Saturday, June 7, 2008

Great Diving At the Little Cayman

May 15-21, 2008 I accompanied my world adventuring gal-pal Sonya on a SCUBA diving expedition off of Little Cayman in the British West Indies. (For Pictures, scroll to the Slideshow at the bottom of this page.)

I did some of the best diving of my life in Bloody Bay (northwest shore of Little Cayman) in 20 to 110 feet of water. The rugged coral shelf of the northern side of the island holds just enough sand and soft coral to support a rich ecosystem, and so little silt as to provide the greatest underwater visibility I have ever enjoyed (easily 100 feet). I highly recommend both Grand Cayman and Little Cayman. Fun facts to help the traveler:


Best of Grand Cayman

- Full of Beans (Passadora Place, Georgetown) Contemporary Miami Fusion. Does everything well and at the optimal price point. Coffee. Baked goods. Fresh lunches. Soup. This is the place to relax, talk, enjoy the art, music and laid back mid-century modern decor.
- Ristorante Pappagallo (West Bay) Italian/Caribbean fusion. Fine dining in a mangrove setting replete with tropical birds and a thatch roof. A wonderful alternative to the generic beach hotel restaurant.
- BED - (7 mile Beach) Grand Cayman's version may prevent patrons from reclining, per other franchises . . . but the food and wine is so good, you won't miss it.
- Regazzi (Georgetown) Tuscan Italian Grill. Regazzi would seem to have the best wine list and appetizers on Grand Cayman. The variety of flavors and their beautiful presentation make this restaurant a must-visit. Try the melon and proscuitto appetizer and flatbread pizza.
- Casanova (Georgetown by the port) Traditional Italian. Comfort food away from home.
- Courtyard Marriott Breakfast Buffet (7 mile Beach). The best place to eat your own weight in food.
Activities:
- Moby Dick's boat trip to Stingray City cannot be missed. I don't care how many aquariums you've seen and how jaded you are . . . when you hand feed 100 stingrays begging like puppies, it will change your perspective on the world. Go in fair weather for the best pictures and experience.
- Photo from Hell. The ultimate in Caribbean kitsch. Makes a good souvenir and a funny story.
- Shore diving from "Sunset", "Eden Rock", "East End." There's no need for an elaborate SCUBA expedition, there's plenty to see directly off the "iron shore." Outfitters are situated at both locations for convenient entrance and egress. The most important advice: end a dive 22 hours before approaching a plane.

Best of Little Cayman
- Pirate's Point Beach Resort handily beats all other hotels on the island for the best and most creative cuisine on Little Cayman.
- Little Cayman Beach Resort has a great buffet three times a day. The food is good, sometimes better than others, but the prices shock and awe. You are very likely to spend as much on food as lodging at this resort. For the convenience of professional state of the art diving boats and an A+ crew, I must recommend them despite the expense.

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