It is easy to think of the Cayman Islands as a year-round destination that is always sunny, warm and a veritable shining example of tropical beauty, tranquility and ease of living. On the other hand, there are always events going on here, not to mention holiday celebrations. In fact, one of the Cayman’s most anticipated holiday events is its annual Christmas tree lighting.

Read on to find out more about how we celebrate this event here at the South Bay Beach Club.

The Ceremony
Every year, Crescent Beach on Camana Bay transforms itself into a winter wonderland. The ordinarily bustling destination, which houses restaurants and retail shops of all types, instead becomes the place to celebrate the lighting of the island’s majestic, official Christmas tree. There are also dozens of other events, including a Christmas craft market, carol singing, a visit from Santa Clause and a variety of musical performances, including by The Cayman National Choir and Orchestra, the Cayman Islands Folk Singers and Cayman International School Elementary Choir. In addition, many restaurants and bars offer special celebratory foods and drinks to mark the occasion.

The History
The Caymans’ annual Christmas tree lighting event started in 2000, making the 2017 celebration the 18th year it has been a Caymans tradition. We here at South Bay Beach Club encourage all of our visitors to take part in and enjoy the event, as it is a wonderful way to celebrate a traditional holiday and experience the warmth and generosity of the people of the Cayman Islands. It is made for children and adults of all ages, so make sure you bring your entire family to Camana Bay. As the event gets very busy, make sure you make reservations at a Camana Bay restaurant ahead of time so you have an eagle’s-eye view of this fun event.

The holiday season is also a busy time all over the Cayman Islands in general, and such is the case at South Bay Beach Club. Visitors come from all over the world to celebrate the holidays, get away from the cold or just take time off as the old year ends and the new one begins. Consequently, make sure you reserve your room early so you don’t miss enjoying our slice of paradise.

So remember that you don’t have to choose between Christmas and your long-desired tropical vacation. When you visit us here at South Bay Beach Club you really can have it all.

The Cayman Islands are known for their year-round tropical beauty, temperate weather and peaceful vibe. In fact, the winter season here is one of the busiest times of the year, drawing thousands of visitors from cold-weather climates who want to celebrate the winter holiday season in balmy comfort. Some come to lay on the beach and thaw, while others use the time to be active and take advantage of the myriad watersports available to them. Either way, visitors love the warmth, friendliness, tranquility and lifestyle the Caymans offer, and they keep on coming back.

However, it is important to remember how diverse the Caymans are and how many cultural events and celebrations are offered here. In fact, the opportunities are endless. It’s also nice to know that, for those who celebrate Christmas, you don’t have to choose between staying at home to experience the holiday and coming to the Caymans for vacation. In reality, you can enjoy both here at the same time.

Case in point is Cayman 27’s Parade of Lights, held every year in early December. Here is a rundown of this exciting and popular day-long celebration:

Cayman 27’s Parade of Lights
The Parade of Lights has truly become one of the biggest, most entertaining and most popular events in the Cayman Islands. Every year, Cayman residents and visitors from across the globe enjoy the spirit of the Christmas holiday with this day-long event. It starts with a Christmas market that offers amazing goods, foods and artistic creations of all types. In addition, restaurants across the island offer unique, holiday food and drinks from morning to night.

However, it is in the evening when the event hits full stride. People cram onto the beaches of Camana Bay to see the promenade of sea-faring vessels make their way across the harbor. Boats of every shape and size are lit up with endless numbers of lights and festive decorations to vie for the title of best boat. In addition, you’ll see Santa, a breathtaking fireworks display, live music and films under the stars, all brought to you by Cayman 27, the island’s local television station.

So don’t sit around and wish you could spend some winter time in the tropical splendor of the Cayman Islands. Contact South Bay Beach Club at www.southbay.softlinetestserver.com and let us serve as your host this December. Your body and mind will thank you later.

The Cayman Islands have always been proud of their heritage, from the physical spaces to historic sites to long-held customs. This manifests in a number of ways, from celebrating international holidays and cuisines to holding numerous events that speak directly to the Cayman’ traditional past.

Storytelling is one of the oldest customs in the Caymans, dating back to a time when there were not electronics to demand our attention. Today, professional storytellers visit the Caymans from all over the world to tell tales of myths, legends and heritage to spur laughter, wonder and the imagination. This rich storytelling present culminates in a festival that draws thousands of people every year. Read on to learn about this ever-popular event.

The Story of GIMISTORY
GIMISTORY, the Grand Caymans’ International Storytelling Festival, is celebrating its 20th anniversary and this year is being held from Nov. 25 to Dec. 2. It brings together more than 2,000 visitors from the Cayman Islands and across the globe to witness or take part in this popular event. Storytellers from across the Caymans’ broad cross-section of residents, as well as many from other countries, will take their turn spinning yarns, creating drama and spurring minds to think. In the process, they help revitalize a forgotten art, as well as the art of listening.

The Why of GIMISTORY
GIMISTORY was created to help breathe new life into the art of speaking, communicating, explaining and even listening as a means of further educating the Cayman populace. Whether funny or profound, the stories told here help reawaken the part of our brain that has been dulled by repetitive and not entirely imaginative modern digital outlets. It is also part of an initiative to preserve the Caymans’ rich cultural history and heritage and to spawn further pride in the island’s lineage.

Every day, storytellers visit schools and make presentations on each of the Caymans’ three islands. Each night, storytellers gather in a different Caymans neighborhood, usually on a picturesque beach or in a tranquil field to tell their tales. They take their turns weaving their yarns in front of rapt audiences of all ages while a grand variety of foods and music punctuate the event.

There is still time to make it to the event, and South Bay Beach Club is the perfect place to drop anchor for this year’s event. Contact us now at www.southbay.softlinetestserver.com.

Many people visit South Bay Beach Club, and the Cayman Islands, to experience true tropical beauty, white-sand beaches, azure-blue waters and a relaxed sense of timelessness. In spite of the Caymans Islands’ notoriety as pure tranquility, the fact is that few, if any, places celebrate their link to their pirate past as closely and lovingly as do the Caymans. Accordingly, for one week every year, this bastion of calmness and serenity celebrates its pirate past with a series of celebrations, mock invasions, special ceremonies and general dancing in the streets.

As Pirates Week 2017 has just concluded, having run from Nov. 9 to 13, we wanted to give you a rundown of what you missed so you can plan to visit during the event next year.

The Invasion
Let’s face it: Pirates have always loved staging an invasion. In this case, our “pirates” engineer a mock version, though it is done the old-fashioned way. It all starts out on the azure-blue waters, where two sailing vessels straight out of yesteryear and filled with packs of swarthy “pirates” traverse George Town Harbor until they reach the shores of Grand Cayman Island. Once on land, their goal is to kidnap Gov. Helen Kilpatrick.

Just as a historical aside, the Caymans were long considered a dependency of Jamaica. Then, once the motherland earned its independence, the islands were split and classified as a colony of the British crown. Beginning in 1971, the British Government appointed a governor, who replaced the previous top politician, the administrator.

Now back to Pirates Week. The peaceful invasion is witnessed by thousands of visitors, who jam the beach to witness this lighthearted and almost-historically-accurate event, making it the only one of its kind in the Caribbean.

Once the mock coup has concluded, the island turns its attention to street parades, costume contests, musical performances, fireworks, a children’s fair, 5K and 10K runs and a street dance finale. There are street foods of all shapes, sizes and ethnicities sprinkled all over the island. In addition, special Heritage Days celebrate individual historic neighborhoods on Grand Cayman Island, including Bodden Town, George Town, East End, West Bay and North End. The action-packed, frivolously fun week-long event concludes with a grand finale night parade.

While there are so many reasons to visit us here at South Bay Beach Club, isn’t it nice to know there is yet one more?

Interesting Ways To Spend New Year’s Eve 2018

Every year, it’s the same old dilemma: What to do for New Year’s Eve. There is always the overpriced club route, in which you pay way too much to get into a club and try hard to have a good time but end up dissatisfied. There is also the restaurant route, which is usually more of the same. If you’re lucky enough to live near a beautiful natural setting, you can create something great with some friends and your imagination, and hopefully it won’t be overrun with people.

On the other hand, wouldn’t you love to finally do something truly memorable to kick off the new year? Well read on to learn about our favorite ideas for 2018.

The Cayman Islands
Imagine spending the day in tropical splendor, laying on stunning, white-sand beaches and looking out on sparkling azure-blue waters, then following it up with a New Year’s Eve celebration to remember. Your evening endeavors can take on many forms, from joining the official fun along Seven Mile Beach, taking in the fireworks over the harbor on a privately charted boat or setting up shop on a blanket with you and yours, a tasty snack and your favorite beverage. Did we mention the temperatures will be blissfully balmy?

Rio de Janeiro
Sure, New York and Sydney get all of the international acclaim for their major-league fireworks celebrations, and with good reason, but have you ever considered Rio? While this sexy city’s Carnaval gala gets the most attention, its New Year’s Eve celebration gives it a run for its money. You can join a couple million people and take part in Réveillon, a fete on two miles of beaches that brings together traditional Brazilian, religious and superstitious beliefs and is capped off by fireworks over the ocean at midnight.

Stay Home and Invite a Crowd
Many of us live busy lives that sometimes feel as though they never stop for a break, and all of that can catch up to us at the end of the year. If that’s what this holiday is bringing to you, then slow down, invite your besties to your place and tell them all to bring a surprise dish that sums up their hopes and feelings about the new year. Make it about the experience and not the dressing, and spend the evening really talking and connecting and let it all take its course.

Ultimately, choosing a truly memorable celebration will leave you inspired and ready for the new year. So make your commitment now and make it happen.