Grand Cayman is known for its beautiful beach resorts, top tier snorkeling and delicious food. At first glance it could look impossible to enjoy the island on a budget, but don’t despair! Cayman is for all budgets, if you know where to look.
Take it from a local that is not swimming in cash, you can have the time of your life in Cayman without spending a fortune! In fact, you’ll probably have more fun than our friends spending thousands over at the beach resorts.
Here you’ll find a list of 15 local approved activities that will give you the tropical vacation you’ve been dreaming of without breaking the bank!
- Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park
Spend one minute in Cayman and you’ll know there are plenty of beautiful beaches and ocean views, but the island’s flora and fauna are just as stunning. Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park is the perfect place to see it all up close!
Tickets will only cost you about 20 Caymanian dollars which is about $25 USD.
The garden is split into separate loops, so you can choose to stay for a short stroll, or make a day of it! If you go this route, consider packing a lunch and taking a break at the picnic tables by the water! This is also one of the few places where you can see an endangered Blue Iguana, which are very hard to spot in the wild.
- Cayman Farmers Market
If you’re like me and you like to stray from the typically touristy attractions and get more of a sense for local culture, the Cayman Farmers Market is a great option!
The fresh fruit is the main event. There are tons of options that would typically be pretty spendy, like star fruit and ramadan, but in Cayman you can find them at a fraction of the cost!
One of the booths sells a coconut oil bug repellent that I encourage everyone to buy! It works like a charm and isn’t nearly as stinky as your regular bug spray.
Scotch bonnets are delicious peppers that are popular locally, so if you’re going to be doing any cooking during your stay I’d recommend trying them out! They have a unique spice without leaving too much of a lingering burn in your mouth.
Zippys smoothies
While you’re at the market, stop by Zippys for a made-to-order-fresh-as-it-gets smoothie! They have a huge selection and the staff is always very friendly.
If you’re looking for something sweet, they sell local dark honey that is definitely splurge-worthy.
There are also a lot of healthy and protein packed options to get you powered up for the day’s adventures!
- Cayman Islands Humane Society
For all the animal lovers out there, the humane society is a great option for a unique activity. You can walk-in anytime during their hours and see if there are any dogs that could use a walk!
Talk about a win-win! You get to spend time with an adorable pooch, and you can feel good knowing you helped the humane society out.
- Beach day at Smith’s barcadere
There’s plenty of beach options in Cayman. It’s a given that you’ve got to do a full beach day during your stay, and you can’t really go wrong with the beach you choose, but my top pick would be Smith’s barcadere. It’s my recommendation for a few reasons:
- Picnic tables and bbqs- A lot of beaches in cayman have a few picnic tables, but smith’s barcadere has more than usual, and it is less popular so you are much more likely to get a good table and bbq.
- The snorkeling is great – there is an awesome natural cove at smiths barcadere that feels almost like a swimming pool with how perfectly shaped it is! The cove makes the waves less choppy, making it the perfect place to try snorkeling for the first time. You have a good chance of seeing some interesting fish and coral here without too much of a crowd!
- The sunset is beautiful there- It’s not hard to spot a beautiful sunset in Grand Cayman but the sunsets at Smith’s Barcadere are some of my favourites. Just take a look at the picture above!
6. Get a sticky toffee latte
Sticky toffee is a classic Cayman dessert, but I -almost – prefer the latte over the real thing! I’m a big coffee person, but the sticky toffee latte sold at Paperman’s coffee is something you should do even if you’re not typically a big fan. My husband is a tea drinker, but he is right there with me singing this latte’s praises!!
It’s the perfect balance of sweet and bitter, with caramel and cinnamon flavor. Paperman’s is a popular coffee house on the island with several locations. If your vacationing, you’ll most likely be closest to the West Bay road location.
trust me, you’ll want to order a large!!
7. Check Out Another Chance Thrift
I’m a pretty dedicated thrift shopper so you can trust me when I say I know from experience the best Cayman thrift shop!
Another Chance Thrift is a little tricky to find, as it doesn’t show up on google maps. But if you are wrapping up your sticky toffee latte from Papermans on west bay road, all you have to do is climb the stairs right outside the door and go to your left at the top. Another Chance is just a few shops down.
For how small the store is, I’m always shocked at how much I can find and the quality of what I find. I can guarantee you if you look for long enough you can find some real gems here.
8. Go shell hunting
This is another instance where straying from the beaten path is going to make all the difference. You can find AMAZING shells in Cayman if you know where to look. So where should you look? The answer is simple: look anywhere that other people aren’t looking. (how many times can I say look in one sentence?)
You can find decent shells on popular beaches like 7 mile, but if you go off road you’ll be much more lucky. You can definitely find a massive conch shell with stunning colour pretty easily.
You’ll want to look for somewhere that has access to the edge of the water but isn’t a beach with sand you could lay a towel out on. Walk along the rocks and explore a bit and you are bound to find huge shells that are intact and colorful.
Consider bringing along a bucket or sifter to make the process quicker!
Up above is a picture of a shell I found just sitting on the ground while on a walk with my husband.
9. Snorkel!
This is one instance where the tourists have it right! Cayman has amazing snorkeling. The water is clear and there are opportunities to see starfish, turtles, fish and more!
Anywhere you go will be a blast. You can’t really go wrong as far as location. If you want my recommendations, consider checking out Starfish Point, Spotts beach or Cemetery beach.
10. See a shipwreck
There are a couple shipwrecks right off the Cayman coast. It’s a really unique experience to be able to swim out and see them up close!
Check out the wreck of the Gamma. It’s a little tricky to get in the water, so use caution. You’ll have to climb over some iron shore rocks, which can be sharp.
Once you get in, the shipwreck is very close and you can swim right up to it. You don’t even need scuba gear because the wreck pokes right out of the water! So cool!
There are plenty more shipwrecks and interesting submerged things to check out in Cayman, but almost all of them would require scuba gear. Wreck of the gamma is a great option for anyone who doesn’t want that big investment to still see an awesome shipwreck.
11. Stingray city
Stingray city is a MUST! If you’re an animal lover this will be a life changing excursion for you. It will cost a bit to get you out there, but it couldn’t be more worth it.
In Cayman you can pay to hitch a ride out to stingray city. It’s about a 15 minute boat ride out to a sandbar where the water is shallow enough to stand in. The water is stunningly clear blue!
There are tons of stingray that hang out here that you can interact with. I recommend purchasing some squid to feed them. You will definitely be very popular if you have snacks! You can hold the sting ray gently in your arms, give them a kiss, dive under the water and swim with them, and more! I could spend hours hanging out at stingray city.
If you have your squid, you can have 10 or more stingray swimming right around you!
A lot of stingray city packages will come with snorkeling excursions as well. There is a beautiful reef very close to the stingrays where you can see exotic fish and starfish.
A tour out there can be anywhere from $60-$80. Again, I can’t stress how worth the price it will be!!
12. Czech inn grill
Want to eat where the locals eat? Czech inn grill is a very uniquely Cayman experience, serving much more than just Czech food.
The grill is out in Bodden town on the south side of the island. The energy is eclectic, almost chaotic in the best way possible!
The owner George is a character and very fun to interact with. I would strongly recommend getting the mussels to start off with.
Everything is amazing, but my husband and I will always swear by the schnitzels.
13. Hack the beach resort amenities!
I’m going to let you in on a little hack I learned when I first moved to Cayman.
In the beginning, my beach day game was not on point. I didn’t even have a beach towel! I always envied the people with access to the resort beach chairs and umbrellas.
But here’s the secret, all you have to do is buy one little snack or iced coffee, and these resorts will give you total access to beach amenities!
If you spend $6 on a coffee, you can have that coveted chair and umbrella. Beach day is immediately elevated!
This is just one more reason to go with the cheapest accommodations you can find. It won’t keep you from your luxurious beach umbrella experience!
My favorite place to do this is The Kimpton, for a couple reasons. Their food and drinks are really good, the staff is friendly and there are a ton of chairs, so it’s no trouble to find chairs for a group, or give yourself a cushion if you want privacy.
14. Macabuca
Macabuca is such a fun and unique experience. You’ve got to eat, so might as well kill two birds with one stone and get your food and a fun swim all in one!
It could be confusing to find because when you search for Macabuca it will come up as the Cracked Conch. Don’t worry. It’s the same place, same parking lot. For Macabuca you’ll just go around the back of the building to the patio seating.
I give Macabuca’s food an enthusiastic 10/10! I’ve always had a great experience with the food and the staff. But what makes this place unique is that you can climb down a ladder right into the ocean from their patio seating!
So wear your swimsuit under your clothes, place your order and then go for a swim while you wait for your food!
Even if you’re not swimming, Macabuca is perfect if you’re looking for dinner and a beautiful view!
15. Plastic free cayman
If you’re looking for something fun that will make you feel great, try volunteering for Plastic Free Cayman!
Plastic Free Cayman does a plastic cleanup once a month. It’s a great way to give back! There are a lot of very friendly people that meet up there every month.
It’ll be hot, and you’ll get sweaty, but it’s such a fun environment and amazing to see how quickly places get cleaned up!
It’s completely free, they provide clean up materials and it is a great way to get to see the eclectic culture in Cayman.
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