CAYMANS COME CLOSER
With stunning beaches, world-class luxury resorts, superb food, low crime and near-flawless weather, the Cayman Islands have all the essentials for a perfect tropical vacation. If only this carefree corner of the Caribbean wasn't so geographically undesirable from the West Coast.
Starting Saturday, the Cayman Islands will be easier to reach with the launch of the first-ever nonstop service to and from the West Coast. With direct flights out of LAX, Cayman Airways (caymanairways. com) not only eliminates the required layover but in many cases a red-eye to Charlotte, North Carolina; Miami; or Atlanta that made for an even more arduous trip of eight to 11 hours on American, United or Delta. No wonder Californians reportedly made up only 4.2% of Cayman's total visitors in pre-COVID-19 2019.
Weekly flights through at least midMarch signify a “conservative entry into the new market,” according to Fabian Whorms, president and CEO of Cayman Airways, the flag-carrying airline of the British overseas territory.
“The potential is there for three flights,” he said, adding that the initial schedule of 8 a.m. Sunday departures from Los Angeles that get into Grand Cayman at 5 p.m. enables tourists to check in to their hotel and enjoy a full first evening. On the back end, 3:45 p.m. Saturday flights from quaint and clean Owen Roberts International Airport work well with hotel check-out times, and have passengers back in L.A. at 7 p.m.
Flights of six hours outbound from LAX and 6 1/4 hours inbound from Owen Roberts International are the shortest Southern California passengers will ever experience between the two points, and the longest in the 54-year history of Cayman Airways, which also serves Denver; New York (JFK); Tampa, Florida; and Miami in the U.S.
Another interesting point about these new nonstops is that the distance and flight times are nearly identical to flying from L.A. to Hawaii, another tropical vacation destination with similar island attributes to Cayman's. Which prompts the questions: Waikiki Beach or Seven Mile Beach? Kalua pork or jerk chicken? Whale watching or Stingray City? Aloha spirit or “Caymankind”?
Those are no longer easy questions for Denise Lodato of Cypress, who was visiting Grand Cayman for a third time, each time via cruise ship.
“Before I heard about the nonstops from L.A., I'd choose Hawaii and it wouldn't even be close,” the 65-year-old said while exploring George Town, Cayman's capital city. “Now that I'd be able to get here in six hours, I might consider spending at least a week in the Caymans. First I'd need to be convinced there's enough to see and do.”
That's a fair concern for cruisers whose awareness of what Grand Cayman has to offer is likely limited to a cruise line's list of shore excursions. People arriving by ship make up 75% of visitors, according to the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism. The bureau expects that number to decrease with the increase of nonstop flights from the U.S.; Americans accounted for 83% of all guests in 2019.
The Cayman Islands are much more than a place to interact with stingrays, dolphins and turtles, though you might not know that, since animal-featured activities make up 13 of the 19 shore excursions offered by Carnival Cruise Line there. Then again, there's only so much you can do in a sevenhour window, a fact not lost on Kenneth Bryan, Cayman's minister for tourism and transport, who championed the L.A. route.
“These new flights allow West Coast travelers to spend less time in transit and more time experiencing our award-winning beaches, luxury hotels and resorts, charming boutique villas, exceptional adventure and attractions, and our globally renowned culinary scene,” Bryan said.
Taking the honorable minister's cue, let's explore some of what's so renowned, luxurious, charming and exceptional about Grand Cayman.
What to see and do
The undisputed No. 1 attraction is Seven Mile Beach, a stunning stretch of sandy shore synonymous with warm, turquoise waters, gentle waves and a wealth of water sports. Some spots are more crowded than others, especially when cruise ships are in port, but with roughly 5.5 miles of alluring coastline, this deceptively named beach has enough room for everybody.
If you prefer not to rub elbows with more tourists than sea life, check the Cayman port ship schedule before booking an excursion to Stingray City, Cayman Turtle Center, Starfish Beach and Coral Garden. Because cruisers aren't afforded an evening on the island, they miss out on such nighttime activities as a bioluminescent tour off Rum Point. An hourlong drive from George Town is rewarded with a memorable trip by kayak or electric catamaran if going with Cayman Kayaks (caymankayaks.com). Show-and-tell presentations on astronomy and jellyfish are cool, but Cayman Kayaks' naturalists are mindful of why we're paying $70 per person for a 90-minute tour: the millions of single-celled plankton called dinoflagellates that give off light when disturbed in the water at night. This phenomenon occurs at a few places around the world, including at rare times from L.A. to Baja California, but Grand Cayman is recognized as a prime place for this illuminating experience.
Speaking of bests, for lifestyle shopping on Grand Cayman, it's Camana Bay and its 65-plus boutiques, restaurants and bars, fitness and wellness options, seven-screen cinema, 75-foot observation tower and familyfriendly environs. For flora and fauna, it's the 65-acre Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park (botanic-park.ky).
The impressive Cayman Islands National Museum (museum.ky), built in the 1830s, is housed in the territory's oldest surviving public building — a must-see to truly appreciate the local culture, people and history. Also worth a visit: Pedro St. James (pedrostjames.ky), site of the oldest existing stone building in Cayman and a three-story great house restored to its 18th century grandeur; the National Gallery (nationalgallery.org. ky), with impressive and provocative pieces; and a new gallery in The Grove featuring the eclectic work of Honduran artist Carlos V. Garcia.
Where to stay
Seven Mile Beach is the hub of Grand Cayman's most luxurious resorts. The beachfront Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman (ritzcarlton.com) is recently renovated and gorgeous inside and out. Sophisticated where it needs to be, casual where it should be, the Forbes Travel Guide five-star property is exquisite.
Notable features include a nine-hole golf course designed by Greg Norman, pickleball courts, a children's water park, art walk spotlighting local talent, and a nightly rum, cigar and cacao pairing experience.
Hotel-meets-Airbnb is a fitting way to describe the 14 quasi-new luxury cottages at Botanica (botanica-cayman.com). Officially opened a year ago after the COVID-19 pause, the family-owned property is going for a vibe that embodies the slow-paced gentleness of Cayman life and scoffs at what the owners call “chain-manufactured escapism.” Seven Mile Beach is a five-minute walk away.
Where to eat
The only thing negative about Grand Cayman's food scene is that most island visitors never experience it. When cruise food is prepaid, it's understandable if they decide to go back to the ship hungry. Noncruisers, however, are in for some of the finest fine dining in the Caribbean.
Among the grandest restaurants in Grand Cayman is Calypso Grill (calypsogrillcayman.com), Chef George Fowler's dockside treasure serves up sublime, French-influenced ceviche, mahimahi and warm, sticky toffee pudding.
Also recommended: Cimboco (cimboco. com), a local gem with an exciting menu of indigenous dishes topped by the Instagramworthy banana leaf roasted snapper; Agua (agua.ky), an Italian-Peruvian eatery at Camana Bay; and Taikun, an upscale sushi house within the six-restaurant Ritz-Carlton that delights guests with such surprises as table-grated wasabi and a Bonsai Tree dessert that's almost too pretty to eat. Almost.
When to go
While packed cruise ships come and go year-round, Cayman's hotels are busiest from late November to mid-April, when the climate is dry and relatively cool. At the Ritz-Carlton, for example, occupancy hovered around 30% during this writer's tranquil stay in mid-October, but starting with Thanksgiving weekend the resort is expected to be near capacity for the first full peak season since the pandemic eased.
As with nearly all vacation destinations, the best hotel rates are found during the shoulder season, which in Cayman is May through August. That's also when the threat of storms is minimal, so go figure. Rooms offseason start at around $480 (including resort fee) at the Kimpton Seafire, for example. A garden view unit at the RitzCarlton can range from the $600s offseason to nearly $1,800 at peak times. A onebedroom deluxe cottage at Botanica ranges from $330 a night to $1,100 depending on the season.
Less fluctuation is found in the air. Nonstop round trips to and from LAX on Cayman Airways' new fleet of B737-8s are currently selling for as low as $506 plus taxes and fees. The airline also extends Caymankind to adults with rum punch made with Grand Cayman's own Seven Fathoms. Toasting to the start of a great Caribbean vacation or a safe trip home with free-flowing local rum — it's the only way to fly.