March 2023

A wealthy mini-society crammed onto a tiny island.

The Cayman Islands receive rave reviews from the millions of cruise ship tourists that spend a few hours here throughout the year. Few tourists stay longer than this, as we did. We rented a room in the cheapest AirBnB on the island, which was still expensive, and hitchchiked and took public transport to get around for the week.

Truth be told, Grand Cayman is quite beautiful, but too crowded and... opulent. There are luxury homes, expensive cars, and giant boats everywhere. The culture is cocktails and shopping, more than beach sports or nature. Traffic is horrendous, as an influx of people and vehicles has overcrowded the island, and plans are underway to continue cutting down mangroves to build more and more society. The island is, sadly, becoming a crowded, uber-expensive city where only the rich and famous will soon be able to visit.

However, there are still a few gems hidden on the island. The farthest point of Barker's National Park is a quiet and pretty area at sunset, with good birdlife. The stingray colony in the harbor, only accessible via a cheesy boat tour, is surprisingly worthwhile, and, in my opinion, a peak travel experience. Where else can you stand in waist-deep water miles offshore playing with enormous stingrays?

The Caymans are worth a visit, even if short. It's worth staying a few days, but not much longer. Plan your trip, take advantage of the public transport, and enjoy this little island territory.