25 Best Sights in Cayman Islands

Grand Cayman's bioluminescent bay, near Rum Point, is one of the few such bays in the world. It's about 45 minutes from George Town and can be visited on a guided tour. The bioluminescent dinoflagellates are visible for a couple of weeks every month, but not at all times. The local tour operators know the best times to visit and schedule tours for those nights (especially when there is no full moon).

Built in 1833, the historically significant clapboard home of the national museum has had several different incarnations over the years, serving as courthouse, jail, post office, and dance hall. It features an ongoing archaeological excavation of the Old Gaol and excellent 3-D bathymetric displays, murals, dioramas, and videos that illustrate local geology, flora and fauna, and island history. The first floor focuses on natural history, including a microcosm of Cayman ecosystems, from beaches to dry woodlands and swamps, and offers such interactive elements as a simulated sub. Upstairs, the cultural exhibit features renovated murals, video history reenactments, and 3-D back panels in display cases holding thousands of artifacts ranging from a 14-foot catboat with animatronic captain to old coins and rare documents. These paint a portrait of daily life and past industries, such as shipbuilding and turtling, and stress Caymanians' resilience when they had little contact with the outside world. There are also temporary exhibits focusing on aspects of Caymanian culture, a local art collection, and interactive displays for kids.

At the end of a seemingly endless, bumpy road, your guide takes you on a short hike to the "treehouse" refreshment-souvenir stand of this Grand Cayman locale. A viewing platform provides breathtaking vistas of a ginormous banyan tree framing the first cave entrance. Currently, three large caverns in the extensive network have been opened and outfitted with wood pathways and strategic lighting. Millions of years ago, the network was submerged underwater (a subterranean lake serves as a hauntingly lovely reminder); the land gradually rose over millennia. Nature has fashioned extraordinary crystal gardens and "fish-scale" columns from delicate, fragile flowstone; part of the fun is identifying the fanciful shapes whimsically carved by the stalactites and stalagmites. The 90-minute tours are offered on the hour from 9 am through 4 pm. Ambitious plans include adding ziplines and four-wheel-drive trails.

A worthy nonprofit, this museum displays and promotes Caymanian artists and craftspeople, both established and grassroots. The gallery coordinates first-rate outreach programs for everyone from infants to inmates. It usually mounts six major exhibitions a year, including three large-scale retrospectives or thematic shows, and multimedia installations. Director Natalie Urquhart also brings in international shows that somehow relate to the island, often inviting local artists for stimulating dialogue. The gallery hosts public slideshows, a lunchtime lecture series in conjunction with current exhibits, Art Flix (video presentations on art history, introduced with a short lecture and followed by a discussion led by curators or artists), and a CineClub (movie night). The gallery has also developed an Artist Trail Map with the Department of Tourism and can facilitate studio tours. There's an excellent shop and an Art Café.

This office provides a map of historic and natural attractions, books and guides to Cayman, and information on its website about everything from iguanas to schoolhouses. The expanded gift shop provides one-stop shopping for souvenirs, from hair clips to logwood carvings and coconut soaps, all made on the island. Regularly scheduled activities range from boat tours through the forests of the Central Mangrove Wetlands to cooking classes with local chefs and morning walking tours of historic George Town. The office is walkable from George Town, but be aware that it's a 20-minute hike from downtown, often in the heat.

Built in 1780, the greathouse is Cayman's oldest stone structure and the island's only remaining late-18th-century residence. In its capacity as courthouse and jail, it was the birthplace of Caymanian democracy, where in December 1831 the first elected parliament was organized and in 1835 the Slavery Abolition Act signed. The structure still has original or historically accurate replicas of sweeping verandahs, mahogany floors, rough-hewn wide-beam ceilings, outside louvers, stone and oxblood- or mustard-color limewashed walls, brass fixtures, and Georgian furnishings (from tea caddies to canopy beds and commodes). Paying obsessive attention to detail, the curators even fill glasses with faux wine. The mini-museum also includes a hodgepodge of displays about everything from emancipation to old stamps. The buildings are surrounded by 8 acres of natural parks and woodlands. You can stroll through landscaping of native Caymanian flora and experience one of the most spectacular views on the island from atop the dramatic Great Pedro Bluff. First watch the impressive multimedia show, on the hour, complete with smoking pots, misting rains, and two screens. The poignant Hurricane Ivan Memorial outside uses text, images, and symbols to represent important aspects of the 2004 disaster. A branch of Cayman Spirits brings history further to life with rum tastings.

This 65-acre wilderness preserve showcases a wide range of indigenous and nonindigenous tropical vegetation, approximately 2,000 species in total. Splendid sections include numerous water features from limpid lily ponds to cascades; a Heritage Garden with a traditional cottage and "caboose" (outside kitchen) that includes crops that might have been planted on Cayman a century ago; and a Floral Colour Garden arranged by color, the walkway wandering through sections of pink, red, orange, yellow, white, blue, mauve, lavender, and purple. A 2-acre lake and adjacent wetlands include three islets that provide a habitat and breeding ground for native birds just as showy as the floral displays: green herons, black-necked stilts, American coots, blue-winged teals, cattle egrets, and rare West Indian whistling ducks. The nearly mile-long Woodland Trail encompasses every Cayman ecosystem from wetland to cactus thicket and buttonwood swamp to lofty woodland with imposing mahogany trees. You'll encounter birds, lizards, turtles, and agoutis, but the park's star residents are the protected endemic blue iguanas, found only in Grand Cayman. The world's most endangered iguana, they're the focus of the National Trust's Blue Iguana Recovery Program, a captive breeding and reintroduction facility. This section of the park is usually closed to the public, though released "blue dragons" hang out in the vicinity. The trust conducts 90-minute behind-the-scenes safaris Monday through Saturday at 11 am for C$30. Make sure to look for the fascinating little Davidoff's sculpture garden, depicting local critters that create a great photo moment.

Famous for its postcard-perfect views, Barefoot Beach is one of East End's best beaches, offering soft white sand, crystal-clear shallow waters, and a shady cabana. It's a favorite spot for locals and tourists, who come on Sunday to watch the fishing boats out at sea. Amenities: parking (no fee). Best for: snorkeling; solitude; walking.

Secluded, spectacular beaches are accessed via a dirt road just past Papagallo restaurant. There are no facilities (that's the point!), but some palms offer shade. Unfortunately, the shallow water and rocky bottom discourage swimming, and it can be cluttered at times with seaweed and debris. You may also encounter wild chickens (their forebears released by owners fleeing Hurricane Ivan in 2004). Kitesurfers occasionally come here for the gusts; it's also popular for horseback riding. Amenities: none. Best for: solitude; walking; windsurfing.

When the easterly trade winds blow hard, crashing waves force water into caverns and send impressive geysers shooting up as much as 20 feet through the ironshore. The blowholes were partially filled during Hurricane Ivan in 2004, so the water must be rough to recapture their former elemental drama.

A narrow, sandy driveway takes you past the small cemetery to a perfect strand just past the northern end of Seven Mile Beach. The dock here is primarily used by dive boats during winter storms. You can walk in either direction. The sand is talcum-soft and clean, the water calm and clear (though local surfers take advantage of occasional small reef breaks), and the bottom somewhat rocky and dotted with sea urchins, so wear reef shoes if wading. You'll definitely find fewer crowds. Amenities: none. Best for: snorkeling; solitude; surfing.

Just drive along and look for any sandy beach, park your car, and enjoy a stroll. The vanilla-hue stretch at Colliers Bay, by the Wyndham Reef and Morritt's resorts (which offer water sports), is a good, clean one with superior snorkeling. Amenities: food and drink; water sports. Best for: snorkeling; solitude; sunrise; walking.

Located in front of the governor's home, this sandy strip is in the middle of the action, offering incredible snorkeling, strolling, and sunset-watching. With east access and parking out front, you'll find families indulging in beachside picnic or couples sunbathing under the pretty sea-grape trees. There's no food here, but a supermarket and restaurants are just across the road. Amenities: parking (no fee), toilets, water sports. Best for: snorkeling, sunset, swimming, walking.

This significant trail, used in the 1800s as the only direct path to North Side, is a rugged 2-mile slash through 776 dense acres of woodlands, black mangrove swamps, savanna, agricultural remnants, and ancient rock formations. It encompasses more than 700 species of flora and fauna, including Cayman's largest remaining contiguous ancient forest of mastic trees (one of the heavily deforested Caribbean's last examples). A comfortable walk depends on weather—winter is better because it's drier, though flowering plants such as the banana orchid blaze in summer. Call the National Trust to determine suitability and to book a guide (C$65.50); 3½-hour tours run Tuesday through Friday morning by appointment. Or walk on the wild side with a C$5 guidebook covering the ecosystems, endemic wildlife, seasonal changes, poisonous plants, and folkloric uses of flora. The trip takes about three hours.

This classic gabled two-story Caymanian home on wooden posts, with wattle-and-daub accents, dates to the 1840s and was restored by the National Trust. The building earned its sobriquet thanks to early missionaries, teachers, and families who lived here while helping establish the Presbyterian ministry and school in Bodden Town. Shards of 19th-century glass and ceramics found on-site and period furnishings are on display. The posted opening hours are irregular, especially during the off-season; tours are by appointment only.

The North Side features plenty of hidden coves and pristine stretches of perfect sand, where you'll be disturbed only by seabirds dive-bombing for lunch and the occasional lone fishers casting nets for sprats, then dumping them into buckets. Over the Edge restaurant is less than 1 mile west. Otherwise, it's fairly undeveloped for miles, save for the occasional private home. Snorkeling is spectacular when waters are calm. Amenities: food and drink. Best for: snorkeling; solitude; walking.

This North Sound beach has hammocks slung in towering casuarina trees, picnic tables, casual and "fancier" dining options, a well-stocked shop for seaworthy sundries, and Red Sail Sports, which offers various water sports and boats to explore Stingray City. The barrier reef ensures safe snorkeling and soft sand. The bottom remains shallow for a long way from shore, but it's littered with small coral heads, so be careful. The Wreck is an ultracasual hangout serving outstanding pub grub from fish-and-chips to wings, as well as lethal mudslide cocktails. Just around the bend, another quintessential beach hangout, Kaibo, rocks during the day. Amenities: food and drink; parking (no fee); showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: partiers; snorkeling.

A busy, white-sand beach with gleaming turquoise waters, this popular stretch of sand just off West Bay Road is peppered with towering, shady palms that throw a welcome shade on the hot sand. Popular with families due to the play park and amenities nearby, you can walk from major hotels or hop in a taxi for a day at this picture-perfect beach. On weekends this vast beach is packed with families hanging out listening to music and having picnics, indulging in water activities, or having a beachside picnic. Amenities: parking (no fee); showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: snorkeling, swimming.

South of the Grand Old House, this tiny but popular protected swimming and snorkeling spot makes a wonderful beach wedding location. The bottom drops off quickly enough to allow you to swim and play close to shore. Although slightly rocky (its pitted limestone boulders resemble Moore sculptures), there's little debris and few coral heads, plenty of shade, picnic tables, restrooms, and parking. Surfers will find decent swells just to the south. Note the curious obelisk cenotaph "in memory of James Samuel Webster and his wife Arabella Antoinette (née Eden)," with assorted quotes from Confucius to John Donne. Amenities: parking (no fee); toilets. Best for: snorkeling; sunset; swimming.

On weekends families often barbecue at this idyllic spot caught between ironshore cliffs and a barrier reef (with fine snorkeling). You might even see some wild turtles swimming here. Follow South Church Street through the South Sound past Red Bay; at a little cemetery there's a turnoff to the beach with a car park. Amenities: none. Best for: snorkeling; solitude; sunrise; walking.

A remote beach just off the northern coast of Cayman, Starfish Point attracts beautiful starfish to its turtle-grass-lined shores and emerald green, warm waters. Watch the sunset, wade in the water, and explore the sandy shoreline. Amenities: parking (no fee). Best for: solitude; sunset; walking.

Sitting pretty along the South Sound, Surfer's Beach lures surfers and skimboarders to its occasional herculean waves and soft shoreline. Perfectly positioned for swell when there's a cold front, it's usually deserted and quiet, adding to its undeniable allure. This pristine coastline is ideal for watching adrenaline junkies ride the waves, sunbathing in solitude, and, at the end of the day, watching the sun dipping into the turquoise-streaked sea. Amenities: parking (no fee). Best for: solitude, sunset, surfing.

If you want an isolated, unspoiled beach, bear left at Rum Point at North Side, and follow the road to the end. When you pass a porte cochere for an abandoned condo development, you'll see the soft, sandy beach. Wade out knee deep and look for the large, flame-hued starfish. (Don't touch—just look.) Locals also call it Starfish or Ivory Point. Amenities: none. Best for: solitude; swimming.

Famous for its picturesque palm trees and aquamarine waters, West Bay's Public Beach is a popular tourist stop. With parking and picnic areas, it's a great choice for a day of beach-bumming. Zip around on a Jet Ski, or take some snaps just chilling on your lounger. This stunning crescent-shape beach offers incredible snorkeling and sunset views. Take a stroll out to the water's edge, where you can gaze at the brightly colored coral, or strap on your snorkel and expect to see blue tangs and other species of fish. Amenities: food and drink; parking (no fee); toilets; water sports. Best for: snorkeling; sunset; swimming; walking.

This lonely, lovely park on Grand Cayman's windswept eastern tip commemorates the island's most (in)famous shipwreck. On February 8, 1794, the Cordelia, heading a convoy of 58 square-rigged merchant vessels en route from Jamaica to England, foundered on one of the treacherous East End reefs. Its warning cannon fire was tragically misconstrued as a call to band more closely together due to imminent pirate attack, and nine more ships ran aground. Local sailors, who knew the rough seas, demonstrated great bravery in rescuing all 400-odd seamen. Popular legend claims (romantically but inaccurately) that King George III granted the islands an eternal tax exemption. Queen Elizabeth II dedicated the park's plaque in 1994. Interpretive signs document the historic details. The ironically peaceful headland provides magnificent views of the reef (including more recent shipwrecks); bird-watching is superb from here half a mile south along the coast to the Lighthouse Park, perched on a craggy bluff.