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WHAT'S NEW
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Meet Mother Nature in The Cayman Islands
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A nature getaway to a Caribbean island offers close-up encounters with iguanas, turtles, stingrays and more. Welcome to Grand Cayman.
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By Jennifer Melo
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Horseback riding with Pampered Ponies
Photo by: Jennifer Melo
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Horseback riding on the beach
At the northern shore of West Bay, the westernmost region of Grand Cayman, horses munch on grass and accept gentle nose rubs from guests at Pampered Ponies. Here, hop on a saddled horse and take a morning ride along the beach.
After you've settled into a slow, relaxing walk, you can enjoy the thrill of trotting and cantering on the beach. Feel a surge of excitement as your horse breaks free from a slow pace and picks up a bit of speed. There's nothing but the wind in your hair and the rise and fall of the magnificent beast that's carrying you. This adventure offers a wonderful mix of serenity in a steady walk along the coast and the excitement of a rush of fun as you giddyup!
Boatswain's Beach (Cayman Turtle Farm)
Over on the north shore of the island, Boatswain's Beach marine park is home to over 16,000 Green Sea turtles. Here, you can check out their breeding pond and look in on baby turtles in tanks as they mature for about two years before graduating to the breeding pond. You can snorkel with fish, turtles and stingrays in the turtle farm's salt-water lagoon and see the Green Sea turtle's predators such as eels and nurse sharks in a neighbouring aquarium.
Stop in at the bird aviary and chat with staff who will sprinkle some seeds into your palm and you'll have some pretty birds eating from your hand.
Blue Iguana Recovery Program
For a truly special experience, take a guided tour of the Blue Iguana Recovery Program in Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park.
While touring this unique facility, you'll find some of the big blue lizards with red eyes roaming free while others live in cages until they are old enough for breeding; and others live in breeding pens. While you can safely walk within inches of a Blue Iguana, make no mistake -- these are wild creatures. Look, but don't touch because if you anger a Blue Iguana, it can use its powerful jaw to bite off your finger or use its tail as a whip and leave you with a nasty welt.
The Blue Iguana is an indigenous species, which means you'll only find it in Grand Cayman. In 2002, there were only about 10 to 25 of these creatures alive but, thanks to volunteers and researchers who support the Program, the Blue Iguana population grew to about 400 in early 2008. After great success in breeding the species, researchers face a new challenge: They need the help of investors to buy protected land -- after all, the species can't survive, unassisted, without their natural habitat. Just like people, Blue Iguanas come with distinct personality traits so don't go home without seeing these fascinating creatures up close.
Whether you're looking for relaxation, adventure or a bit of both, you'll find plenty of things to do in Grand Cayman so you can easily plan the vacation of your dreams. Escape from the concrete and computers, meetings and office mayhem and indulge in the delights of experiencing wildlife up close, undisturbed and going about its delicate business of survival. It's a jungle out there -- isn't it about time you explored it?
-See photos from this trip in a Slideshow -- 10 must-see delights in Grand Cayman.
-Have you been to any of the destinations mentioned in this article? If so, click the microphone icon below and post your feedback.
Thanks to the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism for travel arrangements and accommodations.
Looking for another nature-lover's getaway? Check out more adventures with wildlife in the Galapagos Islands.
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