Grand Cayman Must See:
Places and Things

There 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 are labors of love by enterprising individuals or families and both worth the short time it takes to visit.

Grand Cayman Must See Places – Hell and Pirate Caves

Grand Cayman must see, the devil's post office at Hell

Hell, one of the more famous Grand Cayman attractions, 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 (‘I’ve been through Hell in Grand Cayman’) slogans. The place is generally busy and the customer service cheerful — as you’d expect from a tongue-in-cheek devil’s hangout.

Visitors often mistake the ironshore, which makes up so much of grand cayman island, for a volcanic rock. It certainly looks like it’s been molten and then set in sharp, burned spikes. Geologists say it’s not volcanic but limestone and a rock called dolomite eroded by seawater and minute tropical creatures and, while normally I always disbelieve ‘experts’, in this case they’ve had plenty of time to check it out so they must be right.

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.

Grand Cayman must see, tree frog at the Pirates Caves

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, all identified with name tags (unlike many at the Botanic Gardens) 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.

QE II Botanic Gardens

Another Grand Cayman must see 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 of volunteers dedicated to preserving the island’s heritage. We liked the Botanic gardens so much we gave them their own page.

Pedro St. James or Pedro Castle

Grand Cayman must see, interior of Pedro St. James 'castle'

Another Grand Cayman must see is Pedro St James or Pedro’s Castle. 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. It’s definitely one of the more tasteful attractions in Grand Cayman.

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.

Grand Cayman must see, dining room at Pedro Castle

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.

It’s about ten minutes drive from George Town, down a quiet residential street, at the eastern end of the South Sound area.

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.

Other Grand Cayman attractions you must see are featured on our pages Sandbar and Stingray City.

Another ‘must-see’ is the cruise ships when they all arrive in George Town harbour.

For other Grand Cayman attractions, visit the Cayman Activity Guide site here.

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