Cayman Islands

Our Posts about Cayman Islands

Steve
Steve

Friday Happy Hour: White Tip Lager, 2011 Best Caribbean Beer

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All beers are NOT created equal, a fact made clear at the 2011 Caribbean Rum & Beer Festival in Barbados. Just as I had the opportunity to stand (sit, actually) in judgment of 40 fine rums, so too did an esteemed group of beer experts weigh the merits of 30 regional beers.
In the end there could only be one winner for each of three categories: Lager, Dark Beer and Strong Beer. If you were there and got a taste of the lagers as I did, it’s a good bet you would’ve arrived at the same decision as the judges – Caybrew’s newest creation is also the Caribbean’s best!

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Steve
Steve

Friday Happy Hour: Biting the Hair of the Dog with CayLight

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Today’s Friday Happy Hour post comes to you live and direct from the 2011 Caribbean Rum & Beer Festival in Barbados, where I had the honor of serving among the distinguished panel of judges for the rum competition held yesterday. It was an amazing experience I can’t wait to tell you about at a later date, but right now I’m all about beer.
“How can that be?” you say. “You love rum, you’re in The Birthplace of Rum judging a rum competition and you’re all about beer?”
Yes, it’s true. That’s not to say that I’m all rummed-out, mind you. It’s just that after sampling 40 different rums over a concentrated four-hour period yesterday, then staying up late with the blend that turned out to be my favorite among the competitors, I’m a tad hungover sluggish today.

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Steve
Steve

On-Site Grand Cayman: For Authentic Caribbean Hospitality, The Retreat Cannot Be Beat

Main House at The Retreat/SBPR

I like posh and fancy hotels as much as the next guy, but when I travel to the Caribbean, I much prefer to stay with friends and family. The Caribbean is home for me, after all, so while room service, seaside spa treatments and other fancy bits of pampering are nice, I’m generally happiest when my accommodations more closely match the trappings of my childhood.
That said, The Retreat at Lookout in Grand Cayman is one of the happiest places I’ve stayed in the past couple years.
I found this quaint, family-owned/operated property while driving around the island looking for a place to stay.

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Steve
Steve

On-Site Grand Cayman: Don’t Miss the Awesome Vibe and Mud Slide at Rum Point

Rum Point, Grand Cayman/SBPR

For the most part, the self-guided driving tour/photo safari I enjoyed during my March 2011 trip to Grand Cayman was completely random. I had never been to the island and had no idea where I was going, or what I might find. My only even scant bit of pre-planning had me hoping to find a place called Rum Point.
If you know the Rum Point pictured above, and you know how much I love rum, then you might think my desire to go there was obvious. Only thing is, though, this isn’t the Rum Point I was hoping to find. In fact, before I stopped here and snapped this photo, I had no idea such a Rum Point even existed!

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Steve
Steve

On-Site Grand Cayman: Take Me to the Cayman Islands Brewery!

Cayman Islands Brewing Company/SBPR

Remember how Christmas morning felt when you were six years old? All those wondrous treasures wrapped “just-so” and tucked neatly under the tree… You, a proverbial race car at a red, about to blow a gasket trying to decide which gift to get at first… A mix of unbridled joy, excitement and anticipation, seasoned slightly with anxiety (What if Santa didn’t get my letter?) spurring a gastrointestinal Chernobyl in your little body…
Yeah, that about describes the sensation I had during the first few moments of my first-ever visit to Grand Cayman back in March.
Having read for years of all the exciting things to do here, I was a notch or two beyond excited.

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Steve
Steve

On-Site Grand Cayman: Hiking With the Curious Animals Along the Mastic Trail

The road to the Mastic Trail/SBPR

Grand Cayman certainly has a lot to offer the active traveler, especially if you like water sports. SCUBA diving, snorkeling, sailing, windsurfing and other waterborne activities no doubt attract more people here than anything else. On my first visit to the island earlier this year, though, I found that there are a few terrestrial pursuits worth checking out as well. Take hiking, for instance…
Wait, wait, wait… hiking? In Grand Cayman?
Yeah, I was as surprised as anyone to find a viable hike here. What little I knew about Grand Cayman’s physical make-up prior to my visit was that it was flat (highest elevation: 60 feet) and dry – not an ideal combo for the Caribbean’s typically lush, tropical hiking areas.

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Steve
Steve

For a True Taste of the Cayman Islands, Vivine’s Kitchen is a Must

Stew chicken at Vivine's Kitchen, Grand Cayman/SBPR

I had no intention of letting my stomach dictate my itinerary during my visit to Grand Cayman earlier this year, but I found so many surprisingly wonderful eateries here that I just could not resist. Singh’s was the most surprising; Grape Tree, the most scenic. The best combination of both, though, was definitely Vivine’s Kitchen.
I found Vivine’s on this driving adventure through Grand Cayman’s blissfully sleepy East End. Like a lot of the best authentic West Indian eateries I’ve come across on my travels, it’s located right alongside the road, so it’s virtually impossible to miss. Just look for the sign above and park on the other side of the road just down the hill.

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