Destination Suggestion?

[Steve_C]

Just an FYI for future reference, if you would like to go to an "off the beaten path out island" sometime, you don't have to take a propeller plane to get to Cayman Brac. Cayman Air has jet service to Brac twice a day from Grand Cayman. And during the high season you can fly directly to Brac from Miami, bypassing Grand Cayman.

There's not a lot to do on Brac but there is a small, interesting museum, wildlife preserves, Booby and Parrot sanctuaries. And although the bluff is at higher elevation for climbing, caving, and hiking, most of the habitation is in the flat areas and there is plenty of easy walking and bicycle riding. The people are friendly, they speak English and crime is very rare.

I understand that there are snorkeling sites but I haven't tried them. We usually stay at the Cayman Brac Beach Resort and there is a huge infinity pool and a lovely little beach for sitting and relaxing, but it is not a good swimming beach. There are other beaches on the island, including a very pretty public beach.

Interesting possibility. One of my sisters stayed there on her honeymoon and loved it. She was not a diver but is an avid snorkler. They had been a couple for 20 years before they married so they probably had time for lots of varied activites Did not realize you could fly directly. As a couple we are not a pack a dozen things a day in sort. A few interesting local activities suffices.

 

[KathyV]

Interesting possibility. One of my sisters stayed there on her honeymoon and loved it. She was not a diver but is an avid snorkler. They had been a couple for 20 years before they married so they probably had time for lots of varied activites Did not realize you could fly directly. As a couple we are not a pack a dozen things a day in sort. A few interesting local activities suffices.

Here's a few links about CB:

Cayman Brac video:
https://vimeo.com/165357805

Cayman Brac:
http://caribjournal.com/2015/09/15/journey-to-cayman-brac/

Cayman Brac free tours:
http://www.islands.com/free-tour-you-cant-miss-cayman-brac

 

[KeithG]

the OP may also want to rethink the "no propellers" rule as there are lots of smallish commuter turboprop planes in use for short haul flights. we routinely travel in a 50 seater dash 8 turboprop. this may eliminate many quaint destinations.

is teeny tiny planes the real issue? maybe the prop rule is really a "i want a stewardess" rule?

on our recent trip to utila we traveled in a tiny plane - 10 seater. about an 11 minute flight. it was perfectly fine. very safe and stable ride. captain angelo provided excellent personal service Roatan Flights | Island Air, Bay Islands Flights

 

[KeithG]

Here's a few links about CB:

Cayman Brac video:
https://vimeo.com/165357805

Cayman Brac:
http://caribjournal.com/2015/09/15/journey-to-cayman-brac/

Cayman Brac free tours:
http://www.islands.com/free-tour-you-cant-miss-cayman-brac

does cayman airways use their 737 jets or one of their newish saab340 turboprops for this flight?

 

[KathyV]

does cayman airways use their 737 jets or one of their newish saab340 turboprops for this flight?

Cayman Air flies 3 different aircraft into Brac. The 737 jets, the Saab Turboprops, and the Twin Otters. You can only fly the small Twin Otters in and out of Little Cayman.

Brac has a larger, more modern airport than Little Cayman and Cayman Air uses it as a mini-hub for flights to Cuba and other areas of the Caribbean. The price is the same no matter which aircraft you use but the luggage allowance may be better on the jet, especially for carry on bags. I think that our round trip flights from GC to CB in October were $110 US and the flights are 30 minutes or less.

The 737 jets go in and out daily in the morning and evening and they also bring supplies (and luggage) to Brac.

One nice feature offered by CA - and they do this on LC also - is that each person can pack a bag the day before you depart and they will pick it up at the resort (or you can drop it at the airport if you are renting a property) and it will be waiting for you when you arrive on GC the next day. We usually pack up our dive gear and get rid of it the night before leaving; it makes things a bit easier.

On the way home, when you are flying back from CB or LC, don't let the airport staff herd you into the long incoming immigration and customs lines with all the travelers newly arriving on GC. Go to the short line for returning citizens and tell them you are doing interisland transport and just arrived from Brac or Little. They will waive you through so you can pick up your luggage and then check in for the flight home.

If you are doing a 2-island Cayman trip and plan to rent cars on both islands, the first car rental company will issue a temporary driving permit ($20 I think). Be sure to save it because it is good for 30 days and you can use it on all 3 of the Cayman islands until it expires.

 

[KathyV]

Interesting possibility. One of my sisters stayed there on her honeymoon and loved it. She was not a diver but is an avid snorkler. They had been a couple for 20 years before they married so they probably had time for lots of varied activites Did not realize you could fly directly. As a couple we are not a pack a dozen things a day in sort. A few interesting local activities suffices.

I don't know what your budget is for your 50th Anniversary Trip but Le Soleil D'Or is supposed to be a fabulous but pricey resort on Brac. They have a 20 acre organic farm and serve farm to table food. Even if you don't stay there you might want to go to one of their restaurants for your anniversary dinner.

Cayman Island Resort | Le Soleil d'Or | Cayman Island Vacation

 

[Steve_C]

I don't know what your budget is for your 50th Anniversary Trip

We prefer to not spend more than we have to, and are not into several thousand a day penthouses, but we are assuming that lodging well go several hundred a day. Sort or good quality lodging on a good cruise prices. But I prefer being on land and getting to know an area and doing more diving rather than cruising.

 

[rmssetc]

My nondiving wife and I are thinking of going to the Carribean for a few days to celebrate our 50th. We are looking for a laid back trip.

-Some convenient and easy diving for me to do. I like reefs and shallow wrecks to watch critters
-No prop planes. She almost got taken out on one once and does not do props. As she puts it, she wants real planes.
-Preferably not a boat ride after we get off the plane.
-Hills are nice for scenery but she has some orthopedic issues so walking and sightseeing on foot should be pretty flat.
-Some nearby land stuff to see: gardens, historical stuff, nature, little shopping, maybe some wildlife
-Nice convenient beaches
-Low crime rate. Every place has some crime but some places tend to have more than others.
-Friendly people.
-Nice accomodations. Does not have to be 5 star but appreciate nice surrounds and service and food.
-Not an island we have been to before so that rules out: Caymans, Cozumel, St. Thomas, St. Johns, Antiqua, Bahammas (Nassau), Puerto Rico, Jamaica, Bermuda.

Any suggestions? One thought I had was St. Croix seemed a possible fit at first glance. Any experience with that?

St Martin/Sint Maarten. I can't speak personally about the diving (though that's where I did DSD almost 30 years ago), but there's probably somewhere on the internet where you can ask about diving there.

It does meet most of your other items. The following are my recollections from a couple of past visits, and they place may have changed (don't they all...):

• Direct jet flights from the US, no boats needed to get around the island.
• Nice hills accessible via car -- great views of rain forest & ocean. Distinctly varied climate & scenery on different parts of the island.
  
• Shopping, a little history, distinct cultural differences on the Dutch vs French sides are interesting, and some great food.
• Great beaches
• Crime rate? I dunno...better than some, worse than others.
• Friendly people? Maybe...
• Lots of nice resorts

 

[KathyV]

We prefer to not spend more than we have to, and are not into several thousand a day penthouses, but we are assuming that lodging well go several hundred a day. Sort or good quality lodging on a good cruise prices. But I prefer being on land and getting to know an area and doing more diving rather than cruising.

We enjoy the Cayman Brac Beach Resort, it is a small, clean, diver-dedicated, all-inclusive resort. The food is served buffet style but it is very good. Reef Divers is the onsite dive op and they offer packages with 2 or 3 dives per day.

Night dives are offered a couple of times a week for an extra charge, and if the weather cooperates they offer a 2-tank trip over to Little Cayman for an extra fuel charge ($25 or $35) to dive Bloody Bay Wall. The resort includes a small spa, a tiny gym, tennis and basketball courts, bicycles that guests can use at no charge, and nightly entertainments around the beach bar - Bingo night is a lot of fun!

Prices are in $USD and almost everything is included in their package price, hotel taxes and service charges, airport transfers, accommodations, food, and diving. Some of the packages include 3 drinks per night but I haven't tried that option. The only extras are dive op tips, spa services, etc. We usually rent a car for a day to explore the island.

There are other condo and rental properties on the island and another dive op called the Brac Scuba Shack. There are not a lot of places to eat but a there are a few. Since you are only going for a few days, CBBR would be an easy "turn key" type of trip, but @vincent54 can tell you more about the island. He likes to rent properties and tanks and enjoys shore diving.

 

[KathyV]

Just a couple of more suggestions for Cayman travel and then I will shut up! If you find that you have a long layover in GCM (like you took the morning jet back from Brac but your connecting flight home doesn't leave until later in the afternoon) the George Town Yacht Club offers a free shuttle from the airport every 15 minutes - or grab a cab, they are only a few minutes away. They open at 8:30 am on the weekends and 11 am on weekdays, see the link below.

They have a very good restaurant that is owned by the same people that run the Cracked Conch and Macabuca on GC. So you can enjoy good food and drinks in a lovely location instead of sitting around the airport. They even have a pool that is popular with folks traveling with children; but be sure to leave enough time to get back to the airport because the security lines can get long and slow on weekends.
GEORGE TOWN YACHT CLUB

Another comment, if you like to pick up a bottle of duty-free liquor at the airport before you leave your home or connecting airport, pack it carefully in your luggage before checking in for Brac. You will have to go through security at GCM before traveling to Brac or Little (I hope they fix that when the airport renovations are completed!) and Security will confiscate your bottle because it is greater than 3 ounces, even if it is sealed and labelled duty-free. They don't care about your bottle when arriving on GC but they won't let it through security on the way to CB or LC. There are liquor stores in the departure lounge at GCM but they will only sell to international travelers, not interisland transit. Flying directly to Brac from Miami eliminates this issue.

There are liquor stores on Brac but they are closed on Sundays and alcohol is expensive in the Caymans. At the CBBR they have a large ice machine for guest use behind the bar. Most of the rooms have small refrigerators but if you didn't get one just ask and they will bring it to your room.

Have fun!