Destination:
Cayman Islands

Most of the population of the Cayman Islands live on the 78-square-mile (202 sq km) Grand Cayman, and every day thousands of visitors arrive, many of them on cruise liners, to besiege the narrow streets of the island capital, George Town, and delight in the beautiful beaches. The busy little colonial capital also draws its fair share of wheelers and dealers, being a major offshore investment centre with more than 500 banks.

The banking business has made Grand Cayman an affluent society, but decadence has not accompanied the wealth. There are no glitzy casinos and wild club venues here, and nudity on the beach is frowned upon. The natural attractions are enough to draw the crowds, however, with the coral reefs, clear waters and sandy beaches offering the chance to try out any watersport imaginable.

Cayman Brac was the setting for Robert Louis Stevenson's classic Treasure Island, and it remains today much as it is described in that well-read novel with its dramatic scenery, maze of caves and many offshore wrecks. 'Brac' is the Gaelic word for bluff, and the island's bluff is on the eastern extremity where a sheer limestone cliff drops perilously into the sea. There is plenty to explore here, both on and offshore. Inland tropical plants bloom year-round and between the fruit trees and cacti stunning bird life is to be found including, if you are lucky, the rare Cayman Brac Parrot.

Most people are attracted to Cayman Brac for the excellent diving; the newest attraction is the wreck of the 330-foot (101m) Russian-built Cuban naval frigate which was sunk off the island's northwest coast in 1996. It is already the home for a variety of marine life. Fisherman come to the island to revel in the shallow waters filled with bonefish and the deeper offshore waters teeming with game fish. Those who simply want to relax can enjoy the solitude of one of the many quiet beaches.

Little Cayman is the least developed of the Cayman Islands. With a resident population of less than 200, and measuring only 10 miles (16km) long and a mile (2km) wide, it still offers that rare combination of sun-blessed solitude, glistening beaches and miles of untouched tropical wilderness. Here, shy iguanas and rare birds outnumber humans. Famous dive spots on the northwestern coast such as the Jackson Point and Bloody Bay Wall attract the most visitors to the island but they are also great for bird watching. One of the world's largest nesting colonies of red-footed boobies are to be found among the mangroves in the Booby Pond Nature Reserve, which is also home to some gliding frigate birds. Rock iguanas abound and there is also a rare tree-climbing lizard hiding well camouflaged in the green and brown island vegetation.

A small town with a focus on big business, George Town is a pleasant place to visit on any holiday in the Cayman Islands. The city centre is well-planned and has a number of shops and restaurants worth visiting, and a few attractions of its own: The National Museum, situated in the Old Courts building, the island's oldest building, exhibits the country's fascinating cultural and natural history and the resourceful, independent nature of the seafaring society; and the National Gallery exhibits works by local and international artists.

George Town's most popular attractions, however, are its stunning natural environments on Grand Cayman. Boatswain's Beach, the sparkling Seven Mile Beach, and the scenic Mastic Hiking Trail are all within a few miles of the town.

Though usually quiet, George Town is one of the most popular cruise destinations in the Caribbean and comes alive on the two or three days a week that a cruise ship docks, when it is densely packed with tourists.