# First Time In Grand Cayman Questions



## Bolen (Jul 14, 2007)

Hello:

Spending a week in Grand Cayman a week from tomorrow and I have a few questions for any Tuggers with experience and 5-minutes to share... Having never been before, we are rock-bone ignorant, of any travel information other than what we are finding on line... I always (ALWAYS) like to add to that with the solid, useful, and well thought out tips and information Tuggers bring to the table...

1.  Is any shopping there a good deal for Americans like booze or jewelry or are other Caribean Islands better?

2.  Is there any surprises for driving there, like for instance do they drive on the same side of the road that we do or not?

3.  Are you better off exchanging money to Cayman currency, staying in US dollars, or doesn't it make much difference...

4.  Got one or two favorite Restaurants you care to crow about?

5.  Finally one or two things to do you shouldn't leave Grand Cayman without doing or sampling???

We, by the way, are staying at 7-Mile Beach at the Plantation Beach Resort

Very much appreciated... Cheers, Bob


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## Noni (Jul 14, 2007)

Casanova's is a great restaurant.  Even though we stay at Morritt's on the East End, we go to Casanova's at least once, usually twice.


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## somerville (Jul 14, 2007)

Bolen said:


> Hello:
> 
> Spending a week in Grand Cayman a week from tomorrow and I have a few questions for any Tuggers with experience and 5-minutes to share... Having never been before, we are rock-bone ignorant, of any travel information other than what we are finding on line... I always (ALWAYS) like to add to that with the solid, useful, and well thought out tips and information Tuggers bring to the table...
> 
> ...



Booze is very expensive on the island due to high taxes.  You may want to consider taking some with you.  However, prices in the duty free shop at the airport are pretty good, so if you are going to buy, wait until you have checked in for your return flight home.  Remember that if you are not terminating your flight at your first point of arrival in the US, you will have to pack your booze in your checked luggage after going through customs and before rechecking it.

There are the typical Caribbean jewelry outlets in Grand Cayman.  You can walk into George Town from PV.  Kirk's is a large jewelry store that is not on the other Caribbean islands.  Kirks also have a grocery within walking distance of PV.

They drive on the wrong side of the road in the Cayman Islands.  That said, we always rent a car.  There are a lot of shops and restaurants within walking distance of PV.  We own next door at 7 Mile Beach Club.

What kind of restaurants are you looking for?  There are many that we have eaten at over the years.  Cimboco, is near the movie theater, about 2 blocks from PV.  Relatively inexpensive for the CI.  We like Ragazzi's for Italian.  Grand Old House is good, but expensive.  You will need a car or taxi for it.  The Wharf and he Reef Grill are restaurants we eat at that are within walking distance.  The Calypso Grill at Morgan's Harbour is popular.  Coconut Joe's is across the street and good for lunch and Lone Star for Tex Mex.  Eats for breakfast across from the Westin.  I used to like the Cracked Conch, at the Turtle Farm, but it changed hands and the menu has changed.  I haven't tried it since it changed.  Check out these websites: http://www.caymanrestaurants.com/ and http://www.caymangoodtaste.com/

If you pay in US Dollars, you will receive change in CI Dollars.  The exchange rate is essentially fixed at $1 CI equals $1.25 US.  A US $20 is worth $16 CI.  Credit cards are accepted just about everywhere.

Tourist things include Stingray City, Rum Point, Hell, Turtle Farm, Botanical Garden.  Scuba diving, snorkeling and sailing are popular.


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## Bolen (Jul 14, 2007)

*Thanks Somerville!!!*

Terrific post Somerville, Thanks very much for all the tips and input!!!

Cheers, :whoopie: Bob


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## somerville (Jul 14, 2007)

FYI, Our daughter exchanged into Plantation Village in May.  She said the units have all been refurbished since Hurricane Ivan, as have ours next door.  She said PV was nice, but she liked our unit at SMB a little better.  I believe that PV has some bicycles, tennis rackets and water toys that guests can use.

Enjoy your trip.  The sun will probably be a little intense since it is summer, so if you walk places during the day, take plenty of bottled water.  We are usually there in the winter when it is warm, but the sun is not so intense.


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## caribbeansun (Jul 15, 2007)

Personal favourites for restaurants:

- Grand Old House
- The Lighthouse
- The Wharf
- Cimboco
- The Driftwood for BBQ on Sunday afternoon

Take a look at http://www.caymanrestaurants.com/ for a complete list


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## x3 skier (Jul 15, 2007)

Make sure you check the days when there are cruise ships in port. Downtown can be a zoo when there are 2 or 3 mega ships in the harbor.

Here's a link http://www.caymanport.com/schedule.htm

Cheers


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## Rod in Louisiana (Jul 15, 2007)

Bolen said:


> Hello:
> 
> Spending a week in Grand Cayman a week from tomorrow and I have a few questions for any Tuggers with experience and 5-minutes to share... Having never been before, we are rock-bone ignorant, of any travel information other than what we are finding on line... I always (ALWAYS) like to add to that with the solid, useful, and well thought out tips and information Tuggers bring to the table...
> 
> ...


 
If you're planning to drink while on the island, bring your liquor with you. Because of duties and taxes, liquor in the Cayman Islands is incredibly expensive. Each adult, age 18 or over, can bring in, duty-free, *EITHER* one liter of spirits *OR* four liters of wine *OR* approximately one case of beer.

Purchase your liquor at the duty-free shop at the arport which will be your departure point from the Unted States. You'll be given a receipt for your purchase, and it will be delivered to you on the jetway, as you board your flight to Grand Cayman. Here's a link to a site that will provide representative prices of liquor in the Cayman Islands. Remember, these prices are in $ CI. We purchased a case of Miller Lite (bottles) for $49 USD. http://www.thirstysurfer.com/index.php/cprds

When returing to the United States, each adult, age 21 or over, can bring in 2 liters of liquor, duty-free. This duty free liquor can be purchased in the duty-free shops at the airport on Grand Cayman, after you've cleared customs and immigration. You'l carry it on the plane but, if you're catching a connecting fright from your point of entry into the United States, you'll need to pack the liquor in your baggage, after clearing customs, before rechecking that baggage for your connecting flight.


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## Bolen (Jul 15, 2007)

Rod in Louisiana said:


> If you're planning to drink while on the island, bring your liquor with you. Because of duties and taxes, liquor in the Cayman Islands is incredibly expensive. Each adult, age 18 or over, can bring in, duty-free, *EITHER* one liter of spirits *OR* four liters of wine *OR* approximately one case of beer.
> QUOTE]
> 
> Thanks for the booze headsup... By the way, is it possible, or has anybody tried to purchase Booze at the Cayman Island airport from the Duty Free shop upon your arrival there, and before you leave the Airport...?  Can that be done or are you routed away from there before you clear Customs...
> ...


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## lawren2 (Jul 15, 2007)

Bolen said:


> Rod in Louisiana said:
> 
> 
> > If you're planning to drink while on the island, bring your liquor with you. Because of duties and taxes, liquor in the Cayman Islands is incredibly expensive. Each adult, age 18 or over, can bring in, duty-free, *EITHER* one liter of spirits *OR* four liters of wine *OR* approximately one case of beer.
> ...


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## Rod in Louisiana (Jul 15, 2007)

Bolen said:


> Rod in Louisiana said:
> 
> 
> > If you're planning to drink while on the island, bring your liquor with you. Because of duties and taxes, liquor in the Cayman Islands is incredibly expensive. Each adult, age 18 or over, can bring in, duty-free, *EITHER* one liter of spirits *OR* four liters of wine *OR* approximately one case of beer.
> ...


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## jtridle (Jul 16, 2007)

*Bringing liquor with us*

Rod or any others:

We're not big drinkers but I might want to bring some Friday's pina colada and mudslide liquid mixes (the kind where you just add ice, liquor is already in it) with us on commercial flight to Cayman in Sept.  Am I understanding correctly that we can pack one of these bottles each in our checked luggage and that is okay?  And we can do that from our home in Illinois??


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## somerville (Jul 16, 2007)

----------- Yes ------------


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## Rod in Louisiana (Jul 16, 2007)

jtridle said:


> Rod or any others:
> 
> We're not big drinkers but I might want to bring some Friday's pina colada and mudslide liquid mixes (the kind where you just add ice, liquor is already in it) with us on commercial flight to Cayman in Sept. Am I understanding correctly that we can pack one of these bottles each in our checked luggage and that is okay? And we can do that from our home in Illinois??


 
You're correct. Remember, though, that Grand Cayman customs will consider each of those bottles of pre-mixed stuff as your duty-free spirits allowance, even though they're only about 15% alcohol, or 30 proof. That's why we bring the strong stuff (140 proof rum) and mix our own. Also remember to pack them in bubble wrap. A broken bottle of mudslide mix, inside your checked luggage, is not a pleasant thing to contemplate.

Another alternative is to somehow check with the duty-free shop at the airport that will be your point of departure from the USA. If they sell the pre-mixed stuff (I don't remember seeing it in Houston), you could buy it there and not have to worry about its breaking inside your luggage.


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## shagnut (Jul 16, 2007)

No one mentioned going to the Reef ( Next to Morritt's) and see the Barefoot Man. He used to play on Tues & Thurs . He is the Jimmy Buffit of the Caribbean.  shaggy


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## somerville (Jul 16, 2007)

Rod in Louisiana said:


> That's why we bring the strong stuff (140 proof rum) and mix our own.


Just make sure it is not over 140 proof.  Bacardi 151 is considered hazardous materials.


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## Bolen (Jul 17, 2007)

Thank you one and all for the great information... As we are light drinkers, this has been an education... Thanks too to Shaggy for the Barefoot Man tip, that sounds like an 'authentic' evening if it's still offered...

You all make the Cayman's sound like a great Timeshare destination, and I hope we join you in that opinion after our intro trip... Thanks again.

Cheers, Bob


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## Rod in Louisiana (Jul 19, 2007)

somerville said:


> Just make sure it is not over 140 proof. Bacardi 151 is considered hazardous materials.


 
Excellent point, although you can no longer purchase anything over 140 proof in duty-free shops, because of the FAA regulations. While on Grand Cayman two weeks ago, I inquired about Tortuga 151. They don't even make it any more. 140 is their top of the line, in terms of alcohol content.


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## TomCayman (Jul 19, 2007)

somerville said:


> ....They drive on the *wrong *side of the road in the Cayman Islands.



A traveller would have said "other", or "left", so spoken like a true tourist


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## Htoo0 (Jul 20, 2007)

TomCayman said:


> A traveller would have said "other", or "left", so spoken like a true tourist



Now, Tom- that's just *wrong*! You know everything's  always "right" here in the States!


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## ralphd (Jul 21, 2007)

TomCayman said:


> A traveller would have said "other", or "left", so spoken like a true tourist



:hysterical:


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## somerville (Jul 21, 2007)

TomCayman said:


> A traveller would have said "other", or "left", so spoken like a true tourist


I am a traveler.   I have driven in the UK, Japan, and several Caribbean Islands, including Grand Cayman.  All on the wrong side of the road.


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## TomCayman (Jul 21, 2007)

somerville said:


> I am a traveler.   I have driven in the UK, Japan, and several Caribbean Islands, including Grand Cayman.  All on the wrong side of the road.



You can't cover that with a smiley face. I'm not going to get political here, but nothing gives the citizens of the USA the right to say they are right and others are wrong, even on things as trivial as which side of the road one drives on.

I've never once said that any country where they drive on the right drives on the "wrong" side, I would never presume to be so arrogant, subconsciously or otherwise.

I guess you meant to make me rise to the bait... job done.


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## Rod in Louisiana (Jul 22, 2007)

TomCayman said:


> You can't cover that with a smiley face. I'm not going to get political here, but nothing gives the citizens of the USA the right to say they are right and others are wrong, even on things as trivial as which side of the road one drives on.
> 
> I've never once said that any country where they drive on the right drives on the "wrong" side, I would never presume to be so arrogant, subconsciously or otherwise.
> 
> I guess you meant to make me rise to the bait... job done.


 
And nothing gives citizens of the Cayman Islands or any other country the right to generalize and to lump all citizens of the USA into one group because you/they didn't care for a statement made by one person from the USA. That isn't a political statement on my part.....it's a personal statement.....with no smiley face.


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## escargot (Jul 22, 2007)

Rod in Louisiana said:


> And nothing gives citizens of the Cayman Islands or any other country the right to generalize and to lump all citizens of the USA into one group because you/they didn't care for a statement made by one person from the USA. That isn't a political statement on my part.....it's a personal statement.....with no smiley face.




and we agree with Rod.... nothing personal/political ....  no smiley face.


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## TomCayman (Jul 23, 2007)

Re-read my post and realised that I did indeed make such a generalisation, for which I apologise... it must have been subconscious, as funnily enough I have heard many (but definitely not all) people from the USA say that we drive on the "wrong" side of the road, but oddly enough have never heard anyone from any other country (that drives on the right) say the same. 

Sorry to drag things off topic...


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