|
|
Print-friendly version
CAYMAN ISLANDS
The Cayman Islands are situated in the Caribbean, 290km (180 miles) northwest of Jamaica, 240km (150 miles) south of Cuba and 770km (480 miles) south of Miami. The island country comprises Grand Cayman, the largest and most populous of the islands, and the sister islands of Little Cayman and Cayman Brac, which lie approximately 143km (89 miles) northeast of Grand Cayman and are separated from each other by a channel about 12km (8 miles) wide. The islands are peaks of a subterranean mountain range extending from Cuba towards the Gulf of Honduras. The beaches are said to be the best in the Caribbean, the most notable being Seven Mile Beach on Grand Cayman. Tall pines line many of the beaches; those located on the east and west coasts are equally well protected offshore by the Barrier Reef.
It is unlikely that the British, or anybody else for that matter, would have desired the Cayman Islands quite so much when they were first discovered. Columbus originally named the islands 'Las Tortugas' (The Turtles) because they were utterly covered in them. More worryingly, the word 'Cayman' probably derives from the Carib word, 'Caymanas', meaning 'marine crocodile', suggesting that the islands were also the favored home of scores of lizards. In addition to this, the Cayman Islands have long been associated with the history of buccaneers and pirates, who once established hideouts here. All of this is easy to forget as you luxuriate on wide, sandy beaches with crystal-clear waters that teem with coral reefs and marine creatures. The Seven Mile Beach on Grand Cayman is particularly popular and deservedly so. Rather than combating pirate invasion, the closest you will probably get to exertion is diving in shipwrecks, walking through rainforest, and letting velvety stingray brush against your legs.
But, lest we forget, the Cayman Islands are also just a stress-free haven, framed by deep blue skies, twinkling sea and golden sand.
| You are viewing results 1 to 1 of 1 |
|
|
