman Islands, a luxurious option is The Grand Cayman Beach Suites which is listed in Frommers Top 25 Luxury Hotels and offers 53 recently re-furbished deluxe beach suites, each with a view of Seven Mile Beach. There are serviced apartments and condos, besides suites, and all the accommodation comes with private balcony, large flat-screen TV, and all the comforts associated with a 4-star high-end resort. Nearby lies Britannia Golf Course, the brainchild of Jack Nicklaus, with its challenging links holes. The hotel boasts a spa, access to diving and water sports, sailing in catamarans trips, and excellent swimming pools. Grand Cayman Beach Suites has three exceptional restaurants, Hemingways, Bamboo and Britannia Grill. The Westin Casuarina Resort & Spa is another 4-star Grand Cayman choice offering similar quality. Condé Nast listed the hotel in its Traveller’s Gold List. Among the Westin’s advantages are an extra-large pool, children’s fun areas and the Hibiscus Spa. A selection of guest rooms and suites can accommodate every taste. Added to this, every room is equipped with a marble bathroom. As with the Westin group’s hotels elsewhere, the Casuarina offers the comfort of the “Heavenly Bed” in every room. Most have balconies and all have awe-inspiring ocean views. With its well-known 4-diamond restaurant Casa Havana, diners can enjoy gourmet cuisine right beside the Caribbean. The hotel has other catering options by the pool and on the beach, too. While holidaymakers from the UK cannot fly direct to the Caymans, British Airways does fly to Nassau in the Bahamas, from where a connecting flight can be taken to Owen Roberts International Airport, Grand Cayman. Also plying routes to the Caymans are Delta Airlines, Air Canada, Continental Airlines, Cayman Airways, and Air Jamaica. A visit made at virtually any time of year is a fairly safe bet. The warmest months are from June to September, but throughout the year the temperature rarely drops below 73°C (F). The highest summer temperature is a comfortable 86°C (F). This can only mean that even travellers grabbing Cayman Islands Late Deals should experience weather that guarantees a relaxing, liberating experience.