George Town travel guide

 

 

 

An ideal place for family holiday-makers, diving amateurs and nature lovers, Cayman Brac is a tropical welcoming place. Due to its rainy season which lasts from the end of July through late October, Cayman Brac is preferred mainly during the winter time in Northern Hemisphere by the people who run away from cold and want to enjoy tropical weather, sandy beaches and snorkeling in sea water.

Located in a hurricane zone usually touched by some of them during the rainy season, The Cayman islands have a mild tropical temperature which doesn’t change much throughout the year. Cayman Brac lies in the middle of the Cayman islands, north of Grand Cayman, and owes its name to the Scottish fishermen in the seventeenth century, who named it Brac (meaning Bluff in Gaelic) when referring to the 42 metre-high flat headland which covers the eastern part of the island. Consequently, the inhabitants(around 1400) are called Brackers. The ‘capital’ is at Stake Bay which is just a settlement of a few inhabitants.

The island is, first of all, worth visiting for its abundance of exotic flora. The land here hosts a great variety of flowers, fruit trees and shrubs such as Cayman orchids, porciana trees, croton, hibiscus, aloe, sea grapes, cacti, coconut and cabbage plants. At the same time, the locals are great gardeners as show the many pumpkins, yams, cassava and breadfruit in their gardens in front or behind their traditional wooden cottages. Last but not least, Cayman Brac is the home of over fifty species of birds such as herons and wild green parrots.

Another point of attraction are the many caves which dot the limestone heights, or the Bluff. Of them, the most popular one is the Great Cave, the largest and deepest of all. It has a fair number of rooms and is guarded by many harmless bats which cling to the ceiling. The plateau can be visited by car on Ashton Reid Drive, a paved road leading to the top or you may hike up the Bluff if you are courageous enough, Once you have reached the summit you may enjoy the beautiful panorama of the island, and of course, the ocean.

The waters of Cayman Brac are also full of exotic wonders for nature lovers. Tropical fish, stingrays and other marine life.

There are many possibilities of entertainment in Cayman Brac especially for families with children starting with snorkeling in Stingray City dive site and ending with rowing in glass-bottom boats which allow not only seeing but also touching the rays. At the same time, a ride in one of the many submarines the island possesses may be taken. A ride on a special ship, a replica of a 17th century Spanish pirate ship called Jolly Roger may also me an alternative. There are also facilities for playing volley-ball, bowling and for movie-watching activities for which you may sign up in advance.

If you are a history lover or if the weather is unfriendly, you may pay a visit to the Cayman Brac Museum, a free of charge indoor attraction hosted in the former Government building and which contains Caymanian antiquities such as pieces from shipwrecks and other objects from the past centuries.

To do most of the above, you might be interested in taking one of the free guided tours run by a governmental guide. If you don’t want to be bothered you may do this by yourselves.But one thing is sure. You will not regret choosing Cayman Brac, a dreamlike holiday destination.