The Cayman Islands are best known for offshore banking, but these dots just a stone's throw from the US Mainland offer a surprisingly close escape for those needing a quick getaway to recharge one's batteries. A scuba diving mecca to be sure, but my most lasting memory is the calypso music punctuating the air. The naughty lyrics of The Barefoot Man are an island staple, and where else in the world could you hear a song like Jeff the Muff Diver in public, much less while checking in at the airport for your return flight?!
Sometimes billed as the satellite dish capital of the world, Grand Cayman looks positively futuristic compared to most other Caribbean locales.
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The colorful coral reefs come right up to shore, providing some of the world's best shallow water snorkeling and diving.
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Life on an island is necessarily connected with the ocean. Here, a local cleans his catch of the day.
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Spectacular shipwreck hangs precariously close to a resort beach.
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The signature attraction of the Cayman Islands, Stingray City. Through years of conditioning, stringrays flock to the sand flats when they hear an approaching boat in the hopes of snagging an easy meal. Even from the confines of the boat, it's breathtaking to see rays darting across the sand below you in excitement.
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Of course the best part is jumping into the water for a close personal encounter with the hungry rays!
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As the sun slides towards the horizon, it's time to bid farewell to the rays and head back to shore. There isn't much to do in the Cayman Islands after dark, and therein lies its appeal. If one really needs to find something to do, a visit to Hell (the actual name of an island site) certainly makes for interesting postcards to send home.
