If you’re looking for a romantic destination for your honeymoon, the Caribbean islands are difficult to top. The region isn’t far from the United States, offers beautiful weather and beaches and offers a French, Dutch, British or Spanish colonial flavor, depending on the island. However, not all of the Caribbean islands are alike. In fact, each of the region’s more than 1,000 islands (big and small) has its own unique personality. Below are just a few islands that we think are particularly well-suited for honeymooners.
1. Grand Cayman Island. Grand Cayman, the largest of the Cayman Islands, combines the best features of a small and a large island. Located just south of Cuba, Grand Cayman can be reached in 90 minutes by air from Miami. This island is renowned for its excellent snorkeling and diving, its indigenous turtles and its sparkling white Seven Mile Beach. Make sure to sample the turtle soup, see how rum is made at the local factory and swim with the stingrays and other marine life at Stingray City.
2. St. Barts. Formally St. Barthelemy, this small French island is famous for its romantic cove beaches, its excellent cuisine, its beachside cafes and its Gallic charm. Hotels here are small and remote, making them ideal for a honeymoon retreat. There are also a number of hillside villas for rent here.
3. Jamaica. Those it is one of the largest islands in the Caribbean, Jamaica is really a collection of regional outposts. Since traveling around the island can be difficult, this is a great island to settle in and enjoy the beauty surrounding your hotel or villa. The pace here is relaxed, the food delicious and the lilting Jamaican accent charming.
4. Puerto Rico. One of the easiest islands to get to, Puerto Rico is accessible via non-stop flights from all over the United States. This former Spanish colony is now a U.S. territory, so you don’t need a passport to fly here. Old San Juan offers historic 16th century buildings, sidewalk cafes, casinos and even outlet shopping. Just outside of town, you’ll find some of the best beaches and golf courses in the Caribbean.
5. St. John. The smallest of the U.S. Virgin Islands, more than half of this island is made up of national park land. That, plus the fact that it is accessible only by ferry boat from St. Thomas and St. Croix, makes this an uncrowded–and lovely–place to spend a honeymoon. The Rockefellers called it home for years. Now there are a handful of small hotels, all with gorgeous beaches.
Going on a romantic honeymoon doesn’t have to mean flying half way around the world. The Caribbean islands, some of which are less than two hours away from the U.S. mainland, offer beautiful scenery, exotic cuisine and customs and plenty of places to just be together.
The Best Kept Secrets of Grand Cayman Island
Grand Cayman is best known for its sparkling beaches, its British accent, its indigenous turtles, and fascinating Stingray City, where you can swim with the local marine life. However, these are far from the only things to see and do on the island. There is a number of less popular, but no less interesting, attractions on the island.
- Find the hSwim with the silversides. Sure, dolphins are sweet and friendly, but how many of your neighbors can say they’ve swum with schools of dwarf herrings. These silver fish migrate to Grand Cayman in early summer and stay until early fall. If you’re visiting Grand Cayman during this season, be sure to experience this unique underwater show.
- Visit the farmers and craft market at Camana Bay. Each Wednesday from noon to 7:00 p.m., Camana Bay harbor hosts an eclectic craft and farmers market. The wares each week are different, but usually include paintings and jewelry by local artists, the delicious Cayman pepper jelly (available only on the island), fresh produce and one-of-a-kind souvenirs. This market is only beginning to become popular with visitors, so you won’t see a lot of touristy gee-gaws.
- Hiking the Majestic Trail. Another lesser-known, but worthwhile attraction on Grand Cayman is the Mastic Trail. Located at the highest point on the island (79 feet above sea level), this four-mile roundtrip, relatively easy trail, offers beautiful vistas as well as a chance to see some of the local wildlife, such as the elusive Cayman rabbits.
- Take a gander at the shoe tree. For more than two decades, visitors to Grand Cayman have been writing their names on the soles of their shoes (or flip flops) and taking them to a beachfront tree on the east side of the island. The colorful display is easy to find; it’s located on the Main Road West of Bodden Town.
- Snorkel at Cemetery Beach. Located just a short walk from one of the island’s historic cemeteries is one of the best (and lesser known) spots for diving and snorkeling. Here, you’ll find a variety of fish and other marine life, including tangs, eels, parrot fish and even an occasional nurse shark. The action centers around a reef located just off of the shore.
- Explore the Cayman Motor Museum. For that day when you just need to get out of the sun, take a trip to the Cayman Motor Museum, located on the west side of the island. This museum houses 80 unique vehicles, including the original Batmobile, an 1886 Benz (the world’s first car) and a 1905 Cadillac (the first car driven on Grand Cayman.)
While snorkeling along Seven Mile Beach, sampling turtle soup and swimming with the local marine life are certainly worthwhile, make sure to include a few secret attractions on your itinerary when you next visit Grand Cayman.
5 Best Spas for Couple Massages on Grand Cayman Island
The whole purpose of taking a vacation is to get away from it all just for a little while, to relax, recharge your batteries, and maybe pamper yourself a bit. After all, you work hard and you deserve it. And there’s hardly a better place in the world to do all that than on Grand Cayman Island.
Besides being a tropical paradise, with warm clear waters, gorgeous white sand beaches, and plenty of fun things to see and do, the island also boasts some of the best spas and wellness centers in the Western hemisphere. After an active day of snorkeling and swimming, boating, hiking the nature trails, and shopping the boutiques, nothing compares to a relaxing massage along with your significant other before dinner and cocktails. Here are five of the top spas for couple massages on the island.
Best Massage Spas On Grand Cayman Island
Touch of Thai – This Georgetown salon and day spa specializes in the forms of massage traditionally practiced in Thailand. Their Royal Thai Massage was, as the name suggests, originally developed for the Thai royal family, and they also offer a massage using warm and cool stones and aromatic scents to create a unique experience, as well as several other types of massage and reflexology techniques. If you’re looking for something decidedly different, this is the place to go.
Renaissance Salon & Spa – This popular spa on Walkers Road in Georgetown offers total-body Swedish massage, aromatherapy, reflexology foot massage, or a wonderful combination of all three. Performed by professionals at very reasonable prices.
Tips N’ Toes Luxury Spa – Another Georgetown favorite, also known as The Retreat, they are ready to deliver eight different types of massage experiences, including deep tissue, prenatal, Swedish, and hot stone massage. Or choose one of their special packages for the full-body treatment including a facial, mineral salt scrub, and manicure and pedicure. Nice atmosphere and friendly staff.
Perfectly Pampered – For a truly personalized experience, this is the one to choose. Operated by Laura Evans, a highly-trained and experienced massage specialist, she performs all types of massage and body therapies, and also offers mobile services, so you can enjoy a rub down in the privacy of your hotel room. Highly recommended.
DaVinci Centre – These folks are serious about wellness and alternative physical therapies, of which massage is just one. They offer some rather obscure types of massage that can hardly be found anywhere else, such as Chinese massage, Zen massage, Indian Head massage, Holistic Aromatherapy, and several others. If you’re looking for a massage that’s not only a relaxing and luxurious experience, but also beneficial to the holistic health of your body and soul, these are the people to consult.
Take advantage of these world-class spas while you’re visiting Grand Cayman Island. Your body will thank you for it, and you’ll return home ready to take on the world again.
4 Exclusively Caribbean Adventures On Grand Cayman
The Mar Caribe, or Caribbean Sea, is one of the most unique and beautiful places on earth, filled with sights and phenomena that can be found nowhere else. With a long and colorful history, filled with pirates and war, romance and adventure, and dotted with exotic islands surrounded by crystal clear blue waters and white sand beaches, it’s one of the most visited places in the world. And the Grand Cayman Islands are among the brightest jewels in this tropical paradise.
Every Caribbean destination has its own culture and environment, offering something just a little bit different from its neighbors. Here are four must-see Grand Cayman destinations to consider for your next visit to the Caribbean.
Exclusively Caribbean Adventures On Grand Cayman
Stingray City – Just a short boat ride off of Seven Mile Beach, within the barrier reef, there’s a place where sea life loves to gather, and most especially schools of wild stingrays. Most people think these creatures are dangerous, and in some situations they can be, but for the most part they’re very friendly, and the rays that hang out here are used to swimming with the humans. You can swim and dive with them, and play with and feed them. Back on shore there’s a sea turtle farm that allows you to have the same experience with those curious sea denizens. A truly amazing experience and one that shouldn’t be missed.
Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park – A visit to the Grand Cayman Islands just wouldn’t be complete without taking the opportunity to experience the unique flora and fauna that inhabit the islands, and this park allows you to see it all in one beautiful place. The Queen herself opened this park in 1994. Stroll through gardens filled with native plants and flowers, and watch the antics of the Cayman Blue Iguana, which thrives in this area. Many other birds and animals that live in the islands can be viewed here too.
Cayman Crystal Caves – One of the newest attractions available to visitors is also the oldest geological formation in the islands. Located in the lush jungle of the Northside, these caves were formed from the limestone strata over millions of years, creating huge underground rooms and breathtaking stalactite and stalagmite structures. The caves once served as hideouts for pirates and as hurricane shelters for the inhabitants. The caves are also home to bats, and guano was mined here for fertilizer. Professionally guided tours are available.
Pedro St. James National Historic Site – Back in the 18th century, when commerce and trade to the islands was at its height, a wealthy Englishman built this magnificent three-story mansion. It has been completely restored to its original glory, with period furniture and art. A step back into another age. There are many other attractions on the site to see also.
There are many more exclusively Caribbean adventures on Grand Cayman Islands to be enjoyed. Choose the one that’s right for you and have a wonderful time. That’s what Grand Cayman is all about.
Here are four must-see Grand Cayman destinations to consider for your next visit to the Caribbean.
Which Caribbean destination is your personality?
It is easy to see why countless people from all over the world are drawn to the different destinations in the Caribbean. Enjoy the crystal clear azure color of the Caribbean sea, and the smell of the salty air. Experience the calming feel of soft breezes emanating from trade winds that cool the tropical air. They are powerful enough to lure anyone away from a busy city, or a remote rural town, as they dream of basking in the radiant sunshine of a tropical paradise.
How is it possible for one tropical Caribbean paradise to fit a variety of personality types? It is when the location is one that offers so many different amenities that the sheer variety of things to do, activities to enjoy, and the variety of exceptional tropical and native Caribbean dining choices and entertainment to experience all come together on the three islands that make up the British Dependent Territory known as the Cayman Islands.
The Adventurer
If you are looking for a destination that will allow you to spread your adventurous wings on or in the water, the Cayman Islands will let you explore everything. You’ll find an array of unique diving experiences that include marine habitats that have developed in the remains of sunken ships or surveillance vessels, the chance to snorkel with Stingrays, some of the world’s best reefs to explore and much more.
Water Sports
Whether you want to swim in a heated pool near the ocean, or in the Caribbean Sea, explore the salty water along the Seven Mile Beach via a kayak, a parasail, or a sailboat, you can do all of that and more when you visit the Cayman Islands.
The Beach Bum
Can you imagine a more spectacular place to be a beach bum than on the southern edge of the world-famous Seven Mile Beach on Grand Cayman Island? Inhale the salty air as you chase away the stresses of a chaotic life, relaxing on a beach with the whitest sand you’ve ever seen. This is the life that visitors of the Cayman Islands enjoy every day as long as they’re there.
Family Friendly Accommodations That Encourage Family Togetherness
Stay in a villa that gives you access to amenities like a pool and fitness center, but that also offers the flexibility you can only get when you’re not bound to a meal or activity schedule. Work out in a fitness center or swim in heated pool. Wade in the ocean and gaze at fish.
Romantic Horseback Riding Along the Beach
What can be more romantic than a horseback ride along the crystal clear turquoise blue Caribbean Sea? Nothing, unless you’re enjoying that ride as the sun comes up or starts to go down. The color of the sky is changing, and the reflection of those colors on the water is a sight like nothing you’ve ever seen.
If you enjoy golfing, then the Cayman Islands will give you a one-of-a-kind golf experience as you play on what will arguably be the most beautiful golf course you’ve ever seen. The mild Caribbean climate is ideal for the type of grass that grows there. The lush green carpet looks as luxurious as it feels.
No matter what type of personality you have, there are so many things to do and see, places to go, new foods and drinks to experience, that you’ll never wonder where to go when you’re planning your dream vacation again. The Cayman Islands offers something for everyone, no matter how young or old they are.
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