CaymanReefResort on 7Mi.?

[bikini]

I'll be staying at the Cayman Reef Resort on 7 mile beach next year at spring break, what are things to do close by?
Should I rent a car?
Is there a better choice of dive operators to choose from that don't have so many people on the boat?
Someone so far has suggested Neptune divers, is this a good choice and if so how far ahead of time must I book this boat? Is diving the North Wall worth it as I thought Neptune doesn't go there?
Is the "Barefoot man" worth seeing and where is this on Grand Cayman?

 

[chibracdiver]

We have stayed at the Cayman Reef Resort for the past three years. Great place, located in central 7MB. One property down from the Royal Palms beach bar, just a short walk from the Marriott and close to shopping and restaurants on West Bay Road.

The units are nicely appointed, but not fancy. Good views and great beach. It gets a little crowded when the cruise ships are in, but the snorkeling right out in front is great.

On Wed, Fri and Sat the Royal Palms will be jumping with live music. Reggae night is Friday and dance mix is Sat. If I recall correctly Wed. is euro techno trash night. Horrible garbage. If you are a light sleeper, opt for the east or southern building. Our unit in July was oceanfront, almost overlooking the bar. Great on Fri and Sat, horrible on Wed.

We never rent a car, stuck in traffic here in Chicago, not going to be stuck in it on vacation. Cabs are not that expensive and we stay pretty much on the beach, dive boat, or ocean so we have no need for one. The dive shops will either pick you up on the beach or by shuttle. Check out Indigo Divers for a small boat that dives the North Wall. Yes, the North Wall is worth it. I gave up diving the west side a few years ago. The west side OPs seem to cater to the cruise ship divers more as the travel time is reduced. Over dove, can't wait for them to sink the Kittiwake, if they ever do.

Haven't seen the Barefoot Man in years. He has a gig out east and doesn't venture back west from what I have been told.

Hope this helps. Enjoy.

 

[billinwilliamston]

I'll be staying at the Cayman Reef Resort on 7 mile beach next year at spring break, what are things to do close by?
Should I rent a car?
Is there a better choice of dive operators to choose from that don't have so many people on the boat?
Someone so far has suggested Neptune divers, is this a good choice and if so how far ahead of time must I book this boat? Is diving the North Wall worth it as I thought Neptune doesn't go there?
Is the "Barefoot man" worth seeing and where is this on Grand Cayman?

The value of the Barefoot Man is in the eyes of the beholder. We saw him a while back and he reminded us of a cross between Jimmy Buffett, Al Yankovic and a junior high school boys locker room. I know other people just love his act and actually plan their vacations around it. He plays at the Reef Resort (no relation to where you're staying) out in Colliers(East End). Driving wise, it is about as far away from where you're staying as you can get.

Here's a link to the Reef's entertainment schedule: Grand Cayman Beach Resort | The Reef's Entertainment Schedule and a link to the directions from the airport:Grand Cayman Travel | Directions to The Reef

They refer to a "leisurely 45 minutes" from the airport, which is true most of the time. The exception is afternoon rush hour. The trip from town out to the East End then is anything but leisurely.

 

[divesergeant]

Hi Bikini,

Glad you asked this, as we're staying there in February and it'll be great to read what folks say about the place.

The North Wall is worth it. We dove there many times with Neptune's Divers and it is beautiful. Casey and the crew run a good operation.

We usually rent a Jeep from Cayman Auto Rental because we like to travel around the island and do shore dives. If you'll be staying in the SMB area you'll likely be fine without a car. If you want to go sightseeing, you can always rent one for a day

BFM is a cute act, if a bit sophomorish. Still, I have to confess that I have several of his albums. His earlier material is, I think, better, but he still makes you smile.


DS

 

[caymaniac]

I think you'll like where you're staying, I've seen it before but never stayed there. If it's really busy the week you are there you might not want to rent a vehicle as I think it will be Easter week and the driving gets crazy. The Barefoot man, ...only if you really really want to go as it's on the other end of the Island. Neptune is good, Indigo, wall to wall, ect. - lots to choose from but I would make reservations for that week ahead of time.

 

[scuba_drum]

I cannot say enough about Chris and Kate at Indigo, first class all the way. Tell them Dwayne sent you their direction! We had a blast a week or so ago with them!

 

[Nicholas Harvey]

Bikini, we just got back from 2 weeks on GCM, we settled on Neptune Divers a few years back after trying out many different operations over the past 10 years. We did 26 dives with them on this trip, we went to west, north wall and south side as conditions changed with weather. Keith and Casey have always taken us to different sites, north wall (well worth it) when it opens up (we normally go in Nov when conditions aren't usually good for north), they give you plenty of bottom time (not true of most of the "bigger" operatiions), they don't market to cruise shippers and small groups (8 max I think). Cannot recommend them highly enough.
Have fun!