A small, beautiful, and very active British Crown Colony in the Western Caribbean, famed for its golden beaches, its fabulous diving, its crystal clear waters, its tax free status, its year-round Caribbean sunshine and its friendly locals who will welcome you anytime.

 George Town
The capital would resemble a generic North American urban area with its undeniably Caribbean seaside setting, bursting with condos and bristling with satellite dishes. George Town's attractions include a modest historical walking tour that takes in the remains of the late-18th-century Fort George and the Cayman Islands National Museum, situated in the town's oldest building. The museum, one of the Caribbean's best, features changing exhibits on the islands' human and natural history. The Cayman Maritime Treasure Museum has dioramas on the islands' seafaring days and a robotic Blackbeard that spins yarns about the Caymans' swashbuckling past.

 Otherwise, George Town functions mostly as a supply center and shopping mall. Stretching north along West Bay is Seven Mile Beach, which, if you don't mind the daisy chain of hotels, offers pristine white sand and good diving.

 Hell
The jagged black rock formations in Grand Cayman's northwest once inspired a local official to exclaim, 'This is what Hell must look like.' The result has been a bonanza for the local post office, now painted fire-engine red and containing a resident 'devil.' This rather benevolent Satan (actually a devout Christian) asks 'How the hell are you?' and 'Where the hell are you from?' as he dispenses souvenirs.

 Nearby is the Cayman Turtle Farm, the only one of its kind in the world. This government-run operation raises green turtles for purposes benign - increasing their population in the wild - and slightly more base - selling their meat and shells. If you do want to look at a bunch of turtles hanging out in concrete tanks, keep in mind that you are probably not allowed to take turtle souvenirs home. Under the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species, the green sea turtle is an endangered species, and the importation of products made from it is illegal in countries that have signed the convention.

 Pedro Castle
The oldest building in the Caymans that was everything from jail to courthouse to parliament, and now it is turned into a museum. The Castle is touted as the islands' 'birthplace of democracy': it was here in 1831 that the decision was made to vote for elected representatives. The spic and span grounds showcase native flora, and there's a traditional wattle and daub house to look at and wonder where they fitted the pool table. Pedro Castle is east of George Town; from the road towards Bodden Town, take a right at the Savannah turnoff.

 
 Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park
If you need any proof that above-ground life is as diverse as the underwater theme park, Grand Cayman's botanic park is hard to beat. A well-marked mile-long trail winds through lush, easy terrain, featuring about 300 native species. The park is home to orchids (in bloom late May through June), iguanas (elusive) as well as parrots and other birds. The nearby Mastic Trail meanders through the old-growth forest that once supplied early settlers with timber. The park is halfway between the eastern edge of North Sound and the eastern coast, about 20 minutes' drive from George Town.