Cayman Islands holidays

There are plenty of colourful celebrations in the Cayman Island with unimaginable amounts of fun as you’re swept up in the history and heart of the island.

Cayman’s national carnival is split into two parts, and the first is known officially as the Cayman Carnival Batabano (pronounced Bah-tuh-buh-nu). It generally takes place in May in George Town, on Grand Cayman and is an explosion of culture and colour, filled with Caribbean music, dance and tantalising costumes guaranteed to catch your eye. The carnival is relatively new on the scene, at only 34 years old but its popularity has grown exponentially, year after year. Separated into two parts, the Adult Batabano celebrations take place first with a road parade, followed by the Junior Batabano for some family-friendly celebrations where kids can participate in the parade.

CayMAS Carnival is one of these incredible carnivals that embraces the local culture and heritage and usually takes place around May/June. This vibrant, exciting celebration takes place in George Town on Grand Cayman. This immersive experience attracts thousands of people and has been described as a vessel to experience Caribbean Carnival and is a great way to discover the Cayman Islands. CayMAS is part two of the Cayman Island Carnival season, following Batabano.

There are other smaller festivals that take place on the Cayman Islands including The Taste of Cayman Food & Wine where you will discover delicious and diverse cuisine, local produce, and mouth-watering drinks. There’s also the Little Cayman Mardi Gras festival which is held yearly the Saturday before Ash Wednesday and people flock to the little Cayman Island for a lively parade, local musicians, dance performances, a masquerade ball, and other fun activities!

Cayfest showcases the Cayman Islands through visual art, music, film, fashion, and design. This festival features screens of locally produced films, concerts held by local musicians as well as arts and crafts show that show off the talents of local artists. There are also cultural discussions, award ceremonies, ‘Dress for Culture Day’, and finally the Red Sky at the Night event.

Music in the Cayman Islands includes a wide selection of international pop music as well as unique folk styles. The Cayman national cultural foundation, established in 1984, helps to preserve and promote Cayman folk music including the organisations of festivals such as the Cayman Islands international storytelling festival, Cayman JazzFest, Seafarers festival and Cayfest. The fiddle is a popular folk instrument and used when performing Christmas music, where groups sing Christmas carols.

The Cayman Islands has many delicious dishes waiting for you to sink your teeth into, whether it is a popular Caribbean cuisine, or a speciality raining just for the Cayman Islands, here are a few dishes you don’t want to miss out on.

The Johnny cake is a small, deep-fried dumping that pairs great with butter, jam, or sautéed fish but you can also enjoy them on their own.

A Caribbean favourite and perhaps one of the most popular, Jerk chicken, though native to Jamaica, is a spicy dish of chicken made with scotch bonnet peppers and allspice.

The popular Cayman-style lobster is enjoyed by many and can be found in risottos, pastas and even patties. For an even more enriched experience, try it at ‘Deckers’, a restaurant found on Seven Mile Beach. The lobster itself is cooked with hot sauce and scotch bonnet peppers.

Due to the nature of the Cayman Islands, fish is very popular. For a true taste of Cayman, try the Fish & fritters. This is fried fish, which is usually a whole mahi mahi, grouper or snapper. The Fillets are marinated in lime, salt and pepper and fried with onions peppers butter and spices.

Fruit is plentiful on the islands too, especially mangoes! There are around seven varieties in season at any given time and can be a great snack or a healthy dessert.

The alcoholic age in the Cayman Islands is 18. Alcohol isn’t served after 10pm on weekdays and at all on Sundays. There are a few favourite beverages on the island, popular with both locals and visitors including Caybrew beers with many different ones including light beers, a bock, and seasonal Oktoberfest-style beers, as well as the classic rum punch and juice. There are also cocktails with their own Cayman twist, including the Cayman mudslide, the Swanky, Seven-Mile breeze, and the bikini martini. If you’re looking for non-alcoholic drinks, there is a range of fresh juices, and lemonade to help cool yourself down during a hot day.

Football is the most popular sport in the country and is considered the national sport. The locals also play a wide range of other sports across the islands including rugby, netball, volleyball, cricket, squash, basketball, softball, and tennis. Sine 1976, the Cayman Islands has been participating in the Summer Olympics and they joined the Winter Olympics in 2010.

If you love to shop till you drop, the Cayman Islands are a great place to do so. The main islands offer a wide range of goods and services from high-end diamonds to surprise bargains and souvenirs. A great place to check out is Bayshore mall and island plaza in George Town; a shopping mall that sell jewellery, art shops, souvenirs, and beauty products.

Walk along the seven-mile beach strip and you’ll find clothing shops and especially swimwear and resort wear, salons and a handful of places selling books, stationery, and craft supplies. There also a handful of art and antique shops, namely Artifacts, Kennedy Gallery (Cayman Fine Art) and Wreck view art gallery. Those looking for refined, luxurious jewellery can head to Rockys diamonds for that perfect gift.