Grand Cayman....help

[TXDCLfan]

We are looking for some suggestions on a nice beach to hit up next month in Grand Cayman? We do not want and all inclusive just a real nice beach to kick back on and hopefully so sort of food service.

TIA

 

[kuhawk88]

We spent the afternoon at The Royal Palms Beach Club - about a 10 minute cab ride from the pier on Seven Mile Beach. Nice beach and not crowded - especially during this time of year. You'll have plenty of space to enjoy the sand and surf.

$4 per person for the cab ride there - then $2 per person (ages 12+) to use the beach. Kids 11 and under are free.

There is a bar and the drink prices are reasonable for Cayman. You can also order food.

Beach chairs and umbrellas are available for $10 per day. When we were there - they didn't even come to our area of the beach to confirm we had paid for the chairs. We actually ended up paying for one chair - but ultimately had access to many more.

 

[kcashner]

Very interesting that someone charged you to use "their" beach. We were told in Grand Cayman that all beaches are free and open to the public by law; there are small brown signs along the streets indicating public access to the beach. While you can use any beach, you can't trespass on private property to get there. A facility may charge you to use the restroom, rent chairs, etc.

That said, I'd recommend Sea Grape beach. It adjoins the more well known Seven Mile Beach, and is nicer and less crowded. There are still plenty of vendors if you wish to use them.

 

[momof2minnies]

We spent the afternoon at The Royal Palms Beach Club - about a 10 minute cab ride from the pier on Seven Mile Beach. Nice beach and not crowded - especially during this time of year. You'll have plenty of space to enjoy the sand and surf.

$4 per person for the cab ride there - then $2 per person (ages 12+) to use the beach. Kids 11 and under are free.

There is a bar and the drink prices are reasonable for Cayman. You can also order food.

Beach chairs and umbrellas are available for $10 per day. When we were there - they didn't even come to our area of the beach to confirm we had paid for the chairs. We actually ended up paying for one chair - but ultimately had access to many more.

LOVE ROYAL PALMS!!! Going again in January and can't wait


Linda

 

[StickBoy]

Cemetary beach is our favorite. Much farther north on 7 mile but super nice and much much less crowded.

Free, of course, just like the rest of G/C beaches!

 

[TXDCLfan]

Cemetary beach is our favorite. Much farther north on 7 mile but super nice and much much less crowded.

Free, of course, just like the rest of G/C beaches!

I am going to look this one up

 

[Arkum]

This is good to know! Sounds like a fairly cheap fun day at the beach!

 

[TXDCLfan]

This is good to know! Sounds like a fairly cheap fun day at the beach!

That is what I am hoping for,I am tired of all these high cost excursions

 

[justmestace]

I am going to look this one up

We ended up taking an excursion to snorkel the shipwrecks, but I'd done a LOT of research, and had chosen Cemetary Beach, if we hadn't gone out on a boat.
Last week was our first time in Grand Cayman, and I loved it. Now I want to go back!

 

[Drew Sailbum]

Royal Palms has been charging a $2 fee to help cover their costs of providing general services (restrooms anyone?) to the public. All our water here in Cayman is desalinated seawater. Those systems require expensive diesel to run. Makes a residential water bill expensive so I can only guess what a place like that gets billed.

Beaches are crown property and open to the public only from the edge of the water to the mean high water mark. This is a narrow band of sand, usually less than 6 feet wide, where you can freely put down a towel and access the beach. It is pretty much the area where the sand gets firmly packed by water and waves at high tide on an average day. Higher up the beach is private property.

Royal Palms is just one small section of Seven Mile Beach. Other popular parts of Seven Mile Beach include Tiki Beach, Cemetery Beach, Public Beach, or Sea Grape. Cemetery beach is notable for NOT having restroom facilities.

 

[TXDCLfan]

Royal Palms has been charging a $2 fee to help cover their costs of providing general services (restrooms anyone?) to the public. All our water here in Cayman is desalinated seawater. Those systems require expensive diesel to run. Makes a residential water bill expensive so I can only guess what a place like that gets billed.

Beaches are crown property and open to the public only from the edge of the water to the mean high water mark. This is a narrow band of sand, usually less than 6 feet wide, where you can freely put down a towel and access the beach. It is pretty much the area where the sand gets firmly packed by water and waves at high tide on an average day. Higher up the beach is private property.

Royal Palms is just one small section of Seven Mile Beach. Other popular parts of Seven Mile Beach include Tiki Beach, Cemetery Beach, Public Beach, or Sea Grape. Cemetery beach is notable for NOT having restroom facilities.

Thank you very much

 

[uscgrl93]

Can you "walk" off the ship to a beach without having to take a cab to one?

 

[declansdad]

Can you "walk" off the ship to a beach without having to take a cab to one?

This is a picture from the Royal Palms Beach back to where the ships are moored. You could walk to the beach but there was a lot of traffic the day we went. I believe there was a sidewalk the entire way.

I did notice a couple of "beaches" near the port but they didn't look that nice and it was very rocky along the shore.

Here is another shot looking back from the ship (we were on the Carnival Paradise, closest ship), Royal palms is the white buildings just up the beachfrom the blue roof buildings.

 

[Drew Sailbum]

Can you "walk" off the ship to a beach without having to take a cab to one?

Royal Palms is about 1.6 miles from the closest cruise tender dock. There are sidewalks for about 3/4 of that distance.

The public buses cost US$2.50 per person each way and depart from next to the George Town library (one long block inland from the waterfront). Group taxis depart right from the tender docks and cost about US$5-6 per person each way.

 

[Floridagram]

Royal Palms has been charging a $2 fee to help cover their costs of providing general services (restrooms anyone?) to the public. All our water here in Cayman is desalinated seawater. Those systems require expensive diesel to run. Makes a residential water bill expensive so I can only guess what a place like that gets billed.

Beaches are crown property and open to the public only from the edge of the water to the mean high water mark. This is a narrow band of sand, usually less than 6 feet wide, where you can freely put down a towel and access the beach. It is pretty much the area where the sand gets firmly packed by water and waves at high tide on an average day. Higher up the beach is private property.

Royal Palms is just one small section of Seven Mile Beach. Other popular parts of Seven Mile Beach include Tiki Beach, Cemetery Beach, Public Beach, or Sea Grape. Cemetery beach is notable for NOT having restroom facilities.

May I interpret this that the other beaches except Cemetery DO have restrooms?

 

[Drew Sailbum]

May I interpret this that the other beaches except Cemetery DO have restrooms?

Correct.

Tiki Beach, Public Beach, or Sea Grape all have restrooms - either at a business on site or the publicly maintained ones at Public Beach.

The on site business at Cemetery Beach doesn't tend to need restrooms for its clients.

 

[nburrowes]

We are looking for some suggestions on a nice beach to hit up next month in Grand Cayman? We do not want and all inclusive just a real nice beach to kick back on and hopefully so sort of food service.

TIA

i live in grand cayman...and am here for all your questions...
great beach for family -
my first choice/recommendation is:

royal palms - water sports, reasonable food, decent washrooms, loads of chairs,
also loads of people - but since Disney comes to port mostly as only ship in port - it won't be like a 4 ship day with carnival -
its a 4 minute drive $2/head taxi from port
all round great beach - water clarity, no rocks, usually small waves, consistent service, great chicken wings,

another beach for family -
"public beach"
its a 7 minute drive and $2/head taxi from port
washroom is less clean
has a swing set, monkey bars - great for kids
mostly fried food and burgers
water sports available - banana boat, wave runner, parasail
nice to have cabana's, more locals are there, often local food vendors, mango vendor across the road


for beauty, relaxation, shade, privacy and awesome snorkeling
ask for "smiths cove", bring your own snorkel gear
its 4 minutes south, private, loads of shade trees, awesome beauty
again ask taxi guy...

if money is no object - the ultimate beach experience
hire a taxi for the day - maybe $300 for day
ask him for an island tour
eat some freshly cooked seafood behind the gas station in east end
take a slow drive along coast, stopping for photos
take the family to rum point
picturesque to say the least
shallow water
crystal clear
30 minute drive a way
lay in a hammock
drink a few mudslides ( they are famous for them )
stop at lover wall
look for blow holes
ask for redsail - do a wave runner/glass bottom ride/hobie cat

you have never seen or experienced a beach like this -
warm, calm, kids can play in shallows, crystal clear
the backdrop for many a post card...

on the way back - maybe stop at margaritaville for a couple slides down their water slide...


neil

 

[nburrowes]

May I interpret this that the other beaches except Cemetery DO have restrooms?

beaches with washrooms:
royal palms
calico jacks
sea grapes
smiths cove
tiki beach
rum point

with no washrooms:
cemetery beach

 

[TXDCLfan]

i live in grand cayman...and am here for all your questions...
great beach for family -
my first choice/recommendation is:

royal palms - water sports, reasonable food, decent washrooms, loads of chairs,
also loads of people - but since Disney comes to port mostly as only ship in port - it won't be like a 4 ship day with carnival -
its a 4 minute drive $2/head taxi from port
all round great beach - water clarity, no rocks, usually small waves, consistent service, great chicken wings,

another beach for family -
"public beach"
its a 7 minute drive and $2/head taxi from port
washroom is less clean
has a swing set, monkey bars - great for kids
mostly fried food and burgers
water sports available - banana boat, wave runner, parasail
nice to have cabana's, more locals are there, often local food vendors, mango vendor across the road


for beauty, relaxation, shade, privacy and awesome snorkeling
ask for "smiths cove", bring your own snorkel gear
its 4 minutes south, private, loads of shade trees, awesome beauty
again ask taxi guy...

if money is no object - the ultimate beach experience
hire a taxi for the day - maybe $300 for day
ask him for an island tour
eat some freshly cooked seafood behind the gas station in east end
take a slow drive along coast, stopping for photos
take the family to rum point
picturesque to say the least
shallow water
crystal clear
30 minute drive a way
lay in a hammock
drink a few mudslides ( they are famous for them )
stop at lover wall
look for blow holes
ask for redsail - do a wave runner/glass bottom ride/hobie cat

you have never seen or experienced a beach like this -
warm, calm, kids can play in shallows, crystal clear
the backdrop for many a post card...

on the way back - maybe stop at margaritaville for a couple slides down their water slide...


neil

Thank you for the great reply