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Mother Nature is alive and well in Grand Cayman. You can find her in the pensive eyes of a gentle stingray, she's warming herself in the sun as a blue iguana, she's trotting along the shoreline as a spirited mare and she's nesting on the sand as a lazy sea turtle. Welcome to a pristine piece of Mother Nature's world, a refreshing island in the Caribbean Sea.
Where is Grand Cayman?
You can find Grand Cayman 150 miles south of Cuba and 180 miles west of Jamaica. It's the largest of three British-territory islands that make up The Cayman Islands. You can enjoy modern conveniences like great restaurants and superior shopping in Grand Cayman, while appreciating preserved land where wildlife thrives. The unspoiled waters here offer world-renowned diving and snorkelling.
And then there are the beaches -- the white-sand, stretching-as-far-as-your-eyes-can-see, warm water, clean, calm, glorious beaches. You may be tempted to plop yourself in a lounger and spend all your time basking on Rum Point or Seven Mile Beach, but there are places to go and wildlife to see, so sit back and discover some great nature tours in Grand Cayman.
Snorkelling at Stingray City
Captain Marvin's Watersports snorkelling and fishing operators offer expeditions to Stingray City sandbar for close encounters with friendly stingrays. Hop aboard a cruiser and sit up at the front deck for a spectacular view of the ride -- you just might spot some iguanas lounging on a dock or in the trees as you glide by.
Snorkel at Coral Gardens and Barrier Reef for clear views of some pretty coral formations. Get a piece of squid from a crew member and lots of colourful fish will surround you as they nibble the squid and gently tug pieces of it out of your hand until you release the last little bit.
When you head into the shallow water at Stingray City sandbar, move slowly and dozens of stingrays will likely approach, bumping into your legs as you shuffle on by, being careful not to step on a stingray. You can touch their wings but not their tails, where the spike-like stinger is.
One by one, tourists hold, kiss and stroke a stingray. When you pucker up, the stingray lifts its nose to receive your kiss. Then you turn your back and settle in for a "stingray massage" -- Guided by a crew member, the stingray rubs its wings across your back in wave-like motions. Some passengers feed the stingrays, too. Holding a piece of squid with your palm open and fingers flat, you guide your hand to the stingray's underside and then -- like a vaccum -- it sucks the squid right out of your hand.
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?