After Stingray City, what to do?

[CruisingCatherine]

I posted this on the Ports of Call board but have not gotten much of a response. We are booked on the Soto's Snorkeling and Stingray city tour. What should we do with the rest of the day? Is there anything that shouldn't be missed? I know that there is 7 mile beach. I don't think we will be up to a beach again. Probably looking for something on land. A fun nightclub close to the pier, museums, great shopping center, ect... Anyone?

[aqusis]

If you've never been to the Caymans before, what about a trip to Hell or the turtle farm? We like just jumping on the city bus and getting a look at the island.

[CruisingCatherine]

Can you tell me a little more about Hell and the Turtle Farm. I know that Hell is a beach or something with rock formations?

[aqusis]

It's a little area with strange rock formations said to be a resemblence of 'Hell". They look all black and charred. There is a post office there so you can send all of your friends and family postcards from Hell. The turtle farm is to turtles what stingray city is to stingrays. They raise turtles and then release them into open seas around the island as well as raise them for commercial uses. Tthey do have a little snack bar where you can get turtle soup and other turtle meat offerings. For more info http://www.caymans.com/Cayman_Turtle_Farm.html or http://www.discovercaymans.com/ArticleSite.cfm?PageID=14793825.

 

You had also mentioned an interest in shopping. We've found the Caymans to be very expensive for shopping. Aside from the usual t-shirt or shot glass souvenior, sorry can't help you there.

[GeorgiaPeach]

Aqusis:

 

Can you give us a little more into about taking a city bus to see the island? My husband and I are also using a Sotos Stingray tour and would like to do something afterwards. I think the tour returns at 1:30 ship time and the ship leaves at 4pm. I know we need to allow enough time for tendering. I wouldn't mind telling my family and friends that I checked out Hell while on vacation!

[travelhound]

We've been to Cayman several times and have been at Stingray, Hell and the Turtle Farm. Hell is not a beach, but just a little stop with a lookout over some volcanic formations. As the previous poster mentioned, there is a post-office and some tacky "I've been to hell" souvenirs. This is not a very long stop and neither is the turtle farm.

 

The last time we were there, we just brought our own snorkeling gear and walked to Eden Rock, which is just to the right of the dock. Snorkeling is free if you have your own gear or you can rent. However, you mentioned land tour, so that may not appeal to you.

 

The downtown area is fun to walk around, even if you don't buy anything. It is a little pricey, but unlike other islands, no one hassles you to buy. We always like to get some small thing from each place we go and in Cayman last time we got a hand painted tile and a Christmas ornament. The ornament came from a shop where everything is made from shells. Cute stuff and cheap! You can see this store from the main street by the dock.

 

For more info, especially about museums, take a look at this site: http://www.caymanislands.ky/to_do/activities.asp

 

Have fun at Stingray city. Enjoy the beauty of the water in Cayman.

Teri

[aqusis]

If you sail at 4:00 the last tender is probably 3-3:30 so that doesn't leave much time after your 1:30. The island is small but that leave you very little time. We hopped on a bus as soon as we docked and rode around until lunch time(not an organized tour bus, just the local public transportation bus). It's a great way to see the area-we've also done this in Nassau. You get to see some residential areas, you can hop off if you see something interesting (shopping/beach/etc). I'd be concerned with only 1.5 hours or so about getting back, especially if you're unfamiliar with the area and bus routes. With so little time, I agree with travelhound, just walk around the downtown area, maybe have a drink, buy a few souveniers.

[jean-lynd]

On our last cruise we had them drop us off at the TreeHouse for lunch and drinks on our way back to the pier after our stingray excursion. The view of the ships is wonderful and everyone enjoyed their food and beverages. Prices were not too bad. I have some pictures in my Voyager albums at http://community.webshots.com/user/jean_lynd that might give you an idea if this is something that you might like to do with your limited time. Some of us walked back to the pier from there and others hopped on the city bus for a ride back. It worked out well for us. I hope this helps!

[Nliedel]

I find that I need some serious time to, as my father says, absorb, what I have been through and Stingray City is one of those experiences that sucked the breath from my lungs, much the way the stingrays hoover up the fish :) I just hang out, go to the beach.. go back to the ship early and get a good pool seat.. If that does not appeal then the turtle farm is very interesting and informative. I really enjoyed it once but I have been to Grand Cayman several times. I am not really into the Hell thing but then again I live 30 minutes from Hell, MI and run a race there every year (when I am not preggers) so I have had my fill of "Postcards from Hell".. which is pretty funny the first time :)