Cayman Brac

Cayman Brac is a natural jewel, its towering bluff plunging vertically into the gorgeous crystal water of the Caribbean Sea. Hundreds of caves, some barely visible, some no doubt packed with hidden pirate treasure, litter the Island. Spectacular views open out across the sea. Opportunities abound for some of the best diving in the world, around multi-colored coral reefs teeming with underwater life. The local flora and fauna, some found nowhere else in the world, lead a protected existence. To visit the Island is to take a step back in time. Take time to explore this Caribbean gem, one of the two “Sisters Islands” which together with Grand Cayman constitute the Cayman Islands.

Twelve miles long by just two miles wide, at the widest, these 14 square miles are home to around 1,800 people. Cayman Brac is around 90 miles east of Grand Cayman. It is an ideal destination for those looking to get away from Grand Cayman, whose own pace of life is already hardly rushed. There is more for the visitor – or resident – to do than in the other “Sister Island” of Little Cayman.

The Island has the amenities to support the small population and the numbers of visitors who come to share the Island. So a visitor will find shops, schools, churches, banks and even a small police force as well as restaurants, bars and hotels. Facilities for the holiday maker include diving, kayaking, snorkeling and other water sports, beach amenities, heritage sites, nature trails and a museum.

Time to dive in Cayman Brac

The Cayman Islands are quite understandably considered one of the world’s premier dive destinations. Cayman Brac benefits from perfect sea temperatures all year round and crystal clear water with visibility up to 200 feet. Add to that marine conservation laws which are working to protect the coral and marine life, and you have the perfect ingredients for great diving.

The walls are the most notable feature of Cayman diving. Being at the peak of an underwater mountain range means that Cayman Brac offers plunging dive experiences, just offshore. The wreck of the MV Capt Keith Tibbetts, a Russian-built frigate bought from Cuba and sunk off the north west of the Island, also lies just offshore. This provides wreck diving at all levels of competency. The stern lies in shallow water, while to visit the bow requires a dive of some 90 feet.

The Island has a number of dive operators and instructors. Even if you have not tried it before, Cayman Brac may just be the place to start diving. Other water-based activity includes snorkeling in the extraordinarily clear water, or hiring a kayak. Otherwise, take a charter boat fishing trip or rent a yacht for the day.

Click here for fuller information about Diving and Water Sports in the Cayman Islands.

Time for nature in Cayman Brac

The natural resources of the Island, both above and below sea, are what makes it such as special place. The organization ‘Nature Cayman’ has led the way in both preserving and developing the Island as a destination for both humans and wildlife.

Once you are onshore, you may rent a car, scooter or especially a bike and make your way round this natural paradise. However, walking really is the best way to see the Island. If you are up for a challenge, you can hike the rough terrain on the bluff, or make your way carefully over the ironstone coral pebbles. Alternatively, follow one of the established Nature trails, with boardwalks and flights of steps to make the going a little easier. Along the way you will find plenty of signage, marking significant features or describing the habitat and likely wildlife. A recent addition is a new 600ft boardwalk stretching into the otherwise impassable tropical forest.

Established by the National Trust for the Cayman Islands in 1990, the 310 acre Brac Parrot Reserve protects the endangered Cayman Brac Parrot as well as a host of other wildlife, and offers a two mile nature trail through many different species of tree.

Visit the caves, homes to seabirds, semi-precious mineral Caymanite and of course plenty of hidden pirate treasure. Along the cliff walls you will find petrified coral and sea life fossils

Or just chill out on the beautiful white coral beach and watch the sum moving inexorably across the cloudless skies. Families find plenty to do at the Community Park playground and nature trail. Another relaxing open space is the Christopher Columbus garden up on the bluff, featuring the Wall of Honor.

Climbing in Cayman Brac is becoming more and more popular, aided by some really spectacular topography. It is possible to climb from the sea vertically up to the top of the bluff some140 feet above your head. The climbs in the Brac are largely for the advanced climber and require a significant hike or a boat trip just to reach them.

Time to do something else in Cayman Brac

There are a small number of restaurants on offer in Cayman Brac. There around twenty dining establishments, from take-outs, bars and beach shacks to local Caribbean and international restaurants. There are also only a few shops, and visitors may want to take a look at the Caymanite jewelry and local arts and crafts products.

Heritage sites on the Island include various historic houses, maintained or restored to offer a glimpse into an earlier life in the Island. The Heritage House hosts displays, exhibitions, and cultural events while Cayman Brac Museum has material on general seafaring and Island history. The Island celebrates regular Heritage Days showcasing the Island’s culture, when elders pleat thatch, lay rope, make turtle nets and build catboats.

A lighthouse still stands at the eastern end of Island, at the far end of the bluff with superb views out over the Sea.

How to get to Cayman Brac

You can reach Cayman Brac by sea or by air from Grand Cayman. Take a flight with Island Air or Cayman Airways, the Cayman Islands national carrier, to Gerrard Smith Airport. By sea you will have to charter or rent a boat, as there is no ferry service. Cruise ships occasionally visit the Island.

Where to stay in Cayman Brac
Visitor accommodation including Brac Reef Beach Resort, the Brac Caribbean Beach Village, and the Divi Tiara Resort (currently closed) are to be found on the western tip of the island, near the airport. La Esperanza and others are further into the Island. There are plenty of villas and condos available for rent, either through one of the Cayman Island letting agents, or directly from the owner.

For hotels and resorts in the Cayman Islands, use eCayOnline. Full information about contact details, prices and locations are just a click away.

History of the Island

Columbus first spotted the “sister islands” of Little Cayman and Cayman Brac in 1503. Blown off his intended course, he caught sight of the islands low in the water, surrounded by little rocks. Further inspection proved these to be Cayman’s first settlers, the turtles.

Although Columbus first named the Islands “Los Tortugas”, or “the Turtles”, it was only 30 years before this was changed. By 1530 the name Cayman was being used, a reference to the marine alligators then found in the Islands. Cayman Brac acquired its full name due the large bluff, or ridge, running down the centre of the Island. Rising up to around 140 feet vertically above the water, this impressive feature dominates the Island, giving rise to the name ‘Brac’, the Gaelic for a bluff.

Pirates used the Island as a refuge, attracted by their accessible yet somewhat covert location. They were also able to hide their ill-gotten gains in the Island. Rumors still abound of Blackbeard’s booty being buried somewhere in Cayman Brac’s caves.

Very early inhabitants of the Island included the buccaneers, shipwreck victims and runaway slaves and debtors. The first permanent settlers were British-descended families from Grand Cayman who came to start a new life, as many have since, in 1833

The Island’s topography was to play a significant part in its history. In 1932 a violent storm hit the Island. The majority of the Island’s residents survived the hurricane by sheltering in Peter’s Cave.

eCay Tip - Some of the best things in life are free

Take advantage of so much in Cayman Brac being free and open to all. Just some of the free stuff on offer includes the hiking, birdwatching, the beaches and community parks, the spectacular views out over the sea and even admission to the museum.

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