7 THINGS TO SEE AND DO IN CAYMAN BRAC

Cayman Islands Attractions

• 1. The Great Cave

  The Great Cave, accessible at the end of South Side Road, is the largest cave in Cayman Brac (which features many limestone caves carved by aeolian and marine erosion). The natural beauty of limestone formations is on full display here, and includes stalactites, and stalagmites; the caves are also home to bats and many other endemic species.

  Bring comfortable footwear and a camera!

• 2. The Bat Cave

  The Bat Cave is another of Cayman Brac’s many limestone caves. Though this one is smaller than the Great Cave, it offers what is likely your best chance to catch a glimpse of a fruit bat or even a barn owl. Low-light hours are best.

  Visitors also comment on the natural beauty of the area, specifically on the natural color shifts in the rocks that constitute the cave. A picture says a thousand words, an experience a million; don’t miss it!

• 3. The Lighthouse

  

  Cayman Brac definitely has something the other islands don’t: topographical variation, and the Lighthouse Footpath, which runs two and a half miles along the Bluff (see below) showcases the best of it!

  This trail is not a loop, so be prepared for the trip in and the trip out (5 miles total) and bring plenty of water. It will bring you up to the lighthouse, which was built in the 1930s and towers 131 feet above Cayman Brac.

• 4. The Cayman Brac Museum

  Grand Cayman might get the lion’s share of attention because it is home to the Bodden Town Mission House and Pedro St. James Castle - but how about the oldest museum in the Cayman Islands?

  The distinction belongs to the Cayman Brac Museum, which, as you can imagine, is across the waters from Grand Cayman!

  Many of the artifacts on display at the Cayman Brac museum are on loan from community residents and showcase the life and times of those living on the Sister Islands - not just Cayman Brac but also Little Cayman.

  Exhibits feature curiosities that tell the history of turtling, ship-building, medicine, and much more - anything that has touched the lives of locals. While many artifacts represent relatively recent history, some date back over 1,000 years.

  The best part of this attraction? Admission is free!

• 5. The Parrot Preserve

  The National Trust Parrot Preserve, also known as the Brac Parrot Preserve, comprises 282 acres of protected land right in the heart of Cayman Brac.

  The National Trust Parrot Preserve is rich in botanical and avian biodiversity and is home to a striking range of native flora and avifauna.

  Specifically, the Parrot Preserve is home to the Cayman Brac Parrot, a smaller subspecies of the Grand Cayman Parrot.

  The Cayman Brac Parrot, Amazona leucocephala hesterna, sports a bright green iridescent body and wings with red cheeks and black ear patches and is distinguished by its white forehead and maroon belly.

  Additionally, the Parrot Preserve is home to a wide range of other colorful and interesting species, including but not limited to thrushes, vireos, and pigeons.

• 6. The MV Keith Tibbetts

  Artificial reefs produced by intentional scuttling of retired vessels are among the most biodiverse underwater shelters in the world - and certainly the most effective manmade ones.

  The MV Keith Tibbetts is actually an old Russian frigate that was given to Cuba in the 1980s. The Cubans had no use for it and sold it to the Cayman Islands for the purpose of creating an artificial reef, which they did.

  Today, the MV Keith Tibbetts, also known as the “Captain Keith,” lies just 200 yards off the northwest shore of Cayman Brac in about 60 to 90 feet of water.

  It is a popular site with boaters, snorkelers, and scuba divers hoping to get up close and personal with angelfish, rays, barracudas, grouper, and of course, the sea turtles for which the Cayman Islands are famous.

  In 2004, Hurricane Ivan broke the wreck apart and it now lies in two pieces, creating even more structure among the ruins for wildlife to inhabit and for intrepid divers to explore.

• 7. The Bluff (Of Course!)

  

  Last but certainly not least, no trip to Cayman Brac would be complete without a trip to the breathtaking bluff from which the island draws its name.

  Indeed, “Brac” is a Gaelic name for bluff, and at the island’s eastern end, the bluff rises to a height of more than 141 feet above sea level.

  The Bluff, like the Parrot Preserve, is an important natural ecosystem, and the forests around it are considered an Important Bird Area that are home to warblers, pigeons, vireos, and even Caribbean elaenias.

  Some of the best views along the bluff can be seen from the Lighthouse Footpath, mentioned above. Just make sure you spend some time getting familiar with this most beautiful feature of our gorgeous island.