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Grand Cayman Must See: Places and ThingsThere are some smaller Grand Cayman must see places. These are low key spots, not the blockbuster events to brag to your friends about, but things that make you smile. For example, big corporations undoubtedly do the best events -- I wouldn't personally go undersea in a family built and run
submarine,
but I'm a sucker for the individual touch a private owner brings to tourist spots. Two that worked for me were, Hell with its busy Post Office, and The Pirate Caves. Both labors of love by enterprising individuals or families and both worth the short time it took to visit.
Hell is a patch of bare ironshore, with cutout wooden devils, you view from a deck and a Post office selling T-shirts, postcards, and regular holiday bric-a-brac all emblazoned with Hell-themed slogans. The place is generally busy and the customer service cheerful -- as you'd expect from a tongue-in-cheek devil's hangout.
Another 'tongue-in-cheek' Grand Cayman must see is the Pirate Caves in Bodden Town, the old capital. Car parking is restricted as the entrance, flanked by guns from the Wreck of HMS Convert, is right off the main highway through town. The caves themselves require some agility to manage the steps down and flexibility to explore their outer reaches. Despite all that, and the fact it's aimed at children rather than adults, it's on my Grand Cayman must see list.
Other parts of the Pirate Caves site include a petting zoo, with a very pushy horse, and a short nature trail. The trees and shrubs on the trail are much better marked than the ones at the Botanic Gardens so, if you're interested in local flora, this is a good place to start.
The whole site is the size of a large backyard, a yard with a surprising amount of different trees and shrubs, so you won't spend all your day learning about trees. There'll be plenty of time left to get back to the bright lights and bars, or diving and snorkeling, whatever your pleasure is. One warning however, because, like Hell, it's also on ironshore the ground is very uneven so be wary if you're not too steady on your feet. This tree frog has no trouble with vertical planes, he was steady as a rock.
Another spot you must visit isn't exactly privately owned but nor is it a big corporation. The
Botanic Park
is owned and managed by the Cayman islands National Trust -- a not-for-profit organization dedicated to preserving the island's heritage. We liked the Botanic gardens so much we gave them their own page.
Another Grand Cayman must see is
Pedro St James.
Where Hell and the Pirates Caves make you smile, this lovingly restored Planter's home makes you nostalgic for a golden age of elegant good taste, which probably never existed but should have done.
The house has had an interesting history. Built along the lines of other Caribbean 'great houses' in 1780 by William Eden, an early settler, it was abandoned about a hundred years later when the family fortunes ran out. It stayed empty, apart from occasional interlopers, until 1954, when it was converted into a touristy 'castle' hotel and restaurant. In 1970, the 'castle' burned down and had to be restored -- until a hurricane and fire damaged it again in the 1980's. The Cayman Islands government bought the house and grounds in 1991 and restored them both. This time it was devastated by Hurricane Ivan and the property has been re-restored to its present beautiful condition.
Admission also includes a neat video and light show that tells the story of Pedro St. James and, in doing so, tells much about the history of Grand Cayman. After all, for a century, this was the 'big house' on Cayman, the center of all that was going on in government and commerce. With seven acres of gardens, an ocean view, and a restaurant for relaxing, Pedro St. James is a perfect way to spend a quiet vacation day and a real Grand Cayman must see.
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Entrance to the house and grounds is US$8 per adult from 9 am to 5 pm. Your entrance fee includes a guided tour, in our case by a descendent of the original family that once owned it. It's about ten minutes drive from
