Grand Cayman or St. John
 

Has anyone been to both? I've been to Grand Cayman a few times and found a good deal to St. John. We love snorkelling and scuba. Is the snorkelling in St. John as good as Grand Cayman? It sounds like the bugs are worse in St. John, but we could adapt as it sounds gorgeous. Could someone please compare the two that has been there? Thanks for the help!

I have been to both and have lived in one. St. John is a gorgeous place, Cayman is not. That sums it up in a sentence. St. John has beautiful scenery, nature walks and such, Cayman has Burger King and big supermarkets. The scuba is much better in Cayman. Snokeling? It's not so great in either place. Since you have been to Cayman already, go for St. John. You may find a new favorite there.

I have been to both with my husband. We enjoyed both islands very much and will definitely return to both, however they are a bit different. Grand Cayman is a relatively flat, dry island with not much scenery on the island itself, however the beaches and water are pristine and wonderful for snorkeling. It is also a very safe island. There are plenty of good restaurants, although they are relatively expensive, as is the food at the grocery stores. If you are interested in a hotel, I would recommend the Westin, however for Grand Cayman I think it is preferable to stay at one of the many condos that are on Seven Mile Beach, especially those north of the Westin. Grand Cayman is a frequent cruise ship stop, so Georgetown tends to be crowded with tourists in when the ships are in. Also, if you rent a car, you need to time your travels to avoid Georgetown during "rush hour" ... not enough roads to accomodate. Other than that, we really enjoyed it.<BR><BR>St. John has been one of our most favorite vacation destinations. We stayed at Caneel Bay which was quite a splurge and treat for us, but there are many other alternatives for more reasonable accomdodations. The beaches are beautiful and the island is very scenic and hilly. Much of the island is National Park Land, so there are plenty of hiking trails. The snorkeling is also excellent. There is one main small town, Cruz Bay, which has a handful of casual restaurants and shops. There is also a nice French (?) restaurant on the top of one of the mountains, and nice restaurants at Caneel Bay. We also found St. John to be a relatively safe island. I would recommend a jeep to get around because of the very hilly roads.<BR><BR>Because St. John is more lush than Grand Cayman, there may be more bugs than Grand Cayman, however, I have gotten bit on both islands by those "noseeum" bugs when I haven't been diligent with the bug lotion. Also, both islands have virtually no night life ... On Grand Cayman, there may be a bit more to do in the evening because there are more restaurants, there are the lounges at the Hyatt and Westin, and a Hard Rock Cafe in town, but it is still pretty quiet. We found the snorkeling to be excellent at both, but Grand Cayman may be better for scuba diving. <BR><BR>Let me know if you have any other questions.

Thank you so much for the information. I think we are leaning toward St. John now. I found a really good deal at the Westin for 6 nights plus airfare and transfers ($800), but I've read some not-so-great things about it. Have either of you seen the property?

I was at the Westin and it is very nice. The pool is huge and also very nice. Landscaping is wonderful and the location is great. The beach is not good at all. Murkey and full of seaweed. It was and is man made beach. I would stay there. You are getting a good deal, otherwise I would recomend you rent a villa. I cannot comment on the rooms cause I never seen them. We stayed in a villa up the street and spent a day at the Westin.

I pretty much agree with Jesse about the Westin - very nice except the murky water. The beach is actually OK to sit and sunbathe on. There are so few hotels on St. John that the Westin is a good choice despite the water, if the price is right - just do your ocean swimming elsewhere.<BR>Other choices are limited to Caneel Bay (big bucks), villa rentals, a couple of very modest inns in Cruz Bay, and campgrounds. Most of the villas will require a drive to a nice beach, so you're no worse off at the Westin in that respect.<BR>It's really a beautiful island.<BR>