Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Cayman Brac
Cayman Brac is the larger of the sister islands. If Grand Cayman is the
flashy big brother, swelling with pride about its lavish condomini-
ums, full-service resorts, international dining, and top-notch diving; and
Little Cayman is the family's youngest sibling, favored for its petite size
and almost shy demeanor; then Cayman Brac (rhymes with Jack) is the
middle child. Have no fear, though; this sibling is not at all overlooked.
A favorite of scuba divers, this island boasts world-class diving along un-
dersea walls, a neighborly feeling, a sense of peace, and a striking land-
scape. This most “mountainous” of the Cayman Islands offers good hiking
as well as numerous caves, which invite exploration. Birders also find
plenty of challenge here.
Its people are another of this island's true treasures. “Brackers are all nice
and enjoy talking,” explains Terri Scott, the Cayman Islands Department
of Tourism representative on the island. “People come back often to the is-
land because they feel welcome; they feel like they know people here.
There's very little crime here because everyone knows everyone.”
The island is named for the “brac,” Gaelic for bluff, which soars up from the
sea to a height of 140 feet on the island's east end. It's the most distinct fea-
ture of this 12-mile-long, one-mile-wide island, which sits 89 miles east-
northeast of Grand Cayman and just seven miles from Little Cayman.
With a population of under 1,300 residents, Cayman Brac is closer in pace
to Little Cayman than to Grand Cayman. Residents, or “Brackers,” are
known for their personable nature and welcome vacationers to their sunny
isle.
Cayman Brac has all basic services, including a bank (the Cayman Na-
tional Bank at Tibbetts Square, Cross Road at West End,
345-948-
1551; also has an ATM), dental clinic (
345-948-2618), medical clinic
( Brac Clinic ,
345-948-1777), and hospital (the 16-bed Faith Hospital
at Stake Bay,
345-948-2356). Several grocery stores provide all the ne-
cessities, although at a slightly higher price than on Grand Cayman.
A Brief Island Tour
Cayman Brac is a long, eel-shaped island that starts with Ger-
rard Smith Airport on its westernmost end near a town named,
appropriately enough, West End . This part of the island is also
home to most guest accommodations and the island's only beaches.
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