Little Cayman

Little Cayman, only 10 miles long and a mile wide, is 87 miles northeast of Grand Cayman and 5 miles west of Cayman Brac. Most of the island is at sea level with the highest point of elevation being about 40 ft, Its famous Bloody Bay wall Marine Park has been called one of the world’s best dive sites. Inland, the 203-acre Booby Pond Nature Reserve is a RAMSAR site and nesting ground for the Caribbean’s largest population of Red Footed Boobies. Little Cayman supports a permanent human population of less than 170.

Attractions

Nature is the main attraction in Little Cayman. You are surrounded by idyllic beaches, wetlands, bird sanctuaries, iguanas, woodland forest and, of course, magnificent Bloody Bay Wall for snorkeling and diving. Eco-tourism is growing on this small island, with nature guides available to take you off the beaten path. Let the museum and your accommodation hosts help you discover the best of this tiny paradise.

Auto Rentals

At just 8 miles long and 1 mile across, Little Cayman is easy to tour. If bicycling and walking aren’t your thing, then rent a car for an easy day tour. Those favoring self-catering condos can land at the airport, pick up their car and stock up on groceries all in one location.

Cayman Brac Government

Government services are present on Little Cayman covering the basics. The post office and fire department are located at the airport complex. Police and health services, plus customs, environment and others also have a presence. Other government services covering administration and infrastructure are performed out of the sister islands’ District Administration offices on Cayman Brac.

Real Estate

When you spot that vacation hide-away you’ve always dreamed of, there are professional real estate agents to help you with the purchase. Of course, Little Cayman’s realtors can help with any kind of transaction – commercial, land, investment, home, villa or other. International and local companies are represented here. And ownership is available to any nationality. So don’t be surprised if you come for a vacation and go home with a 2nd home.

Restaurants

It may be a small hidden treasure, but Little Cayman won’t let you go hungry. Every resort has full restaurant service in addition to grill food at the bar. And if you want a change of scenery for a meal, there’s the Hungry Iguana, or you can call ahead to make reservations at one of the other resorts. The grocery store near the airport carries a fair range of basic foodstuffs.

Scuba Diving & Water Sports

Though small and seemingly remote, Little Cayman has different options for scuba diving and water sports adventures. You can book a dive package with your resort, live aboard the Cayman Aggressor which tours the 3 Cayman islands, or arrange dive services from one of the dive shops. Fishing, snorkeling and sailing are also on the activities list here.

Services

Until recently, there were no special services on Little Cayman outside of water sports. The island is increasingly drawing sophisticated tourists who want to add special features to their vacations. At present, spa services are available at a few of the resorts. No doubt, other services will appear in the future to meet the growth of tourism here.

Shopping

If photographs and memories aren’t enough for you to take home as reminders of your time here, visit one of Little Cayman’s gift shops. Souvenir items reflect the specialties of this small island and run to the fun, whimsical and casual. And the bottle shop carries duty free liquors. No need to go home empty handed.

Vacation Rentals

Resorts predominate on Little Cayman because they are able to offer full services and comfort. However, there are several villas, apartments and condo-style rentals to choose from. So search below and find what you had already pictured – as long as palm trees are in your vision, Little Cayman has the accommodations to suit you.

Weddings

Minister – check. Photographer – check. White sand beach – check. If you need more for your ceremony, just ask your resort – they will be happy to help you arrange food and activities or special features for your special day.

10 Things To Do In Little Cayman

Visit the Little Cayman Museum and the Little Cayman Marine Museum

Both museums were founded in Blossom Village, just across from the Booby Pond Nature Reserve by prominent Sister Islander and cultural advocate Linton Tibbetts. The Little Cayman Museum houses more than 150 years of primitive relics, artifacts and kitchen utensils belonging to early settlers, as well as exhibits recalling Bloody Bay. The Marine Museum pays tribute to the many sea captains who called the Cayman Islands their home and offers a glimpse of their colorful past. It is said that Blackbeard and his pirates stopped here for fresh water and to bury his treasure in a brick-lined cave.

Tour the Booby Pond Reserve, a Ramsar site

Little Cayman’s red-footed booby pond is the largest red-footed booby population in the Caribbean, pegged near 20,000, and a designated Ramsar wetland of international importance. Signed in Ramsar, Iran, in 1971 the Convention on the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources has 159 contracting parties, protecting 1,822 wetland sites on 1.85 million square kilometres, Home to one of the largest breeding colonies of Red-footed Booby in the Western Hemisphere, the Booby Reserve also contains Cayman's only breeding colony of Magnificent Frigatebirds. The Visitor Centre provides an elevated viewing point for observation of the Booby rookery through a fixed telescope.

Visit the Little Cayman National Trust House and Visitor Centre

The house offers a small glimpse into Little Cayman’s past with maps and details about the island’s history, and is famous for its homemade ice cream, rumoured to be the best in the entire Cayman Islands. An interpretive centre, gift shop, and office with elevated observation deck overlooks the Booby Pond Reserve. Telescopes are provided and the deck is open everyday. Visitors Centre is open Mon - Fri 3:00 to 5:00pm Entry to the centre is free. Entry to the breeding colony is not permitted.

View the wildlife

Other important species present on Little Cayman include the endangered Rock Iguana or Lesser Caymans iguana, the critically endangered hawksbill turtle, and the threatened Black - billed Whistling Duck, which are also present to a lesser degree on nearby Cayman Brac as well. The iguanas have right of way on all roads. The Salt Rocks Nature Trail, at the western end of Little Cayman, displays all these and more: migratory birds, butterflies, orchids and tropical plants are in abundance. It is also an historic site with abandoned phosphate mines and a railway track.

Go diving

No fewer than 18 sites make Little Cayman world-famous for its scuba diving, especially Bloody Bay and Jackson's Bight, both on the north side of the island. Bloody Bay is consistently ranked as one of the world's top wall dives with the ocean floor pegged at a approximate depth between 3,000 feet and 5,000 feet.

Visit the marine park

At the southern tip of Little Cayman, the marine park bordering Blossom Village is the starting point for diverse watersports scattered along the region. Sandy Point is the most visited for snorkeling, but Bloody Bay is less secluded and more appropriate for diving and other water activities.

Participate in water sports

The two largest hotels on the island, The Southern Cross Club and the Little Cayman Beach Resort offer a host of water-based recreations, including diving, kayaking and shore or open-sea sea fishing. Little Cayman's South Hole Sound Lagoon and Sandy Point (watch out for the currents!) are delightful snorkeling sites - their white sand beaches as breathtaking as any in the Caribbean. You might glimpse a feisty bonefish, a Queen conch, a parrotfish and dozens of reef fish in these waters. For an unforgettable experience, take a boat trip to Bloody Bay, where the famous Cayman Wall begins at only 18 feet -- an unforgettable sight as lush coral gardens meet the sheer vertical coral precipice. The South Sound offers protected shallow waters for Hobie-cat sailing and kayaking -- all available to rent from Reef Divers.

Go fishing

Offshore fishing brings such game fish as mahi mahi, wahoo and billfish into range. The run out to the fishing grounds is less than half a mile, so all your time will be spent with lines in the water. Blackfin Tuna are the most consistent visitors, but Yellowfin Tuna and sharks are always around, and the big blue marlin can show up at any time. Flats-fishing is available from a skiff in the shallow waters of South Sound where anglers reel in a variety of inshore fish including bonefish, snapper, permit and barracuda. Finally, Little Cayman has a unique inland saltwater lake, Tarpon Pond; populated by the lake’s namesake fish that were presumably stranded many years ago during a tropical storm. Having exclusively bred in the pond for so long, these aggressive lake tarpons can be targeted with light spinning gear or fly-fishing tackle. Early morning trips of one angler and one guide will have you back at the breakfast table in good time to catch the morning-dive boats.

Hire a bike or scooter

Traffic is practically non-existent on this island so it is best seen slowly. Points of interest are signposted so keep your eye out. Beach cruiser bicycles are available for rent during the day and with an elevation of only 40ft there are not too many hills to worry about on Little Cayman!

Dabble in sports or just chill in a hammock

Feel free to get some exercise and have some fun on the floodlit tennis and basketball courts -- or you can choose to unwind in one of the hammocks along the beach, the perfect spot to enjoy a book or catch an afternoon nap.