With more than 250 dive sites – from the shallow plunge of Stingray City to the looming drop-off at famous Bloody Bay Wall – the Cayman Islands are truly a paradise for snorkelers and scuba divers. Novices can snorkel at ease in the reef-protected sounds of Little Cayman, while experts wreck-dive a sunken Russian warship or a 19th-century twin-masted schooner. To experience the wonders of the reef without getting your feet wet, Grand Cayman's Atlantis Adventures provides couples with the unique opportunity to dive 1,000 feet below the surface in a research submarine, exploring a watery realm of giant sponges and towering limestone formations.
Grand Cayman is the largest and most diverse of the Cayman Islands, with booming George Town offering sophisticated dining and shopping within minutes of the sweep of Seven Mile Beach, home to the Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman, the Westin Casaurina Seven Mile Beach, and other luxury hotels. The long history of these islands – visited by both Columbus and Blackbeard – is evident in the ruins of Fort George and the Little Cayman Museum in Blossom Village, the first community established on the islands in the 1600s.
Yet much of the Cayman Islands remains as it was before the arrival of European settlers. Grand Cayman's Mastic Trail meanders through some of the last remaining old-growth, dry-subtropical forest in the Caribbean, while Cayman Brac is crisscrossed with trails leading to and along the windswept 140-foot bluffs that give the island its name.
For romantic solitude, take a leisurely stroll through Grand Cayman's Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Gardens, or sink into a hammock on Rum Point – a favorite getaway for locals and visitors alike. On Little Cayman, you can kayak out to Owen Island for a secluded picnic lunch for two, or explore the Salt Rock Nature Trail for a glimpse of the island's many iguanas and red-footed boobies. More adventurous couples go caving on Cayman Brac, exploring caverns used by locals to ride out storms, or hike up to the island's lighthouse. At night, the islands' dearth of artificial light and remote location conspire to create ideal conditions for stargazing.
Dedicated divers have long sought out Cayman Islands resorts known for their expert instruction, dive-charter fleets, and charming locales, notably the Brac Reef Beach Resort on Cayman Brac. On Grand Cayman, luxury villas, ideal for honeymooners craving privacy, can be found in communities like Cayman Kai and the village of Britannia.
The nearby Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman brings the island the Caribbean's first La Prairie spa, a pair of Eric Ripert (La Bernardin) restaurants, a Nick Bollittieri tennis academy, a Greg Norman-designed golf course, and an aquatic program designed by Jean-Michel Cousteau.
