Given the clear warm sea it's no surprise that watersports predominate, the greatest variety being available on Grand Cayman. Scuba diving and snorkelling are by far the most popular; visibility can exceed 100 feet. There are numerous offshore reefs, and further out by boat lies the Cayman Trench, several miles deep and teeming with sealife. For those who prefer to stay dry, a glass-bottom boat or an air-conditioned submarine will shuttle sightseers down to this amazing world underwater.
There is as much to do on top of the water:
deep-sea fishing, bonefishing
on the flats around Little Cayman,
windsurfing
(especially good on the breezy East End of Grand Cayman),
jet skiing, parasailing, sailing
, and simply
swimming
or floating around on the salty sea. Children especially enjoy the
Grand Caymanturtle farm
where they can watch hatchlings and hold baby turtles.
For those who like to swing a
golf
club, Grand Cayman has well-maintained and challenging courses including The Links at Safehaven (greens fees US$60), an 18-hole, par 71 championship course. At the
Hyatt Regency
, the Britannia Golf Resort (greens fees US$40-90) is the only Jack Nicklaus-designed course in the Caribbean and is actually two courses in one: a par 58 executive-style, or short, course, and a par 70 championship course.
The sister islands offer some distinct nature-based sports. Cayman Brac sets itself apart from the other Caymans with the many
hiking trails
that criss-cross the island. Be sure to wear sturdy shoes as some of the trails are over sharp ironshore coral, and bring water as it's easy to get dehydrated in the heat. On the less strenuous side, there's excellent
birdwatching
on Little Cayman where the centre of the island is dominated by a mangrove swamp. The National Trust building is situated right on the swamp and has viewing decks complete with telescopes. The red-footed booby, black frigate and snowy egret are commonly seen here. If you're unfamiliar with tropical birds, the volunteers inside the Trust building will be happy to orient you.
