Sights in Cayman Islands
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Wreck of the Ten Sails Park
Part of the craggy coastline at the eastern tip of Grand Cayman, this park commemorates the islands most legendary shipwreck. On a fateful night in February 1794, the Cordelia, leading a convoy of merchant ships bound from Jamaica to Britain, ran aground on the reef at East End.
In a tragic case of crossed signals, the warning issued from the Cordelia to the other ships was misinterpreted as a call to follow more closely, and one by one nine more ships crashed into the reef. Fortunately for the imperilled sailors, the able mariners living on the island's craggy East End sprang into action, showing great heroism in ensuring that no lives were lost. Popular legend states…
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Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park
Grand Cayman's botanic park is hard to beat and absolutely the best place to experience the islands indigenous fauna. A well-marked mile-long trail winds through lush, easy terrain, featuring about 300 native species. You'll see buttonwood swamps, mahogany forests and a cool collection of native palms. The park is home to orchids (in bloom late May through June) and the Floral Colour Garden bursts with tropical flowers. You'll see turtles, lizards, parrots and the Cayman blue iguana, the highly endangered species that's being studied at a captive breeding and reintroduction facility here (it's not open to the public, but you can occasionally see a couple iguanas loitering…
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Pedro St. James Castle
This imposing Caribbean great house dates from 1780, making it the oldest building in the Caymans, and it's been everything from a jail to a courthouse to parliament before recent refurbishments turned it into a museum. The Castle is touted as the islands' 'birthplace of democracy': in 1831 the decision was made here to vote for elected representatives.
Just as momentously, this is the place that the Slavery Abolition Act was read in 1835. It now houses a museum featuring a multimedia presentation evoking 18th century Cayman and the grounds showcase native flora.
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National Gallery of the Cayman Islands
At the National Gallery of the Cayman Islands the Caymans' fledgling visual art scene is given room to breathe. While most of the exhibitions are imports, there's always some choice local art on display.
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Boatswain's Beach (Cayman Turtle Farm)
The unique and fascinating Cayman Turtle Farm at Boatswain's Beach is a facility that raises green sea turtles from hatchlings to behemoths averaging more than 135kg (300lb). While protecting wild populations by meeting market demand for turtle products, the farm has, over the years, released thousands of hatchlings into the waters surrounding the Caymans.
Visitors can peer into tanks filled with specimens ranging from babies to massive adults moshing about in their breeding pond. You can also watch tanks full of marine predators and a gift shop sells souvenirs.
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