Grand Cayman is the largest of the Cayman Islands, and the capital city of George Town is a high-energy destination for shopping, dining and entertainment. You'll find tourist attractions scattered around the parks and trails of the island. Whether you choose adventure excursions or a sightseeing tour, you can explore several interesting tourist attractions in the Grand Cayman Islands.

Cayman Turtle Farm

The green sea turtle is one of the world's endangered species, and visitors to the Grand Cayman Islands can see them at the Cayman Turtle Farm on Boatswain's Beach. The turtle farm features dozens of turtles ranging in size from 6 ounces up to 600 pounds, and visitors can learn about the turtle hatching process, touch baby turtles and learn about some of the fish and sea creatures native to the islands.

National Gallery of the Cayman Islands

The National Gallery of the Cayman Islands houses an extensive collection of paintings and sculptures by local artists. Visitors can take a self-guided tour to see landscape paintings of George Town, Seven Mile Beach and other key sites around the island, as well as portraits and sculptures of former local residents. Admission to the National Gallery of the Cayman Islands is free.

Cayman Islands National Museum

The Cayman Islands National Museum ison the waterfront in George Town and serves as a repository of artifacts, artwork and memorabilia of the Cayman Islands. Visitors can take a self-guided tour of the museum to learn about the history of the island and the island's trading industry. The museum also has a theater, cafe and gift shop.

The best time to visit is when the hotel rates drop, which is between May and July. The islands are warm year-round with average highs holding steady in the 80s. January and February are the coolest months with lows in the high 60s. The rainy season is from May through about November — though showers usually only last for a few hours at a time. The islands' location in the western part of the Caribbean shields them from being hit too hard by hurricanes.

How to get around

The best way to get around the Cayman Islands is by car. Rental agencies and taxis are plentiful at the Owen Roberts International Airport (GCM) on Grand Cayman. Rental cars and mopeds are also available on the smaller Cayman Brac and Little Cayman. Private boat operators can help you get to either of those islands from Grand Cayman; Cayman Brac and Little Cayman also have their own airports with daily flights operated by Cayman Airways.

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Ahhh... the Cayman Islands, a financial centre with beautiful beaches. I was made to understand that the name derived from a reptile called caiman.

A caiman is an alligatorid crocodilian belonging to the subfamily Caimaninae, one of two primary lineages within Alligatoridae, the other being alligators. I will spare you the scientific lingo. Do you know that the name of the Porsche Cayman car is not derived from Cayman Islands but from the same reptile? Cayman is an alternative spelling of caiman.

The Cayman Islands, a British Overseas Territory, encompasses 3 islands in the western Caribbean Sea. Grand Cayman, the largest island and home to most of the population and tourist facilities, is known for its beach resorts and varied scuba diving and snorkelling sites. The other two islands are called the Sister Islands by locals and are also tourist destinations. Cayman Brac is popular for deep-sea fishing of tuna, marlin and barracuda. Little Cayman, the smallest island, is home to diverse wildlife, from rock iguanas to red-footed boobies.

Georgetown, the capital of the Cayman Islands is south of Havana, Cuba, and northwest of Kingston, Jamaica, and are between Cuba and Central America.

To be continued...