Expert: John Gump - 11/12/2008

Question
QUESTION: Do you have a particular company that you think would be best for a land tour of Grand Cayman. We are arriving on a cruise ship Dec 10/08. We have "met the Rays" on a tour in Grand turk so we are really intersted in a tour of the high-lights of the Grand Turk. If their are any guided walking tours of St George that would be great too.

Thank You
Helen

ANSWER: Hi Helen - thank you for your question.  Are you asking about Grand Turk or Grand Cayman?  I notice you mention Cayman and then Grand Turk.  If you're interested in Cayman, I can help, if you're interested in Grand Turk I cannot.  Let me know.  I'm more than happy to help for your Grand Cayman trip!

John


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: LOL I am looking for information on Grand Cayman... I have already experienced the swimming with rays (In Grand Turk)so I dont want to do that

ANSWER: Thanks Helen.  Okay, so you want to see Grand Cayman in a day.  Well, there's so much to see and do so what will give you the best bang for your buck depends on what you like most.  Not knowing this, let me offer a variety of options and then you can let me know what interests you most and then I can give you more detail.

As for tour operators, there are so many, it's difficult to really know which is best.  They're all about the same.  There are enough options that you don't need to book through the cruise ship and pay their upcharges.  However, you may actually get better service and a more personalized tour if you just hire a private taxi and ask the driver to show the highlights.  I'll break down some of your options by categories.  Let me know what you'd like more info about.  

Some of the operators there include:

Capt. Marvins
Buccaneer
Capt. Sotos
Nativeway


Beach Scene

Take a taxi to the Royal Palms restaurant and bar on 7 mile beach and relax on a gorgeous beach with gorgeous water

Go to Smith's Cove (very near downtown) and do some snorkeling.  Or go to the "aquarium" reef on 7 MB and snorkel.

Book a 3 hour trip on the Jolly Roger, a replica of an old pirate ship.  Usually includes drinks and a snack or lunch.  This can be a great time with a group.

City Tour

As for a tour of Georgetown, it's small enough that you can guide yourself around the myriad shops and restaurants.  

Nature

Go to the turtle farm in the North End.  You can hold baby sea turtles and see how this farm helps preserve the population of this species.

After your turtle farm tour, you're right near Hell.  Yes, Hell, Grand Cayman.  It's so named due to the formations of the land there that cover the area...they're a form of calcium deposits that over 1000's of years have grown up in ragged stalagmite shapes that people think look like what Hell might look like. There's a little gift shop there and a post office where you can mail postcards marked with Hell, Grand Cayman.

Visit the Botanical Gardens in the middle of the island, maybe a 20 minute drive from the pier.  A variety of plant life, birds, and blue iguanas can be seen.

Take a submarine ride down to about 100 ft.  Or, if you're very adventurous, take another sub down to 800 ft! Very expensive though for this last one.


Drive around the Island

You can take a drive around the whole island to visit some of the original towns including Bodden Town; the castle in Pedro St. James, visit the light house (great place for lunch); the east end (much more like cayman used to be 30 yrs ago before everything got so touristy), around the tip of the island through the town of Red Bay and eventually leading you out to Cayman Kai and Rum Point... a beautiful relaxing spot where you can walk out into the water probably 300 yds and it's only waist deep.  There's a restaurant/bar there, hammocks, music, etc.  It does get crowded if there are lots of cruise ships in port, but if you're the only ship or there's no more than 3 let's say, then it won't be as crowded.  You may also reach rum point by taking the ferry from the Hyatt and cross the north sound, about a 30 minute ride.  The drive around the island the long way around which I described would take about 1:15 hours if you didn't stop.  On the way back from Rum Point you can take the bypass with bisects the island and will cut 20-30 mins off your return trip to Georgetown.


Bar Scene

There are a number of bars/restaurants within walking distance of the pier that are fun and right on the water.  

I hope this helps some Helen.  Please let me know if you'd like more detail in any of these options.  Have a blast on your cruise!

John

p.s. - if you wouldn't mind, could you take a minute and provide me feedback on the site?  Your feedback helps me help you and others better in the future.  Thanks Helen.


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I would rent a car but I have heard the traffic in George town can be really bad if a lot of cruise ships are in. with lots of traffic and driving on the wrong side of the road sounds a bit scary. You mention taxi drivers... With stops at the turtle farm and the bodden pirate caverns and St james Pedro it would end up being a very expensive trip if the cabs keep the meter running while we are there like they do here.

So honestly how bad is the traffic... We live in Toronto so we are used to traffic jams and "road rage"


Answer
Hi Helen - yes, traffic in Georgetown can be bad...mainly s-l-o-w. Rush hour, between 8-9 am and 4:30-6pm can be awfully slow, but you should be in between these normal busy times.  If there are a ton of ships in, a lot of the problem is with pedestrians crossing the streets that slow things down along with all the cabs lining up for your business.  

Once you get out of Georgetown which isn't very big at all and you stay on main roads, traffic's okay...all depends on who you get behind.  As for left hand driving, it's not as bad as it sounds.  In all the years I've been going there I always rent a right-hand drive car, believe it or not it makes it way easier than if you had a left hand drive car.  The only "road rage" you'll see, if you see any, would be from impatient American (or Canadian) drivers.  All the locals are on "island time mon" and pretty much are used to the mess.  Do you happen to know how many other ships will be in port on your day?

As for taxi fees, many of them have pre-arranged pricing for hourly tours.  So it wouldn't be the meter running the whole time, just a flat rate that you can negotiate.  This would save the hassle of renting a car, getting a Cayman driver's license, etc.  

Does that help some?

John