Going Down

Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands

Seven Mile Beach on Grand Cayman is one of the most beautiful and famous in the world. It’s fame is well justified. Running northwards for nearly seven miles exactly from the capital, Georgetown, up the northern ‘dog leg’ of the island as far as the settlement of Hell (yes, it’s really called that – the post office does a tremendous trade in ‘postcards from Hell’) it’s one long expanse of sun-kissed sand that blends with a whisper into the deep azure of the Caribbean.

About halfway along the length of Seven Mile Beach you’ll find the Beach Club Colony Hotel and Dive Resort. This is one of the most successful of Grand Cayman’s resorts – largely because it caters for such a wide range of vacationers, and it does so in such style at such a reasonable price.

One of the main attractions of the Beach Club Colony is the very wide range of Scuba diving activities it offers. If you’re a qualified Scuba diver the resort offers some excellent packages which combine the use of all the on-site amenities coupled with the chance to undertake 50 and 100-foot dives with specialist guides who work for the resort’s partner company, Resort Sports Ltd. If you opt for such a package you will be able to enjoy a daily two-tank dive, plus the close attentions of an experienced guide and the services of an on-site dive shop. And you don’t have to worry about dragging all your equipment over the Grand Cayman, either – all of it is provided on site. The only exception to this rule is in the case of wet suits. You have to bring your own.

If you’re a less experienced diver – or you’ve done no diving at all – instruction is usually available on site or nearby. If you don’t feel like getting wet, don’t worry. There’s lots more to do at the Beach Club Colony Hotel and Dive Resort. Golfers are well provided for, with a full eighteen-hole championship course nearby.

The resort is in the vanguard of the latest international trend in vacation pricing – the all-inclusive package. Diving and non-diving packages are available. All include a private room with air-conditioning and a private balcony or patio, plus meals and most drinks. Also thrown in are the use of all kinds of non-motorized watesports equipment, and, of course, the use of the resort’s amenities, including its pool. Added to all this the resort enjoys a five hundred foot stretch of Seven Mile Beach and practically unlimited sunshine! The general all-inclusive package includes unlimited non-premium drinks and all the resort’s amenities, plus an introduction to Scuba diving.

If you’re of a slightly more adventurous turn of mind you might like to make the most of one of the resort’s excursion opportunities. These are not included in the price of your package, though they are generally charged at a cheaper rate than what you would have to pay through a guided tour company. The trip to Stingray City is particularly worthwhile if you’re a diver. The area, which can only be reached by boat, is regularly patrolled by as many as thirty stingrays. The water is only twelve feet deep, so divers and snorkellers should find themselves equally at home. If on the other hand you’d like the resort to find you a rather more relaxing and romantic excursion, the Mermaid Dinner Cruise should not be missed.

If you feel more inclined to dine on dry land, the Beach Club Colony Hotel and Dive Resort offers a couple of memorable places to satisfy your appetite. The La Ronde Restaurant and Terrace offers excellent cuisines in a semi-formal and friendly atmosphere. If you’re after something a little more laid back, you might like to consider the Escape Hatch Bar, where you can pick up drinks and snacks to help relax after a hard day underwater.

The sights of Grand Cayman beyond the Beach Club Colony Hotel and Dive Resort’s boundaries are not to be missed, either. If, for example, you’re interested in wildlife, you might like to visit the Cayman Turtle Farm. Here you can stroll among great glass tanks learning about the life cycle of the green turtle and observing these majestic animals up close. You might also enjoy a walk around the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park – one of the most interesting parks and gardens of its kind in the Caribbean. It has literally thousands of species of exotic plants that you’ll find hardly anywhere else.

So whether your idea of a good time is to be found underwater or on dry land, the Beach Club Colony Hotel and Dive Resort could be the place for you. Great fun, great value and great times await!