CAYMAN ISLANDS - LITTLE CAYMAN BEACH RESORT
(Please feel free to phone our USA office any time, for prices & info: 612-yyy-zzzz.)
Let's start this article with a simple fact: of the many dozens of tropical resorts that line the beaches of the Cayman Islands, two luxury Caribbean resorts have consistently ranked at the top of diver magazine reader polls, & travel professional surveys over & over again. They are Little Cayman Beach Resort & Brac Reef Beach Resort. These are bona fide 4+ star resorts, beautiful luxury lodging on beaches that are balm to city-weary souls; & they are just plain good bets for dive travelers looking for top value. These resorts are a little more expensive than some of their island competitors, but Godiva chocolates cost more than a supermarket nougat bar, for a lot of the same reasons. We feel solid about recommending these places with enthusiasm for dive vacations or snorkeling vacations, as you wish.
There must be something special about this Little Cayman island, this off-the-beaten-path destination -- if dive magazine editors & world-renowned photographers are talking about it so consistently. Granted there are such abundant swells of hot air billowing from many of the diving magazines nowadays, you'd almost think their editors need truth serum, or at least PR puffery regulators. But when respected industry figures like Philippe Cousteau & ace photographer David Doubilet sing the praises of Little Cayman Island, year after year, one needs to do more than arch an eyebrow. These gents say that scuba vistas here off Little Cayman Island, & Cayman Brac too, are among the finest diving experiences available among all luxury Caribbean resorts. The fact is that they are correct.
There is so much hype in the scuba diving world that it's often hard to separate the skates from the skate scat. But the fact that hundreds of experienced divers each year hardly can wait to return to Little Cayman, & Cayman Brac, must mean something pretty special is going on out there.
It is actually. It's a little thing called enjoyment. Pure unadulterated diving joy. With no annoying touristy crowds to boot. A recent survey taken by the editors of Rodale's Scuba Diving Magazine, a respected journal of scuba matters worldwide & the last objectively balanced magazine in a dive profession peppered with puff-piece periodicals, states that readers voted Little Cayman Beach Resort the best wall diving destination in the Caribbean (thanks to the Bloody Bay Wall!). Those same readers also voted Little Cayman Beach Resort the second best reef diving in the Caribbean. Rodale's readers further ranked Little Cayman as one of the Caribbean's top 5 destinations for underwater photos & advanced diving thrills. Remember, these isles welcome non-divers to enjoy world-class snorkeling vacations, as well as dive trips. No regulator bias here, gang! Snorkeling is just as cool in the Cayman Islands as scuba diving, so hang loose, mon. Few luxury Caribbean resorts can ever hope to match the topside amenities & sheer adventure spectrum available in these waters.
GEOGRAPHIC DETAILS about LITTLE CAYMAN ISLAND:
Little Cayman Island is 87 miles northeast of Grand Cayman, five miles west of Cayman Brac, 480 miles from Miami & 90 miles south of Havana. The island itself is 10 miles long & 1 mile wide. There are daily flights from Miami & other major cities to Grand Cayman. Once on Grand Cayman, it is just a short hop to Little Cayman. Island Air, the inter island air carrier offers three round trip flights a day.
FLYING TO LITTLE CAYMAN is EASY.
Soon we will be greeting you at the Little Cayman Airport. Before you land on our island, you'll clear customs in Grand Cayman. After clearing customs, you'll check-in at the Island Air Ticket Counter for your flight to Little Cayman. The airport on Little Cayman consists of one grass runway & a very small airport facility with a single staff person. You will be met by resort staff & transferred to the resort. Island Air does have a weight limit of 55 pounds per person & excess charges currently run about $0.55 per pound. The atmosphere on Little Cayman is very informal so it helps to pack lightly. On occasion, luggage can be delayed & you may wish to include a few personal items in a small carry-on.
LITTLE CAYMAN BEACH RESORT AMENITIES
Little Cayman Beach Resort's service & amenities are outstanding. Our 28 pool view rooms are spacious, air conditioned & tastefully decorated. Each features a balcony or patio, color TV, ceiling fan & private bath. For the ultimate in guest creature comfort available in luxury Caribbean resorts, we have 12 luxury ocean front rooms complete with wet bar, microwave, refrigerator, coffee maker, private balcony or patio. Guests can choose to dine in the Bird of Paradise Restaurant or outdoors in an alfresco setting on our screened patio. Breakfast is served from 7:00 to 8:30. Lunch from 12:30 to 1:30 & dinner 6:30 to 8:00. The Beach Nuts Bar is the gathering place for guests before & after meals. The bar opens at 11:30 & closes at 11:00 p.m.
The Beach Nuts Bar offers cool drinks which can be enjoyed at the bar or pool side. & as the sun begins to set, you'll enjoy a wide variety of gourmet specialties, delicious fresh seafood & sumptuous island favorites in our air-conditioned Bird of Paradise Restaurant or dine alfresco among the swaying palms on our screened patio. The resort has everything you need to make your stay special. In Mermaids & the dive shop store, you'll discover everything from postcards to dive gear. We also have a 1,500 square foot conference center, game room, fully-equipped fitness center, lighted tennis courts, jacuzzi & a health & beauty center scheduled to open in the summer of 1998.
Little Cayman Island is 87 miles northeast of Grand Cayman, five miles west of Cayman Brac, 480 miles from Miami & 90 miles south of Havana. The island itself is 10 miles long & 1 mile wide. There are daily flights from Miami & other major cities to Grand Cayman. Once on Grand Cayman, it is just a short hop to Little Cayman. Island Air, the inter island air carrier offers three round trip flights a day.
FLYING TO LITTLE CAYMAN is EASY.
Soon we will be greeting you at the Little Cayman Airport. Before you land on our island, you'll clear customs in Grand Cayman. After clearing customs, you'll check-in at the Island Air Ticket Counter for your flight to Little Cayman. The airport on Little Cayman consists of one grass runway & a very small airport facility with a single staff person. You will be met by resort staff & transferred to the resort. Island Air does have a weight limit of 55 pounds per person & excess charges currently run about $0.55 per pound. The atmosphere on Little Cayman is very informal so it helps to pack lightly. On occasion, luggage can be delayed & you may wish to include a few personal items in a small carry-on.
LITTLE CAYMAN BEACH RESORT AMENITIES
Little Cayman Beach Resort's service & amenities are outstanding. Our 28 pool view rooms are spacious, air conditioned & tastefully decorated. Each features a balcony or patio, color TV, ceiling fan & private bath. For the ultimate in guest creature comfort available in luxury Caribbean resorts, we have 12 luxury ocean front rooms complete with wet bar, microwave, refrigerator, coffee maker, private balcony or patio. Guests can choose to dine in the Bird of Paradise Restaurant or outdoors in an alfresco setting on our screened patio. Breakfast is served from 7:00 to 8:30. Lunch from 12:30 to 1:30 & dinner 6:30 to 8:00. The Beach Nuts Bar is the gathering place for guests before & after meals. The bar opens at 11:30 & closes at 11:00 p.m.
The Beach Nuts Bar offers cool drinks which can be enjoyed at the bar or pool side. & as the sun begins to set, you'll enjoy a wide variety of gourmet specialties, delicious fresh seafood & sumptuous island favorites in our air-conditioned Bird of Paradise Restaurant or dine alfresco among the swaying palms on our screened patio. The resort has everything you need to make your stay special. In Mermaids & the dive shop store, you'll discover everything from postcards to dive gear. We also have a 1,500 square foot conference center, game room, fully-equipped fitness center, lighted tennis courts, jacuzzi & a health & beauty center scheduled to open in the summer of 1998.
LITTLE CAYMAN DIVING DATA:
For several years in a row, more than 8,000 or more scuba divers put pen to paper & rated their favorite scuba diving sites, dive resorts & dive operations, according to Rodale's Scuba Diving Reader's Choice Awards. Little Cayman home to Reef Divers scored as having the Best Wall Diving, Fish Life, Visibility, Healthiest Marine Environment, Dive Operation, Resort, Staff, Restaurant. That's a pretty decent array of "Bests". It is an assurance of the quality of local diving here & the services we offer. From Phillipe Cousteau to David Doubilet to John Wanderlust & Jane Traveler, just about every scuba diver has stated that Little Cayman is one of the world's premier dive destinations with pristine quality -- excellent visibility & incredibly satisfying diving vistas.
Reef Divers, the resort's resort-owned & managed dive center, has everything you need. A fleet of modern, custom designed dive boats, a complete inventory of tanks & scuba gear, along with a staff of seasoned guides & professional instructors. Add an additional margin of safety using Nitrox for your next dive. Reef Divers offers certification for Nitrox diving. Plus to be sure you capture every exiting moment of every dive, Reef Photo & Video Center has a selection of underwater video & photography equipment for rent, plus on-site E6 processing.
Reef Divers is home to three custom designed super dive boats built by Newton boats, Inc., Slidell Louisiana. They are powered by twin caterpillar 300 hp 3116 diesel engines & are 42 feet long & 16 feet wide with a cruising speed of 25 mph. They feature over 500 square feet of floor & deck space, dual ladders, stand up showers, padded camera table. Praised by divers for the ease of entering & exiting the water, they are also favored for their many safety features.
DIVE SHOP PROTOCOLS
After checking in you'll be asked to complete a history form & to return it to the dive shop. Don't forget your C card. You won't be able to enjoy any Cayman diving without it. Our boardwalks lead from your room to all points of interest, including the pier for a look at the dive boats you will be using. The boats depart each morning at 8:30 a.m. & again at 2:30 p.m. Water temperature ranges from 76-78 degrees F. in winter to 76-86 degrees F in summer. Divers are encouraged to place their gear in a bag outside their door the first morning. The dive staff will pick it up & take it to the boat. The first time, divers are asked to set up their gear. After that the dive staff will take care of everything, including packing up your gear & rinsing it after the day's diving.
For several years in a row, more than 8,000 or more scuba divers put pen to paper & rated their favorite scuba diving sites, dive resorts & dive operations, according to Rodale's Scuba Diving Reader's Choice Awards. Little Cayman home to Reef Divers scored as having the Best Wall Diving, Fish Life, Visibility, Healthiest Marine Environment, Dive Operation, Resort, Staff, Restaurant. That's a pretty decent array of "Bests". It is an assurance of the quality of local diving here & the services we offer. From Phillipe Cousteau to David Doubilet to John Wanderlust & Jane Traveler, just about every scuba diver has stated that Little Cayman is one of the world's premier dive destinations with pristine quality -- excellent visibility & incredibly satisfying diving vistas.
Reef Divers, the resort's resort-owned & managed dive center, has everything you need. A fleet of modern, custom designed dive boats, a complete inventory of tanks & scuba gear, along with a staff of seasoned guides & professional instructors. Add an additional margin of safety using Nitrox for your next dive. Reef Divers offers certification for Nitrox diving. Plus to be sure you capture every exiting moment of every dive, Reef Photo & Video Center has a selection of underwater video & photography equipment for rent, plus on-site E6 processing.
Reef Divers is home to three custom designed super dive boats built by Newton boats, Inc., Slidell Louisiana. They are powered by twin caterpillar 300 hp 3116 diesel engines & are 42 feet long & 16 feet wide with a cruising speed of 25 mph. They feature over 500 square feet of floor & deck space, dual ladders, stand up showers, padded camera table. Praised by divers for the ease of entering & exiting the water, they are also favored for their many safety features.
DIVE SHOP PROTOCOLS
After checking in you'll be asked to complete a history form & to return it to the dive shop. Don't forget your C card. You won't be able to enjoy any Cayman diving without it. Our boardwalks lead from your room to all points of interest, including the pier for a look at the dive boats you will be using. The boats depart each morning at 8:30 a.m. & again at 2:30 p.m. Water temperature ranges from 76-78 degrees F. in winter to 76-86 degrees F in summer. Divers are encouraged to place their gear in a bag outside their door the first morning. The dive staff will pick it up & take it to the boat. The first time, divers are asked to set up their gear. After that the dive staff will take care of everything, including packing up your gear & rinsing it after the day's diving.
REEF DIVERS (Dive Shop) FACT SHEET
DESCRIPTION of Little Cayman diving procedures:
Reef Divers, Ltd. sets a "new standard" on Little Cayman for world-class facilities,
diver-friendly services & safety standards. Reef Divers features a fully equipped dive shop & 3 custom-designed "super" dive boats. Reef Divers is a member (#17102) of the PADI Gold Palm 5 Star Resort & the Cayman Islands Watersports Operators Association (CIWOA).
HOURS:
Reef Divers is the in-house dive operation at the Little Cayman Beach Resort. Reef Divers' boats depart from the Resort's dive dock each day at 8:30 a.m. for a 2-Tank Morning Boat Dive,
at 2:00 p.m. for a 1-Tank Afternoon Boat Dive & at 7:30 p.m. for a 1-Tank Night Boat Dive, on selected evenings each week.
DIVE CENTER GEAR:
Reef Divers offers guided Little Cayman diving boat tours; snorkeling trips; complete PADI & AUI instructional programs (including one-day resort courses, 4-day full certifications, advanced training & Nitrox certification); a air-conditioned classroom; 220 aluminum 80 cu. ft. & 63 cu. ft. SCUBA tanks, as well as 15 complete sets of Sherwood rental equipment; & an equipment repair service. The Dive Center sells a complete selection of SCUBA diving equipment, accessories & Reef Divers & Little Cayman Beach Resort logo dive sportswear. Nitrox Certification & diving will be available mid-1997. The Reef Divers' dive center provides fresh water rinsing tanks; fresh water showers; a dive gear storage area; & restrooms. Reef Divers uses two new Mako 30 cfm, electric-powered, air-cooled dive compressors, complete with state-of-the-art filtration system & plenty of air storage capacity. As well as a Nitrox Technologies Membrane system for Nitrox fills. Few Cayman diving resorts can offer these world-class services.
DAILY DIVING HIGHLIGHTS:
- World famous Bloody Bay Wall Marine Park with magnificent wall diving .
- Abundant colorful species such as Turtles, Spotted Eagle Rays, Reef Sharks, Nassau Groupers, Moray Eels, Stingrays, Horse-Eye Jacks, Barracuda, Flying Gurnards & more!
- 100 Different hard & soft corals & over 500 types of fish.
- Wonderful visibility -- usually 100 to 150 feet -- with little or no current.
- Warm water: Winter 82° to 78°, Summer 82° to 86°.
- Day trips to dive the Russian frigate available.
Click photo to enlarge.
For prices & more info, call John, Susan or L.J. at 612-yyy-zzzz.
For more details on Little Cayman Beach Resort, click here.
All Photos © Copyright Little Cayman Beach Resort. All Rights Reserved.
For more details on Little Cayman Beach Resort, click here.
All Photos © Copyright Little Cayman Beach Resort. All Rights Reserved.