Grand Cayman vs Little Cayman vs Provo for mixed group?

[qwimjim]

Hi everyone, considering taking a trip with some friends in March. None of them dive, a few snorkel. They've all be to Cuba to an AI at some point in their lives and everyone wants to try something different. I just want to dive We want to rent a big house or condo on the beach that has a pool, etc, we'll be a group of around 10, don't mind a quiet island because frankly everyone is just going to get some sun, swim, relax, and hang out with friends. We will be cooking all of our own meals, no need for restaurants.

I've read I don't know how many threads now and the places that keep coming up are Little Cayman which is apparently the best diving in the Caribbean. Grand Cayman and Provo often seem to be top 5. Cozumel for the best value boat diving and Bonaire for the best value period for critter and shore diving lovers. I just got back from Cozumel and Bonaire is out because it doesn't interest me. I like marine life, big and plentiful, I'm not a critter/macro type.

Little Cayman: Not finding a ton of houses to rent, how are the beaches on Little Cayman? Is it really an island only for divers, would my friends show up and think "this beach sucks why are we here?"?

Grand Cayman: Always seems to be highly regarded, but everyone always says "Grand Cayman west side is so-so, Grand Cayman east end is great, but Little Cayman blows it all away". So if staying on LC is not a good option I could do a week in Grand Cayman with the group then hop over to Little Cayman for a couple of days before heading home. I know SMB is nice, but the best diving is in the east right? What are the beaches like there?

Provo Turks & Caicos: Grace Bay Beach looks absolutely stunning, I've read the diving in West Caicos and French Cay is better than Grand Cayman but not as good as Little Cayman. Visibility not as good? Walls deeper/less bottom time? Longer boat rides? But more sharks?


So is that about right? I'd really like to make LC or GC or a combo GC/LC trip work because I've read so many good things about LC.. but I'm worried the beach might disappoint those that have been to Cuba. And I'm not entirely sure how Provo/West Caicos/French Cay rank because they don't get mentioned as much. Any insight would be greatly appreciated as always!

 

[mikeycanuk]

That's a tough list. I think your friends are going to get a $$$ shock from Cuba to Cayman prices. We've done Cayman Brac and stayed at a great house with an amazing private reef but no beach. Provo has a great beach, amazing dive sites but they are a few hours away and you'll be back around 3pm. Saw a reef shark on every dive it seemed (west caicos/french cay).

 

[Alvida]

The diving in Little Cayman is fantastic, but if you're not in Little Cayman to dive, there is not a lot else to do. You can kayak, cycle and bird-watch, but that's about it. The beaches are fairly limited there. They exist, but it's not a play on the beach kind of place. The other issue in Little Cayman is food. The grocery store is not well-stocked and food is quite expensive. If you do go there and plan to make your own meals. I suggest filling a cooler with food and taking it with you. The restaurant The Hungry Iguana is nice and offers a good variety, but if you are determined to cook, bring your own fresh fruit, veggies and meat. I don't want to sound discouraging because we loved our trip to LC, but we went to dive. I think your friends may be let down.

 

[qwimjim]

We're a group that isn't looking for much else to do. Biking, kayaking, swimming, snorkeling, reading a book, cooking, drinking, eating. That's pretty much it, no shopping or restaurants. But it looks like LC might not be suitable if we can't get proper groceries. In which case it would be down to GC and Provo I guess

On GC, where's the best/nicest beach where I can get picked up by east end dive ops?

 

[navi_jen]

On GC, I really like the East End/Northside. Starting from Ocean Frontiers (just south of Gun Bay) to Cayman Kai public beach (west of Old Man Bay), there are some very nice houses for rent...big ones that will fit a group your size. You won't find a Seven Mile beach type in this section of GC, there is a good stretch of sandy beach near The Reef heading south, and west of Old Man Bay...they remainder are pocket beaches, beach/ironshore or just plain ironshore....depends upon the locale.

To give an idea of distance you're 5 minutes from Ocean Frontiers to The Reef, maybe 10-15 minutes from Old Man Bay to Ocean Frontiers. And 20 minutes from Rum Point to Ocean Frontiers. Good snorkeling at the Reef as well as Rum Point. Lots of windsurfing at Collier's point, (just East of The Reef) and IIRC, you can rent kayaks at Rum Point. And some very good local places to eat (Miss Vivenne's, Kurt's Corner, Rankin's, Nadine's, Captain Herman's) on this neck of the woods....

There is a big Foster's in Savannah where you can do all your grocery shopping (IIRC, there is liquor store in the same complex) and a surprisingly well stocked/mini-mart sized Fosters across from The Reef/Morritt's for those 'oops, I need more eggs' moments. And 'Over the Edge' restaurant in Old Man Bay is very laid back, tasty food and gorgeous scenery.

 

[Damselfish]

There are a few small condo complexes on the beach in Little Cayman, and I think there's a decent number of properties to rent. In the lagoon in the general vicinity of the dive resorts are Conch Club condos and the Club at Little Cayman. I think there are others but those seem the best known. Conch Club has a dive op on site and you could walk someplace from the Club. The beach is not much along there compared to many places, but it's there. But there's lots of turtle grass in the lagoon and it's shallow, not really great for swimming or snorkeling. Probably a decent area to kayak, though I've never gotten around to it. Paradise Villas are another well known place, they're outside the lagoon and have a rocky shorefront with some sand behind it but not a real beach - I think the water is usually rough along there. There's not a lot to do on Little Cayman, but if the goal is to mostly hang out with friends and relax maybe it's ok. The self-catering/cooking part is problematic - there's one small store on Little Cayman which is ok, but I wouldn't want to try and grocery shop from scratch for a week there. It might be better to get some things on Grand Cayman first, but then you also have to watch out for weight restrictions on the small planes. So that's all a bit of a pain.

The condo resorts on East End Grand Cayman (Morritt's and the Reef) have nice beaches and snorkeling, and there are other things to do. And you could easily get in some good diving. Combining that with at least a few days for yourself at one of the dive resorts on Little Cayman if you really want to get there might work for you.

Or google "Cayman Castle"


As far as Provo, you have it pretty much nailed. Grace Bay beach is beautiful, although I think there's only good snorkeling in a couple specific areas. Diving at West Caicos or French Cay means longer boat trips (not to mention the trip to the boat, which will leave opposite side of the island from where you'll likely stay.) Most of the diving starts deeper, and you're more likely to see sharks. Beyond that I think it's close enough to a draw and a matter of luck that it's not the primary thing in your decision.

 

[qwimjim]

The condo resorts on East End Grand Cayman (Morritt's and the Reef) have nice beaches and snorkeling, and there are other things to do. And you could easily get in some good diving. Combining that with at least a few days for yourself at one of the dive resorts on Little Cayman if you really want to get there might work for you.

-shouldn't- i really want to get there? everyone raves about little cayman being the best, it seems that if i go all the way to grand cayman that i would be missing out if i didn't hop over to little cayman? or is it somewhat overrated and not -that- much better than everywhere else?

thanks for all the other detailed info, really helps!

 

[Damselfish]

sure, but a matter of whether you want to add on to this trip now or just do LC on a separate trip of it's own. Since if you can do only a couple nights on Little Cayman you'll probably wish you had more time. And the is certainly good diving to be had East End.

 

[navi_jen]

Little Cayman (and Cayman Brac) are great if you want to 'desert isle' type experience...truly just diving and hanging out. And the diving is great. You can get around the groceries by either bringing food, or if you have a layover in GC (a lot of flights come in around 2, but the Cayman Airways hopper doesn't leave til 5 and 6:30) there is a Fosters within a 3 minute taxi drive (heck, you can walk) from the airport. But you have to pack carefully, as Cayman Airways has slightly different checked bag requirements. 55 lbs pp IIRC.

I wouldn't split time between islands unless you are there 10 days or more..it's just too hectic..particularly since it's a solid hour of driving from the East End to the airport.

I like to think of GC as my 'starter' introduction to the Cayman Islands. Then I worked my way to more relaxation (and the Brac) on subsequent trips. If you truly do want to only hang at the house and sleep and read and dive, then you'll love Little Cayman. If you want any more than that, you'll want GC.

 

[Radi-x]

Just returned from Grand Cayman where I spent 10 days at Rum Point. Here is the skinny of it: accomodation significantly cheaper than the famous 7 Mile. Impeccable beach with free beach chairs rum shack, beach shower, hanging room and fast food at Rum Point. Quiet place; this is the place where the locals come for a relaxing weekend. Diving is really great with the guys from Ocean Frontiers. Here is the problem with Rum Point: need a vehicle. We did two grocery shopping trips to George Town @IGA. It's a 50 min drive on the left hand side. British style. 25 min drive to and from Ocean Frontiers. The rest I think is right up your alley.