Fodor's Travel Talk Forums - Pros & Cons of Grand Cayman (2024)

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Pros & Cons of Grand Cayman

What are the Pros & Cons of Grand Cayman Island? Thanks.

<BR><BR>Pros: Safe, clean, great scuba diving, easy to get to, English-speaking, beautiful beaches, good snorkeling, nice resorts/condos, British hence conservative<BR><BR>Cons: Expensive, 7MB area can be crowded, some people say it's too "Americanized," British hence conservative

Pro: Stingray City<BR><BR>Con: No nightlife, if that's what you want

Pros: World class diving, excellent snorkeling, very safe, very friendly, beautiful beach(7MB), incredible restaurants, great selection of accomodations, easy flights, and one of the best features:(STINGRAY CITY)<BR><BR>Cons: Very expensive, too built up (in some areas)which can lead to crowds & traffic(but easy to avoid), flat & not very picturesque (unless you're on the beach), crappy exchange rate.

agree with all the previous poster's pros...beautiful, crystal clear water, easy to deal with...<BR><BR>The biggest con was that I left without feeling like I had been to "another" palce...I could have been in Florida...everything was even more "American" than what I find here...they have sanitized and packaged it all so much to cater to Americans that they have lost their soul...

Pros: Easy access, spectacular beaches, relaxing, very clean and safe, Stingray City, snorkeling and perfect restaurants.<BR><BR>Cons: We stayed at the Westin, considered to be the "best" hotel on GC and found it to be not good quality, (will do a villa next time)expensive

All the pros already listed, con...don't feel like I've left the states. No "island" feel or flavor.

I am having a hard time understanding how people leave Grand Cayman, and claim they "feel like they never left the states". Please tell me where in the US you'll find snorkeling & diving to match GC. And while your at it, please tell me where in the US I can swim with the rays. Lastly, we might have plenty of nice beaches in the US, but nothing that compares to 7MB. So there's a few strip malls, and american fast food joints that are no fun to look at...BIG DEAL!! Lost it's soul?....give me a frigging break!!!! If you don't like the way you feel after visiting GC, then you should seriously consider another island, or stop complaining.

Susan,<BR>Pros - Safe, clean, gorgeous beaches, 10 shades of blue water, very friendly people, easy access, no poverty, great restaurants, fabulous snorkeling right from the beach, and Stingray Sandbar!!<BR><BR>Cons - $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$<BR><BR>But it's worth it!!!

To Oh Well...the poster asked for the pros and cons, people gave them. If you don't like it don't frigging read it.

Pros: 7 mile beach<BR><BR>Cons: 7 mile beach is only 5 miles long<BR><BR>Bummer.....Jack Facts

oh well...<BR><BR>I visited once and will not liekly return...it is beautiful and the water is perfect (all listed at pros)...but it has lost its soul...the island has sold out by pandering to their perceptions of what "Americans" want...they hide their own culture in favor our ours, they only serve American food and wine...I tried in vain to find any music other than MUZAK...one of the things (in additon to perfect beaches) I look for in that part of the world is to learn about a culture and to be challenged about how other people approach daily problems...I got not of that in GC and it left me disappointed...the plethora of boat people (Cruisers!) was also a downer...how many overweight and clueless American tourists clammering at the Hard Rock for t-shirts can one boy take?

f<BR><BR>It's lonely at the top huh f. A world full of phonies with the singular exception of your pure light. Alas...

The island is expensive, but the exchange rate is fixed at 1.2 to 1, so you don't have to worry about currency fluctuations (just in case you would).

Sounds like Sammy had a nerve hit! Did he surprise the wife with a nice Hard Rock t-shirt for their last anniversary...?<BR><BR>Lighten up...the original request was for pros AND cons...the cons are, by definition, negative. To each his own -the point of the exercise was to expose what some people consider negatives. If you don't like them, ignore them. I imagine the comments were helpful in painting a picture to some and were annoying to others, but at least they addressed the underlying question - which your post failed to do.

Thanks for the advice!<BR><BR>As usual this forum selection has turned into something other than pros and cons.<BR>For those of you who stated the pros & cons...Thank You!