Christopher Columbus may not have been the first European explorer to discover America, but give the guy credit for sighting the Cayman Islands in 1503. He was followed in ensuing years by pirates, shipwrecked sailors, and refugees from the Spanish Inquisition, making for an intriguing mix and creating the forebearers of experts in offshore banking. The Cayman Islands even had a spell of Jamaican rule, a chill heritage if ever there was one, before settling in as part of the British Commonwealth. The tasty turtles almost eaten to extinction after millennia of having the islands to themselves have returned and now share what has become one of the Caribbean’s most desirable destinations.
The piece de resistance on Grand Cayman, one of three islands along with Little Cayman and Cayman Brac, is Seven Mile Beach. It is perfection in the form of sand, with crystal clear aqua water as punctuation. Venture only a few hundred feet offshore and snorkelers and scuba divers experience almost psychedelic reef replete with tarpon and little sergeant majors that swim right up to salute you.
The fish that end up on your plate are also noteworthy, no more so than at the exemplary restaurants of the Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman led by world-famous chef Eric Ripert and his signature inspiration Blue, the only AAA Five Diamond in the Caribbean. The Ritz-Carlton also has various settings for outdoor dining, and all provide multi-sensory atmosphere of the highest magnitude since the resort is right in the middle of Seven Mile Beach.
A stay at the Ritz-Carlton should include a session at the spa and a La Prairie luxury massage that will add 10 yards to your drive before you swing through the challenging Greg Norman 9-hole golf course. The resort also has all kinds of state-of-the-art water sports equipment on hand, and provides a phalanx of valets to enhance the beachside experience of your choosing. Top that off with some local Tortuga rum cakes and you’ve got yourself one sweet weekend!
https://www.ritzcarlton.com/en/hotels/caribbean/grand-cayman