january89

Recently returned from 8 days on Grand Cayman. I appreciate everyone's help and advice so I will attempt a trip report. Decided to head by categories as opposed to a day by day blow so you can skip the parts that aren't important to you!

DISCLAIMER- This was our 4th visit to Grand Cayman. To say I am biased and really like this island is an understatement. Yes, I understand it has become more built up, more touristy, etc. I still find it a beautiful place, great snorkeling and good eats.

TRAVEL-DELTA
Departed 20 minutes late but made up the time in the air! Arrived on Island at 12ish. Owen Roberts is a small aiport, customs takes awhile. Who cares! You are on Cayman. Picked up rental van from Andy's at the airport. Have used them 3 times before and have always been pleased. Trip back home was on time. We arrived on time. Luggage did not. None of it. One of the gals that helped us said Atlanta is The Bermuda Triangle of luggage these days. So true. Anyway, Delta delivered it to our home the next morning so no big deal.

ACTIVITIES-
We snorkled Cemetary Reef/Beach, Eden Rock, Governors Reef and Smith's Cove. All good. Not as vibrant as in years past but fun. Eden Rock was the best and where we saw the most.

Banana Boat and Jet Skis rented from Red Sail at the Westin. Pricey but the kids loved them.

Took a private boat trip with Outrage Stingray City EcoTour. We did the full day, private trip skipping Stingray City since we have been there before. This was a GREAT day. Captain Awesome is what the kids called our Captain. (I think his name was John Michael) He did whatever we wanted. Took us to a couple of great snorkeling spots, let the kids tube, took us to Kaibo Beach, Starfish Beach and through the Mangroves. It was really alot of fun.

FOOD/RESTURANTS
1. Lonestar-American steak/BBQ. It was open at 3 and we were starving upon arrival so we went there. Decent food and cold beer. BBQ pretty good.
2. Deckers-Tuesdays all you can eat lobster tails. Always a hit. Is the lobster great, no but pretty darn good.
3. Chicken/Chicken-Wood roasted chicken and sides. We picked up. Good food.
4. Gateway to India-Again carry out. Really good Indian food.
5. Cracked Conch-Have been here before, but it is much more upscale now. Food was good but not what we remembered. "Carribean Fusion"
6. Sunshine's Grill-Casual place at the Sunshine Suites. Great tacos and grouper sandwiches.
7. Casanova-Italian in Georgetown. Best meal of the trip. Super warm and friendly staff and GREAT food.
8. Kaibo Beach Grill/Bar-Excellent Grouper wraps and Fish and Chips.
9. Calico Jacks-Our go to beach bar on 7MB. Good pub grub and great drinks. Cayman Sunset is excellent!

CONDO-AVALON
We usually stay at Plantana but needed 3 bedrooms this trip so booked at the Avalon. Great location on 7MB and great views. Housekeeping and pool maintenance were a bit subpar. Would look around at other spots before we return to the Avalon.

WOW, this was longer than it should have been. I will try to answer any questions I can. Again, thanks for everyone's help.

virginia

thanks for posting. always fun to see how much others enjoyed an island i liked so very much. we had a small house near rum point a couple yrs ago & loved it! we did most of our own cooking so enjoyed reading your restaurant reviews.

kellybeaches

Thanks for the trip report! Grand Cayman is on our radar for a trip in a few years. I've been there once but only on a cruise stop. Virginia, which villa did you stay at and would you recommend it? We're always looking for good villa recommendations. Thanks!

virginia

we stayed in thatch hill. small, older, 2br/2b house. pool was not huge but larger than many villa pools. i did like it but it's closer in style to your place in the bahamas as than to the one on virgin gorda. very clean & great property manager. we haul a huge cooler & upon arrival found the ice machine would not stop running so huge build up of ice & not much space for food. they had a brand new frig in the next morning! also one of our group was older & found the slider too stiff to open/close, so manager sent her son to spray on some sort of easy-glide the evening we mentioned it.
rum point is approx 45 mins drive from seven mile/georgetown so if you want to dine out a lot it may be to far to drive. roads are good & once you're out of town it'd be hard to get lost but if you want to cocktail it's a bit far.

there were numerous wonderful looking houses in the area. our fav was the last house on the right on water cay road. i can't recall the name but i'll try to find it. water cay rd is where you turn to go into kaibo yacht club. actually any of the houses on the right side of that road would be nice. (facing ocean rather than bay)

kellybeaches

Thanks Virginia! I'll check it out. My husband loves cooking in, so we would probably eat out only once anyway. So all in all you liked the rum point area? Did you find yourself driving to seven mile beach a lot or is that good for one day trip and then there are other things to do closer to "home"?

January, we'll have to bookmark Outrage Stingray City EcoTour. Thanks for the tip! Do you have any pictures you can share of your trip?

On another note, we're headed for Provo next week (renting a villa of course And we just booked the villa Island Stones for next June overlooking Cinnamon Bay in St. John!

virginia

we stayed almost 3 weeks and ventured to town twice. did turtle farm -did not like it, grocery shopping, snorkeled cemetary beach, ate at guy harveys restaurant (excellent!) & looked his art gallery, generally drove around to see the area. we were thrilled to be away from the traffic & wall to wall hotels (when you drive along seven mile beach you can't see if most places) at our house. we went to the botanical gardens (wonderful) & hiked the mastic trail. my friend did several dives from east end near the reef resort. we hung out at rum point a couple times. good beach food & strong drinks. each night we took cocktails & went out to starfish point/beach to watch the sunset (passing that favorite house on the way). snorkeled in front of our house, rum pt., starfish, & several beaches between us & the reef. we like a pretty laid back vacation 8-)
near thatch hill we ate lunch & a breakfast at over the edge, dinner at kaibo & wonderful dinner at the rum point restaurant at sunset.
red sail sports operates a branch at rum point.

which house on provo??? i'm so jealous.

kellybeaches

Virginia-that's great to know! Sounds like we have similar tastes in vacations! I'll have to check out the villas in that area, although we already have our 2 future trips planned (back to St. John in June '12, then Staniel Cay the following year) but after that!

We're staying at Crystal Sands villa on Sapodilla Bay for a week, and then on Grace Bay at The Sands for 1 night. Leaving next Saturday! It'll be our first time there. I'm now counting down the minutes I can't remember-have you been to Provo? I'll be sure to post a TR when get get back.

virginia

have been on provo 3 times. i really love it. crystal sands is a good house. you'll love sopadilla bay beach.
go just up chalk sound road (1/2 mile??) on the left you'll see sign to ocean point villas. turn in & park just before the stone pillars. walk down the sandy path on right (was a road now blocked by a couple large boulders) to taylor bay beach. it is shallow shallow for a long way out. you can swim on the left in the channel - the sand is the softest i've ever felt - like talcum powder!
continue out chalk sound road to check out lots of fancy houses. you'll come to a fork, if you go left & to the end of the road you'll deadend at this little place i have my eye on: http://www.luxuryhomes.com/lh/listin...7-441fac1762d0
be sure to check out the infinity bar at the grace bay club.
have conch at the da conch shack in blue hills.
snorkel coral gardens. go as early am as possible for parking & fewest ppl.
try rib/chicken night at the tiki hut at turtle cove marina.
snorkel smith's reef. just east of turtle cove marina is a dirt road towards the beach. pass yacht club bldings on left. dead end. turn left. go to end of road. park in sandy lot behind 2 tiny villas. walk back down the beach past ?? 6 villas. there should be a rock carin on the beach marking where to enter sea through narrow cut in ironshore. swim out to left to find good sized round piece of reef. caution as some parts are really shallow.

kellybeaches

Thanks for the great info Virginia! We'll check out most of your suggestions. Since I'm such a planner we already have our week's activities booked. We're doing: Las Brisas for lunch and 2 hour pontoon boat ride around chalk sound, professional photo shoot of our family w/Tropical imaging at our villa/beach, 1/2 day Caicos Dream tour, Tuesday night beach bbq at the Somerset, snorkeling at Coral Gardens with lunch following at Da Conch Shack, glow worm cruise w/Atabeyra, Provo Ponies ride, "date night" at Anacoana and drinks at the infinity bar and lounge, lunch at Hemmingways, a night at The Sands, and dinner at Coco Bistro. Whew! That's a lot, so any downtime will be spent relaxing at our villa. Oh, and that house is just crazy!

January-sorry! I didn't mean to hijack your thread here!

virginia

boy you are gonna be some busy. enjoy your stay. can't wait for the trip report.