Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
age about US $35 for one-hour rentals; lessons run about US $45. For more
details, call Cayman Windsurf,
345-947-7492 or fax 345-947-6763.
On Wheels
The
east end
is excellent for cycling and scooter riding. A flat
grade and little traffic make for a leisurely ride.
Cayman Cycle
Rentals
(
345-945-4021) has a shop at Treasure Island Resort,
the Hyatt Regency Grand Cayman, and Coconut Place; scooters average
about $25 per day. A temporary Cayman islands license, available from
the rental agency, is required to drive a scooter and riding experience is
necessary. For more on cycling, contact the
Cayman Islands Cycling As-
sociation
, Box 456, George Town, Grand Cayman, BWI,
345-949-8666.
Eco-Travel
Birding
The best birding on Grand Cayman is found in this region, from
the
Mastic Trail
to the Woodland Trail at the
Botanic Park
to
Meagre Bay Pond
, east of Bodden Town. Set off the main road,
the large pond was once a popular hunting site and was abandoned by the
teal and mallard that once populated the region in the early 1900s. How-
ever, the pond is now designated an Animal Sanctuary by the government
and hunting is prohibited. Today, the bird population is beginning to in-
crease once again.
Another top birding spot is the
Governor Michael Gore Bird Sanctu-
ary
. Located about three miles east of George Town in Spotts, this site has
an observation blind.
The only operation of its kind on Grand Cayman,
Silver Thatch Excur-
sions
(
345-945-6588, fax 345-949-3342, e-mail silvert@hotmail.com)
offers specialized birding trips for US $50 per person. These trips include
visits to birding sites such as the Governor Michael Gore Bird Sanctuary, a
haven for waterfowl, as well as Meagre Bay Pond, Queen Elizabeth II Bo-
tanic Park, and the Willie Ebanks Farm, to view endangered West Indian
whistling ducks. Company founders Geddes and Janet Hislop also offer
private birding tours at US $40 per hour.
Bats
Look for bats at the
Bat Cave
, outside Savannah at Spotts Bay. The cave
is a little tough to find. If you're driving west on the way to George Town,
take the first left on a dirt road past Pedro St. James. Follow the dirt road
to the sea, turn left and follow the cliff to a sandy beach. Climb down 10 feet
