Cayman Beach

[MOYSHA]

We will be on Cayman Island and just want to go to the beach. What is the best closest beach to where the ships dock ?

Thanks

[alprice]

7 Mile beach. Its beautiful and very close by. Its a public beach. If you take a cab they will know where to drop you off. There is a section not to far, maybe 10 min cab ride and its a great place to spend the day.

[drew sailbum]

You may get replies with many different beach names. Most are specific names for certain sections of Seven Mile Beach.

 

As the name implies, Seven Mile Beach is a rather long (actually about 5.5 miles) ribbon of sand. Locals find it useful to specify names for certain areas on that beach. The most common individual section names include: West Bay Public Beach, Cemetery Beach, Courtyard by Marriott, Sea Grape, Seven Mile Beach Public Beach (sometimes called simply Public Beach), Governor's Beach, Westin, Hyatt, Beach Club, and Royal Palms.

 

Smith Cove is not a part of Seven Mile Beach. It is close to town, but south of the tender docks.

[CruiserMom2096]

We just came back from 5 nights on Grand Cayman, and stayed at the Marriott Beach Resort. Their beach is very nice, with lots of amenities close by (watersports, restaurant, restrooms, etc.). This is the nicest beach closest to the docks, but you will need a taxi.

 

I can also recommend the Royal Palms beach club (just a little north of the Marriott), and Sea Grape beach (about 10 minutes further north), right across the street from the Courtyard Marriott.

 

We also enjoyed Rum Point one day, but honestly, for the time it takes you to get there and back (45 minutes each way), I would skip it and go for one of the other beaches mentioned above.

[2PinaColadas]

We just came back from 5 nights on Grand Cayman, and stayed at the Marriott Beach Resort. Their beach is very nice, with lots of amenities close by (watersports, restaurant, restrooms, etc.). This is the nicest beach closest to the docks, but you will need a taxi.

 

I can also recommend the Royal Palms beach club (just a little north of the Marriott), and Sea Grape beach (about 10 minutes further north), right across the street from the Courtyard Marriott.

 

We also enjoyed Rum Point one day, but honestly, for the time it takes you to get there and back (45 minutes each way), I would skip it and go for one of the other beaches mentioned above.

 

Which did you like better Royal Palms or Sea Grape? We are looking for a relaxing beach day with a good foo foo drink, or two. Which beach do you think would be best for that?

[CruiserMom2096]

Which did you like better Royal Palms or Sea Grape? We are looking for a relaxing beach day with a good foo foo drink, or two. Which beach do you think would be best for that?

 

Honestly, both are fantastic. Plenty of room, white sand, calm turquoise water. I'm not sure what a "foo foo" drink is :confused: , but if you are talking adult beverage, I'm not positive if those are available at Sea Grape, but I know for sure :D they are available at Royal Palms.

 

Both places will charge you for lounge chairs (I think Royal Palms is $5 per chair, don't know how much they were charging at Sea Grape), both have restaurants and restrooms available. Royal Palms is about a 5 minute taxi ride north of the cruise ship port, Sea Grape is about 10-15 minutes depending on traffic.

 

If you want watersports (jet ski's, etc.) they have them on site at Sea Grape. I'm not sure if they are on site at Royal Palms, but you can walk a few hundred feet south toward the Marriott Beach Resort, and they have water sports there.

[sdirector77]

Sea Grape beach has a full bar and food as well. Chairs for rent and restroom facilities. Very nice.

[allentownahoy]

Which has more shade and/or umbrellas for rent-SeaGrape or Royal Palm?

[CruiserMom2096]

Which has more shade and/or umbrellas for rent-SeaGrape or Royal Palm?

 

Sea Grape has some trees for shade, and has chairs with umbrellas. I don't believe I have seen umbrellas at Royal Palms.

[cruisegal58]

just went to sea grape last week, we walked a block to the library and got on a bus for $2.50 each. they r like mini vans..the taxis at the port r usually buses with no a/c and they wait to fill b4 they leave at $5 each..the bus will drop u at sea grape and a bus stop is right across the street. easy. calico jacks is here and volleyball..the beach is pretty, and hot sand! take shoes! bathrooms at calico jacks and beach bathrooms right there too with outside showers for rinsing off, changing rooms too. nothing fancy but it will suffice. $10 for a lounge chair, we had to give up our set sail card so we could not give the chair to anyone else for free. they also have covered picnic areas to get out of the sun. no snorkeling here, the water is pretty but it was not nice, calm and clear..this is the north side of hte island. i believe smiths cove will be our next visit for snorkeling..hope this helps a bit..cindy

[drew sailbum]

.....the taxis at the port r usually buses with no a/c .....

the bus will drop u at sea grape ... no snorkeling here, the water is pretty but it was not nice, calm and clear..this is the north side of hte island. ...

 

:eek: Any bus without A/C would be of interest to the Public Transport Board. That is definitely not the norm. Buses or taxi waiting further back in the queue may turn off their engines to save fuel, but they will start up and get the A/C running prior to loading (assuming the weather warrants it).

 

While Sea Grape is one of the further north sections of Seven Mile Beach, it is most definitely not the north side of the island. The beach at Sea Grape actually faces WSW. Clarity of the water will depend upon precise wind and wave direction over several days prior to your day in port.

[CruiserMom2096]

no snorkeling here, the water is pretty but it was not nice, calm and clear..this is the north side of hte island. i believe smiths cove will be our next visit for snorkeling..hope this helps a bit..cindy

 

I was just at Sea Grape last week also, and have been there a few times in the past several years. The water has been calm and clear there every time we have gone. My husband found some decent snorkeling also, a little ways out from the beach. He saw lots of fish and a stingray. But there is better snorkeling to be had at different beaches, such as Smiths Cove, or Eden Rock.

[jean-lynd]

If you want to see what Royal Palms is like they have a webcam on their website at http://www.reefgrill.com.

 

I hope this helps!

[terryde]

Where is Smiths Cove and how to get there? Taxi? Bus? We are interested in snorkeling from shore or boat. Is there a recommended boat trip to go out or would shore snorkeling be just as good? We have been to the caymans twice and did stingray city already - just want snorkeling this time!

[cruisegal58]

the blue buses r school buses to the right of the tenders, the ones with the windows down and people sitting on them waiting...funny thing, i asked the lady 3 times..r u waiting for the bus to fill??? she did not answer...if u have a small group u can fill a small taxi quick with no waiting..just look at the buses..i have been on them on our first visit...been there, done it..very hot......no a/c... also, seems every time i have been to this area, the water is rough. as is eden roc beach, always has a strong current but i find it has been clear just alot of sharp coral or iron rock. sorry, ur right about it not being the north, usually the water is rough on the north sides of islands we visit. in jan, it was rough but i was told it was b/c it was winter and water is choppy?? dont go in jan any more. this was may 18th cruise, i was told on these boards that sea grape was not a snorkeling beach, it is not. i coulnt have seen anything if i tired. nobody was snorkeling, go to cemetry beach or smiths cove. or!! rum point on the north side, but i hear the road has construction and is a mess, this is from the locals. just know what u r looking 4 b4 u get there..

[cabana]

Royal Palms gets my vote too. Thanks for the website link .:)

[jbmanuel]

just went to sea grape last week, we walked a block to the library and got on a bus for $2.50 each. they r like mini vans..the taxis at the port r usually buses with no a/c and they wait to fill b4 they leave at $5 each..the bus will drop u at sea grape and a bus stop is right across the street. easy. calico jacks is here and volleyball..the beach is pretty, and hot sand! take shoes! bathrooms at calico jacks and beach bathrooms right there too with outside showers for rinsing off, changing rooms too. nothing fancy but it will suffice. $10 for a lounge chair, we had to give up our set sail card so we could not give the chair to anyone else for free. they also have covered picnic areas to get out of the sun. no snorkeling here, the water is pretty but it was not nice, calm and clear..this is the north side of hte island. i believe smiths cove will be our next visit for snorkeling..hope this helps a bit..cindy

 

Good Info , Thanks . Do you happen to have any photos of this area that you would be willing to share jbmanuel at rogers dot com