1st Timer Questions
 

Taking my first trip to GC--leaving on Monday for 10 days. I have a few questions. First, I can't decide if I need a rental car (I have a car reserved for only $350 for 10 days). Can someone tell me: (1) How much is taxi to and from the Westin to the airport?; (2) how much is taxi from Westin to Georgetown? (3) How big is Georgetown--can you walk the whole town to see everything or do you need a car? (4) is there free parking at the Westin?

Second, I like to eat my meals outdoors and I prefer more casual restaurants. Can anybody make some recommendations?

Finally, are there other snorkel tours besides stingray city? Also, besides turtle farm and Hell, are there any other half day or full day trips?

THANKS.

Robtn,
Hi! We are going in May and I have found this website helpful with information on tours. www.caymanvacations.com

Christie

We always rent a car as we like the ability to 'go at will.' We also stay on the Northside, so a car is a must, so I can't help with Taxi costs.

My next advice would be to print out the Port Authority Schedule which will find at http://www.caymanport.com/schedule.htm

Look under cruise ships and plug in the month and year you will be there. This tells you how many ships in port on any given day. Do not attempt Georgetown if a lot of cruise ships are in port. Do not attempt Stingray Sandbar if there are a lot of cruise ships in port. I see March 18 and 19 have none scheduled when you are there. I'd schedule my stingray sandbar trip on those days.

I'd also go into Georgetown on a day with few ships. If not, you'll not get to do your shopping comfortably.

Yes there are snorkel trips other than Stingray city. Call Ocean Frontiers http://www.oceanfrontiers.com/files/CIDsn/PGNsn-sites

I would skip Hell. Tourist trap of the greatest order. Turtle farm is alright, but nothing you'll walk away going 'awesome' about. I'd try the butterfly farm if you like photography. It is awesome.

For your stingray city trip, I would highly recommend Captain Dexter and his Fantasea tour for the half day. He has a nice catamaran, and will engine out, and sail back in. http://www.dexters-fantaseatours.com/2004/


For a full day I'd use Captain Marvins. It is a family favorite of ours and we use them each year. http://www.captainmarvins.com/

Outdoor casual dining. Coconut Joes is good. http://www.coconutjoes.com.ky/ as is Cimboco [both moderate priced...I couldn't tell if you meant moderate priced, or casual dress]. Both you can sit outside and eat.

You are going to have so much fun. It is a gorgeous island.

If you snorkel, do not miss snorkeling at:
Eden Rock
Cemetery Beach
Queen's Monument
Smith's Cove
the area behind the Cracked Conch restaurant.

For day tours try www.tropictours.com. We did a full day Island tour and they took us to the following places: Georgetown and one souvenir store, Conch Shell House, Blackbeards Rum Company, Turtle Farm, Hell, Tortuga Rum Shoppe, Stingray Brewery, Pedro St. James, The Ten Sails shipwreck site, and the Blow Holes. Lunch was provided at the snack shop at Pedro St. James. The tour guide was very nice and she was able to personalize the tour to meet our requests.

The also provide snorkle and Sting Ray City tours. Make sure you do the snorkle trip that offers Coral Gardens, The Barrier Reef and Sting Ray City.

We also did the semi-sub on the Natuilus. We were the only passengers and got to snorkle Cheeseburger reef with the staff.

Georgetown is very easy to walk around. It's actaully quite congested especially when the cruise ship passengers are there. You wouldn't need a car to go shopping or to resturants. We did not rent a car and took the bus/van from hotel to Georgetown and it was $2.50 p/p.

Also check out www.caymanislands.ky for more info.

Have a great trip. Grand Cayman is one of favorite beach destinations. We would love to go back.

Hello! We just returned from Grand Cayman yesterday, and stayed at Sunshine Suites - directly across from the Westin.

Taxis:
We took taxis out to dinner every night so we did not have to worry about a DD on vacation. The hotel called a taxi for us when we were ready for dinner, and we asked the restaurant/bar to call a taxi when we were ready to go home.
- From airport to hotel was US$20 each way for two adults.
-From hotel to most restaurants in Gerogetown was CI$10 each way for 2 adults (about US$12)

Casual Outdoor Restaurants we ate at, listed in order of distance from the Westin:
-Lonestar is very good, located across from the Hyatt Beach Suites and a fairly easy walk from the Westin
-Aqua Beach Bar is down by the Marriott and very good
-Coconut Joe's was good, but not a favorite (directly across from the Marriott)
-Rackham's Pub in Georgetown is on the water and you can see the large tarpon swimming under the pier
-Hammerheads is also in Georgetown, on the water (next door to Rackham's)and a very fun bar with decent food

-Deckers was excellent. While not casual, they do have outdoor dining, and the bar is built into a London Red Bus. Located across from the Hyatt Beach Suites.
-Reef Grill and Bar (in the Royal Palms hotel) was also excellent. The bar is on the beach and serves the same menu as the restaurant. We ate in the restaurant section (also outside).

Our dive guide recommended Cafe Med (casual, outdoor restaurant past the Hyatt) but we didn't make it there so I can't speak to the food or atmosphere.

Sightseeing and Snorkeling:
-I agree that I would skip Hell.
-We rented a car one day to drive to Rum Point - beautiful beach, beautiful setting, and the Wreck Bar & Grill is a few steps away from your chaise lounge. Totally different type of beach from what you'll find in front of the Westin.
-If you have kids with you, the Pirate Caves or the surf/skate park might be fun afternoon trips (I'd recommend a car for either drive as the taxi fare from the Westin would cost more than a car rental)
-We didn't take any snorkle boat trips, as we are both divers
-We did go up to Cemetary Beach one afternoon to snorkle and that was pretty. Took a taxi there (to help us find it!) and walked back along the beach. Was a longer walk.
-Snorkeling in front of the Westin we saw stingrays, lots of beautiful fish and some pretty coral
-Red Sail sports has a location on-site at the Westin. They do snorkle trips, have kayaks for rent, etc. www.redsail.com

I found most of my information on this site, on www.caymanactivityguide.com and through my Frommer's Grand Cayman mini guide (can I mention that one on Fodor's site?!)

Have a great trip!

Holly,
Did you need a passport to get back into the US from Grand Cayman?I have read that you do and if so, I need to get one fast.

Christie

Christie,
I think they pushed that back another year to December 2007 for the Caymans. Not positive though. You still need to get one though if your planning to travel in the future. A passport is really a must have!!
Sandy

The Caymanactivity guide site is a good site, but you must remember that it is sponsor driven.

If you use the site, keep that in mind. You will be guided to sponsors of the magazine and the site. If you choose to use someone other than a sponsor, or if you choose to ask a question about a non-sponsor the attempt to sway you away from that non-sponsor will occur.

Still and all a wonderful site, and wonderful people on the site...its just best to know these things.

I would also like to throw in EATS. Eats has just reopened I have recently heard from friends on the island, and it is an excellent place for breakfast. Although we stay on the Northside, we make the trip in for breakfast a couple times per trip.

Holly,
I had forgotten to mention Aqua Beach Bar. Good place.

Another nonexpensive, but good place to try is Calypso Chicken.

Here is a site for information on passport requirements
http://travel.state.gov/travel/cbpmc/cbpmc_2223.html

Calypso Chicken was also on our list but never got there, too busy going from the dive boat to the beach to happy hour!

We both have passports so I don't know if you can use a birth certificate.

lkemerson - you are very right about Cayman Activity Guide being very sponsor-driven. Working in advertising, I recognize ad copy even when disguised in a forum posting! = ) All of the photos they post on their site are nice, and the links to the sponsors web sites (especially restaurants w/ menus and prices) was helpful.

Christie, according to the site Karen posted about passports, you'll need them as of Dec 2006. Did I read that right???

ROBTN, If your going to be there on a Sunday and would like to try a local experience, they have a great Sunday BBQ at the Driftwood Bar on the northside of the island. It's about 2 miles before you get to Rum Point. Great food and reasonably priced. They have tables out on the patio and beach where you can eat. It's alot of fun and a chance to mingle with locals and tourists both.
Sandy

From the site:
When will the Travel Initiative be implemented?

In the proposed implementation plan, which is subject to a period of initial public comment, the Initiative will be rolled out in phases, providing as much advance notice as possible to the affected public to enable them to meet the terms of the new guidelines. The proposed timeline will be as follows:

* December 31, 2006 – Requirement applied to all air and sea travel to or from Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda.
* December 31, 2007 – Requirement extended to all land border crossings as well as air and sea travel.

Thanks Karen !!

Thanks guys..I read on the website that Ikemerson provided that we will be fine with a birth certificate for now.

Christie

Just make sure that your birth certificate has a raised seal, and is not just a photocopy!

Yes Sue ours have the raised seal.We needed them when we went to Aruba.