Cayman Islands: Activities Kids will Enjoy

If you are planning a vacation for your family, the Cayman Islands are worth checking out. There are plenty of activities for kids, and each one will keep a smile on your children’s faces.

The Cayman Islands is an excellent place for families because it has something for everyone. Kids will especially love it because they will find something fun everyday. Your children can try awesome water and land based activities during this vacation, and each activity is unique. If you want your kids to have a great vacation, the Cayman Islands will definitely make them happy.

Kids love to swim, especially during the summer; in the Cayman Islands, they will find cool water everywhere. Cool water is great; it is much better than the icy-cold water that is found in other places. The water is also very clean, which helps kids see the underwater animals clearly. Normal swimming is ok, but snorkeling is much better because it allows kids to see the fish a bit closer. Kids can go snorkeling with their family or with a tour guide. If you want your kids to learn while they are snorkeling, you should hire a tour guide.

Some kids like horses a lot, but most people think these animals are not found in the Cayman Islands, but they are. There is an area in the Cayman Islands that offer horseback riding; the tour takes place near the beach. If you decide to let your children try this, you should get someone to take a picture. The best time to snap the photo is when your kid is near the beach’s area during the sunset.

A most peaceful and relaxing activity that your kids can try is miniature golf. Miniature golf is quite fun, but you have to visit this area at the right time due to the hot weather. On a hot day, you and your kids will have a tough time enjoying the game because of the heat. The best time to play miniature golf is on a calm, cool day such as in the afternoon.

If you have kids in your family that love to ride a skateboard, they will love the Cayman Islands skate park. Your children will really enjoy the ramps in the park; in fact, you might not see them a lot during the vacation. Kids can easily spend hours at this park without knowing it due to the fun they will be having. If you let your kids visit the skate park, schedule their hours so they can spend time with you.

Finally, there is the wave pool, which is not for everyone; this activity takes place on an outdoor platform that produces waves. If your children can surf, this is a great way for them to practice, but it is dangerous for everyone else.

The Cayman Islands have many fun activities suitable for kids, and each one is different. Kids that like swimming should try snorkeling; it is a cool way to see many types of fish. Animal lovers will really love the horseback riding tour near the beach. Finally, sport fans will enjoy the miniature golf course, the skate park and the wave pool.

Source: cayman-information.com

Rhythms of the Caribbean

Music is the pulsing heartbeat of life in the Caribbean, as much a part of our days and nights as the sun and the sea. Our lands are alive with sounds and rhythms that evoke both our past and our sense of hope for the future.

These are carnival countries, where many festivals celebrate historic, religious, cultural or sporting events – and where music explodes spontaneously whenever a handful of musicians and singers are gathered together. It could happen on the street, in a town square or on the beach.

The Afro-Caribbean and Latin American musical heritage is a rich mixture, changing from country to country according to our varying backgrounds, and growing from year to year as young musicians build on their legacy.

This is the birthplace of the steel band, and of “beats” like calypso, compas, merengue, rumba, salsa, soca, and ska. Bob Marley exported reggae across the globe; salsa followed soon after. Some of the lands maintain musical traditions — like drumming – dating back to the time of slavery. Gospel music reflects both our colonial past and the influence of American culture.

The Caribbean is now a center for world music. Jazz, rhythm & blues and country music are popular imports from the United States; concert venues around the region attract top artists from all three genres, as well as international stars of the classical music circuit, for sell-out performances.

Whatever your taste, you’ll find it more than satisfied in our lands of rhythm and melody.

Source: Caribbean Travel

Hiking and Bird Watching on Grand Cayman

While most visitors to Grand Cayman spend much of their time enjoying the underwater sights of the Caribbean or relaxing on the beach, there are plenty of exciting activities on land for the active or adventurous traveler. Grand Cayman and its sister islands – Cayman Brac and Little Cayman – have long been committed to preserving their diverse environments and natural Caribbean beauty. One of the best ways to experience the ecological results of Grand Cayman’s environmental programs is hiking through the island’s interior to observe the vibrant wildlife flying overhead. In addition to being both the permanent home to numerous species and the preferred breeding ground for many more, the Cayman Islands also boast a number of protected bird sanctuaries. When you visit Grand Cayman, try to spend some time watching the sky and enjoy one of the island’s simplest, but most rewarding pleasures.

One of the most exciting hikes in the Caribbean is Grand Cayman’s Mastic Trail, a two-mile path through one of the region’s last remaining dry subtropical forests. Besides offering tourists a glimpse at several plant and animal species unique to the Cayman Islands, this hike through the middle of Grand Cayman is also one of the island’s most relaxing activities. Elsewhere on the island, visitors can find paths that wind through palm trees and mangroves or hike along the coastline and enjoy the endless Caribbean scenery. When coupling hiking with a little bird watching, you can enjoy one of Grand Cayman’s favorite pastimes.

The trails of Grand Cayman can be enjoyed throughout the year for casual outdoor fun or as part of locally-guided nature and bird watching tours. During bird watching outings, you will have a chance to enjoy lush natural surroundings and ideal conditions while learning about some of the most fascinating winged creatures on the planet.

During the peak bird watching season, it is possible to see over 200 different species – some of them permanent residents and others just passing through the island.

If you choose hike through the forests of Grand Cayman’s interior – including the popular Mastic Trail – you will probably have a chance to spot some of the following island landbird species:

• Bananaquit

• Caribbean Elaenia

• Loggerhead Kingbird

• Red-Legged Thrush

• Thick-Billed Vireo

• Vitelline Warbler

• Zenaida Dove

Though the summer months mark the tourism off-season for Grand Cayman, several winged visitors make their way to the island during this time each year. Among the several species that flock to the Cayman Islands as part of annual breeding rituals, here are just a few of the most interesting guests:

• Antillean Nighthawk

• Black-Whiskered Vireo

• Gray Kingbird

• White-Tailed Tropicbird

Additionally, more than 70 different species of migrating wetland birds have been spotted in the Cayman Islands – including everything from ducks and egrets to flamingos and spoonbills. However, researchers and birdwatchers alike pay a little extra attention to the wetland birds that breed on Grand Cayman and her sister islands. Some of the wetland species that fall into this special category include:

• Black-Necked Stilt

• Green Heron

• Pied-billed Grebe

• Tri-colored Heron

• West Indian Whistling Duck

• Willet

• Yellow-Crowned Night-Heron

For years, birdwatchers have also flocked to Grand Cayman and its bird sanctuaries for a glimpse of protected species in a natural habitat. The small island of Grand Cayman has seven distinct bird sanctuaries – including such popular sites as the QE II Botanic Park and the Majestic Reserve – each supporting unique winged species and an incredible variety of plant and animal life. If you make a daytrip to one of the sister islands, you will have several opportunities to observe some truly remarkable species in their protected environments. For instance, the endangered Brac Parrot can be found on Cayman Brac’s extraordinary 180-acre parrot reserve, while Little Cayman’s Booby Pond is home to the largest colony of Red-Footed Boobies in the Western Hemisphere.

Though Grand Cayman is known for its gorgeous beaches and incredible diving opportunities, there is much more to see than meets the eye. By setting out on foot through Grand Cayman’s interior or visiting one of the island’s bird sanctuaries, you will be able to experience an exciting, but too often overlooked side of this special Caribbean destination.

Source: Caribbean Outdoor Life, by Justin Burch