# Help with the Grand Caymans



## ml855 (Feb 23, 2008)

We will be staying at the Morritts Grand on Grand Cayman.  Planning on renting a car for the week.  What are the *Must see, Must do* on the island?  Where is the best place for *snorkeling*?  We *restaurants* do you recommend?  Where's the best place to purchase *groceries, beer*, etc.  Thanks in advance for all your suggestions.


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## mecllap (Feb 23, 2008)

Of course it's easy to say there's nothing that's Must Do anywhere in the Caribbean -- just relax and enjoy!  However, you probably want to do a search on this site to find info about the Caymans, or Grand Cayman, or Morritts, etc.  We find that Cayman time is different than U.S. time -- you can be on the beach for less than two hours, and feel that you've filled up a day pleasantly.  There are lots of things to do.  Number one is probably a trip to Stingray sandbar, at a time when there are as few cruise ships in port as possible.  We enjoy seeing the blue iguanas at the Botanic Park.  For beginner snorkelers, Smith's Cove and Cemetery Beach (south and north of 7 mile beach) are good.  Not too familiar with the east side though; we weren't too impressed with Rum Point, but lots of folks like that.  I think there's some fairly easy snorkeling near Morritt's.  There are close to dozens of places to beach out and snorkel around Grand Cayman and some fun "tourist" places to break up the visit for fun -- Pirate's Cave, Pedro's Palace, Boatswain's Beach (which is a "long" ways from where you're staying).  A horse ride on the beach is fun for some.  For groceries, we just go to Foster's (several locations); beer is spendy, and not sold at the grocery stores.  Any liquor is spendy -- take a bottle with you.  As we were leaving last time, we spotted a place near the airport that appeared to be more like a discount store, but I can't remember the name.  There is a ton of construction going on -- so hopefully more "discount" shops will open up.  "Local" drivers are getting less tolerant, so don't worry if more people honk at you -- just take your time and be careful as needed, nothing is very far away.  We love our time on Grand Cayman; a week is not long enough.  Restaurants can be spendy, so have no recommendations there -- we cook in as much as we can, and pack lunches when we go out (once in a while eating out).  You can take some food with you (a limited amount of frozen meat, your favorite cereal, etc.).


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## TomCayman (Feb 24, 2008)

Some somewhat tongue in cheek advice is to first of all use the appropriate terminilogy when you reach the island to maximise a friendly response from the locals.

Just as the French appreciate it when visitors at least make the attempt to speak a few words of French, in Cayman we really appreciate people NOT referring to the following :
- the Caymans
- the Grand Caymans (hey pluralising a singular object, nice)

A quick primer :
- There are three Cayman Islands, Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac, Little Cayman
- We call them either "the Cayman Islands" or simply "Cayman", never "the Caymans"
- Pronounciation of Cayman places the emphasis on the second syllable, with a soft "a".

Enjoy Grand Cayman and my best wishes to all of you in the United States of Americas


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## ml855 (Feb 24, 2008)

TomCayman said:


> Some somewhat tongue in cheek advice is to first of all use the appropriate terminilogy when you reach the island to maximise a friendly response from the locals.
> 
> Just as the French appreciate it when visitors at least make the attempt to speak a few words of French, in Cayman we really appreciate people NOT referring to the following :
> - the Caymans
> ...



Thanks for the advice.  This is our first time visiting the Cayman islands, we are very much looking for to our trip.


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## Steamboat Bill (Feb 24, 2008)

One of my favorite places is The Cracked Conch next to the Turtle farm. It is not to fancy, but the Cracked Conch dinner is fantastic.


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## NTHC (Feb 25, 2008)

Just curious.....Most of the posts I have read here talk about the food being very expensive, is that expensive compared to the US as far as where most of us live?  Or expensive compared to other resort areas?  

The reason I ask is because typically on vacation we plan for a considerable amount for entertainment....meaning food and activities.  On our trip in a few weeks we are taking a friend with each of our two kids so we want to make sure we are prepared to feed more than our normal family of four. Our son(17) and his friend have a condo next door to us and have put together a shopping list and are excited about cooking some of their own meals.  Which is great if we are at the resort(Morritts).  I am curious now though about taking 6 people to a restaurant.  What can we expect?  I refuse to do fast food and don't really like "chain restaurants" while on vacation.  

Any help would be great!

Thanks,
Cindy


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## jmatthews93 (Feb 26, 2008)

We went to Grand Cayman in November 2005 and stayed at the Reef Resort which, I believe is next door to Morrits.  Groceries definitely caused us sticker shock.  There is no Costco on Grand Cayman; the best place we found to buy groceries was at Priced Right (kind of a warehouse store) and the Fosters Food City next door.  It's not far from the airport, but is 40 minutes from the East End.  We personally found the East End to be too far away from the action - again a 40 minute drive from Georgetown.

As far as "must do's", Stingray City was incredible.  Have a good time!


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## somerville (Feb 26, 2008)

Steamboat Bill said:


> One of my favorite places is The Cracked Conch next to the Turtle farm. It is not to fancy, but the Cracked Conch dinner is fantastic.


Have you been to the Cracked Conch lately?  The restaurant has changed hands a couple of years ago and is more upscale.  I have not been back since it was sold and remodeled.  It used to be one of my favorite restaurants, but the cracked conch meal is no longer on the menu posted on its website.


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## somerville (Feb 26, 2008)

NTHC said:


> Just curious.....Most of the posts I have read here talk about the food being very expensive, is that expensive compared to the US as far as where most of us live?  Or expensive compared to other resort areas?



Food and restaurant prices are higher than where you live.  I would say that restaurant prices are marginally higher than I would normally pay where I live (DC metro area).  You won't find many chain restaurants, and you won't find many restaurants at all on the East End.

Grocery prices are higher because everything is imported.  Licquor prices are high on the island due to taxes.


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## JRS (Feb 26, 2008)

What to do ?  Depends on what you like.  Me, if I am going to a Carribean Island, going to be either in the water or very close to it a good majority of the time.  I stayed at Morritt's a couple of years ago, and ventured over to the Reef, believe I met Tom - very personable and full of good info.  Snorkeling, diving paradise.  I went down in a submarine to about 100 ft depth, visited Sting Ray city and snorkeled out in front of Morritts and on the other end of the island.  Would do it all over again - in a heartbeat.  Looking forward to the next time.  Food is definitely more expensive, suggest budgeting for it - perhaps double what we would pay in the states. Visited 7 mile beach area, Turtle farm, Hell post office and other sites on the island.  When going to Sting Ray city, found a small operator who took about 5 of us for the half day trip, this was excellent - fresh conch salad and a few hours of snorkeling the reefs, diving for the conch's and going to the sandbar where the ray's frequent .....


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## penguin (Mar 4, 2008)

*ML855, Let Us Know About Your Morritt's Visit*

ML855- You said "We will be staying at the Morritt's Grand on Grand Cayman"
When are you visiting?  Please post details on your visit asap when you return.  Am considering a cheap resale purchase in one of the three Morritt's and would appreciate your fresh perspective.  I've never been there, either, so especially interested in a first timer's impressions.  You can also im me privately, if needed.


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## easyrider (Mar 4, 2008)

For a stingray city, fern groto and lobster grounds trip get ahold of Rodger Ebanks bt contacting the concierge at Morritts. You can buy his fully equiped boat for a day for $450.00. If you do this like we did you will want to get some extra people to go so your cost is less. We wanted 10 max. We got to Stingray City way before every one else and had the rays for 90 minutes to ourselfs. Then when every one else arrived we went to the fern grotto. Finally the lobster grounds. The other boats would arrive with up to 50+ people on board. Rodger shows you how to play with the rays making it a real experience. 
Bring your own wine, steaks in USDA wraps, whiskey from duty free and what ever. Beer is $50.00 a case. For restarunts around Morritts there is Ivans at Morritts and a place at the Reef next door where the Barefoot man preforms. You will want a car from McCurleys. They will round trip you to Morritts in a shuttle at the airport and your car will be at Morritts.


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## ml855 (Mar 5, 2008)

penguin said:


> ML855- You said "We will be staying at the Morritt's Grand on Grand Cayman"
> When are you visiting?  Please post details on your visit asap when you return.  Am considering a cheap resale purchase in one of the three Morritt's and would appreciate your fresh perspective.  I've never been there, either, so especially interested in a first timer's impressions.  You can also im me privately, if needed.




Will do, we will be there from Mar 16 - 21


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## NTHC (Mar 5, 2008)

We will be there March 19-26....maybe we will see you!


Have a great time!
Cindy


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