Ways to get to Little Cayman

[Fordan]

Just looking for confirmation.... There's not really any other viable methods to get to Little Cayman from the US other than flying into GCM, and then taking the Cayman Airways flight over to LYB?

Looking at the possibility of joining a diveshop trip to Little Cayman, but for the dates in question, all the afternoon flights GCM->LYB are full, and nothing arrives from the states that I've found yet to be able to make the morning flights... I could fly in the night before and stay on Grand Cayman (and do the same on the way out), but it seems like that's $400 or so more in hotels without much chance to really see Grand Cayman..

 

[Damselfish]

yep, thats the only way. The afternoon flights do tend to get booked up unfortunately.

Instead of spending the extra nights and $ on Grand Cayman without being able to do much, you might consider just spending more time on Little Cayman, if you have the time that is. I don't think you'd regret it and your group will be jealous when they're leaving and you get to stay an extra day. I'm guessing your dive shop trip is Sat-Sat, definitely the worst day to get on those afternoon flights, might have more luck the days before and after.

 

[carriemak]

what dates are you going?

 

[-hh]

Just looking for confirmation.... There's not really any other viable methods to get to Little Cayman from the US other than flying into GCM, and then taking the Cayman Airways flight over to LYB?

You're right that Cayman Airways is now the monopoly, although I think that Island Air **might** still occassionally fly charters.

In any event, consider looking at the alternative routing of Grand Cayman to Cayman Brac, then hop to Little Cayman (GCM --> CYB --> LYB).

...the last hop could either by by aircraft or by diveboat (see below) and the overnight room on the Brac (at Brac Reef, Walton's Mango Manor, etc) would probably be only around $100, which is quite a bit cheaper than Grand.

Schedule permitting, you can get as far as the Brac without getting hit with the Twin Otter's excess baggage fees if you're able to connect to the evening 737 flight (CAL-105; runs on SU TH FR SA; departs GCM 5:55 pm --> CYB 6:25 pm arrival).


Given that the flight from the Brac to Little is very short, your "hop" could be a morning flight ... CAL-4421 leaves at 8:35AM; arrives at 8:45AM ... which if you're part of a dive group, they could arrange to hold the diveboat for you to make the five minute run over from the airport to the boat...its been done before.

If you really get stuck, I do know that Brac Reef Beach Resort (BRBR) will sometimes transfer customers between their hotel and LCBR (if this is where your group is staying), so while this would cause an "open jaw" airline ticket, it is another potential alternative.

You could also probably hire a private boat on Cayman Brac - - and some of them could probably would do a night run over, if the price is right. I'd give Craig at InDepth Watersports a call on this one. Naturally, this approach would be more economically practical if you had 3 or 4 instead of just 1 or 2.

And if you get really, really desparate, book onto the Cayman Aggressor and hope that they make the crossing from Grand to Little. Have your gear in waterproof bags and swim ashore to the ladder at Salt Rocks. Use your cellphone to call for the hotel to pick you up. Just make sure you're wearing a freshly pressed tuxedo under your drysuit, Mr. Bond


-hh