Best Place on Seven Mile Beach please?

A year ago, I discovered the cruise critic boards before we set sail on our 5th cruise. Wish I would have known about it before the 1st one! It was incredibly helpful:o

My question this time is, I have seen many comments on seven mile beach but would like some conclusive comments on the best spot on seven mile beach for watersprots, nice beach, good food and watersports!

THank you!

Ask the bus/van driver who takes you there. and also anyone at the info. booth near where the tenders let you off. Sometimes the shore excursion staff or purser, crew, or even dancers & other entertainers (they often get off the ship when in port) are great sources of info. You may have to ask a few people, but eventually one of them will probably know.

Last time we were in Gr. Cayman we were dropped off down the beach a little way from a large chain hotel. Everyone who had asked to go to 7 Mile Beach seemed to get off there. What we didn't expect was a gated off area where we had to pay a couple of bucks each to be allowed to pass through the gate to the beach. There is supposed to be free access in certain spots, but our driver obviously had her own drop off plan and stuck to it! I wish I could recall it better but I do remember we were able to rent beach chairs from the establishment that ran the gate/property. I think they had a bit of food and drink, and it was just a bit down the beach at a large hotel. There were waverunners on the beach in front of it. It was in very easy walking distance. I can't recall but it may have been a Marriott (?). It had a sit down open air restaurant & bar, and you could just walk along the beach to find other concessions. Hope this helps!

take a cab to Royal Palm on seven mile beach. You do not have to pay to access this beautiful beach at Royal Palm. We rented chairs and an umbrella and had a real nice beach day here. There is a bar/restaurant here although we did not eat. we did enjoy the cold Corona's !

Royal Palms beach it cost $4.00 per person taxi and nothing to use the beach unless you want to rent chairs @$7.00.

There are beach 'clubs' that cater to cruise vistors with loungers, umbrellas, restrooms/showers, water sports rentals, restaurants and bars along Seven Mile Beach. A taxi or the public bus can get you there. There should be no "admission fee" to access any beach area of Grand Cayman, they are all open to the public up to the high tide water mark. You will have to pay for the use of lounge chairs and umbrellas, but not access.

Starting closest to the tender area:

Royal Palms/Reef Grill (pool being installed)

http://www.reefgrill.com/

Sea Grape-Public Beach/Calico Jacks Bar & Grill

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=48280425773&v=wall

Tiki Beach (just west of Seagrape)

Did Royal Palm last January (2010).

Did not like that the lounge chairs are chained together; unable to drag two chairs off to some quiet corner.

Beers were cold, bartenders cute but a bit rude, food ok, restrooms clean.

We have been spoiled by Nachi Cocum in Cozumel. Wish we could find its clone in Grand Cayman.

Those posted photos would scare me away from going there. Isn't there a pretty and quite area somewhere on GC? I don't want to be chained to someone (don't wanna feel like I am on a chain gang!). With my luck I'd be chained to someone who was smoking as well.

Did Royal Palm last January (2010).

Did not like that the lounge chairs are chained together; unable to drag two chairs off to some quiet corner.

Those posted photos would scare me away from going there. Isn't there a pretty and quite area somewhere on GC? I don't want to be chained to someone (don't wanna feel like I am on a chain gang!). With my luck I'd be chained to someone who was smoking as well.

Did Royal Palm last January (2010).

Did not like that the lounge chairs are chained together; unable to drag two chairs off to some quiet corner.

Seven Mile Beach is the main tourist section of the island. It's pretty well-developed. The quietest sections you're going to find there will be places like Cemetary Beach (farthest section from the port area) where there are no facilities. (Facilities = people) All of the sections of SMB are easily accessible by taxi or public bus from the port area.

Outside of George Town there are numerous nice beaches that may (or may not) have fewer people. The quietest ones will again be those that have no facilities such as restrooms, food, drink, etc. Those beaches will all require either a rental car, or in the case of some of the closer ones, a taxi with a prearranged return time.

Any beach area with rental chairs is likely to have them chained together. Otherwise, the owners would spend too much time each day hunting for lost chairs that had been relocated to distant or unusual "quiet corners." :D

A couple of the hotels are rumoured to have day passes available for purchase by cruise visitors. Their chairs usually aren't chained, as they are around the hotel pool and directly in front of the hotel on the beach. However, their rates are much more expensive than just renting a chair and using the free facilities provided by places such as Royal Palms, Sea Grape or Tiki Beach.

Or, you could just find a spot that suits you and throw down a towel for free...

Thanks so much for the info!! That's usually the way of it distance vs. crowd. I am not antisocial just don't want to be so close that I can hear someone else conversation (or them mine) without trying.

I am OK with finding a spot and thowing my towel down but hubby has had malignant melanoma on his face and really wants to find an umbrella.

Seven Mile Beach is the main tourist section of the island. It's pretty well-developed. The quietest sections you're going to find there will be places like Cemetary Beach (farthest section from the port area) where there are no facilities. (Facilities = people) All of the sections of SMB are easily accessible by taxi or public bus from the port area.

 

Outside of George Town there are numerous nice beaches that may (or may not) have fewer people. The quietest ones will again be those that have no facilities such as restrooms, food, drink, etc. Those beaches will all require either a rental car, or in the case of some of the closer ones, a taxi with a prearranged return time.

 

Any beach area with rental chairs is likely to have them chained together. Otherwise, the owners would spend too much time each day hunting for lost chairs that had been relocated to distant or unusual "quiet corners." :D

 

A couple of the hotels are rumoured to have day passes available for purchase by cruise visitors. Their chairs usually aren't chained, as they are around the hotel pool and directly in front of the hotel on the beach. However, their rates are much more expensive than just renting a chair and using the free facilities provided by places such as Royal Palms, Sea Grape or Tiki Beach.

 

Or, you could just find a spot that suits you and throw down a towel for free...

Royal palms is the spot... Best food . Beach, piña coladas & nice scene... Mellow... Great beach club to spend the day. We got off our ship & took the local bus right by the port... This is one of those things to do when you've done all the other tourist things in Grand Cayman. For a nice day at the beach - couples, families, etc - I recommend the Royal Palms

A year ago, I discovered the cruise critic boards before we set sail on our 5th cruise. Wish I would have known about it before the 1st one! It was incredibly helpful:o

 

My question this time is, I have seen many comments on seven mile beach but would like some conclusive comments on the best spot on seven mile beach for watersprots, nice beach, good food and watersports!

 

THank you!

We take a taxi to Calico Jack's on 7 Mile Beach.

It's a pretty beach with watersports, bar/food, restrooms, and chairs & umbrellas can be rented. Always a great beach day for us. :D

LuLu

Who has the best beer prices? :)

Any idea how much for the water sports?

Sea Grape has all you asked for....watersport, chair/umbrella rentals, food, drink, restrooms....easy! Hubby rented a wave runner for around $98....had a blast!

Where along the beach is Sea Grape?

Hi There

Does anyone know if Royal Palms also rents umbrellas or just chairs? Thanks

Cyndi

Is Royal Palms a beach resort that have day passes for cruise passengers?

Or it is a resort on the public beach where you enter the beach?

I'm confused. Thank you for your help.

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Is Royal Palms a beach resort that have day passes for cruise passengers?

Or it is a resort on the public beach where you enter the beach?

I'm confused. Thank you for your help.

Cayman doesn't have the type of private and/or all-inclusive beach resorts that some other islands do.

In general, along Seven Mile Beach, there's three types of beach access spots.

Hotels:

- very, very rarely sell day passes or allow cruise ship visitors to use their facilities, as they are often fully booked with stayover visitors and it's just not worth the hassle for them

Beach Clubs (for lack of a better term):

- these are really just bars/restaurants along the beach, with nice facilities they allow people (cruise ship visitors, locals, stayover visitors, whoever) to use in hopes that those people will spend money on food and drinks...and they don't allow outside food/drinks to be brought in, so they've got a pretty good chance

- popular spots include Royal Palms, Calico Jacks and Tiki Beach

Public Beaches:

- these are sections of beach that may or may not have any facilities, and are generally reached by a path from the road marked "beach access"

- popular spots include Public Beach (next to Calico Jacks), Governor's Beach and Cemetery Beach (both named after the landmark beside it)

Technically, all beaches are public (and therefore free) up to the high water mark. Nothing is fenced in, and you can walk the length of the beach along the water without being charged any admission fees.

In order to put your towel down on the sand above that high water mark, you either need to be at one of the public beach sections or at one of the beach clubs that has specifically encouraged people to visit.

You can't (legally, anyway) put your towel down in front of a condo building or hotel complex, or use their facilities, without permission of the owners/management.

Questions?

Cayman doesn't have the type of private and/or all-inclusive beach resorts that some other islands do.

 

In general, along Seven Mile Beach, there's three types of beach access spots.

 

Hotels:

- very, very rarely sell day passes or allow cruise ship visitors to use their facilities, as they are often fully booked with stayover visitors and it's just not worth the hassle for them

 

Beach Clubs (for lack of a better term):

- these are really just bars/restaurants along the beach, with nice facilities they allow people (cruise ship visitors, locals, stayover visitors, whoever) to use in hopes that those people will spend money on food and drinks...and they don't allow outside food/drinks to be brought in, so they've got a pretty good chance

- popular spots include Royal Palms, Calico Jacks and Tiki Beach

 

Public Beaches:

- these are sections of beach that may or may not have any facilities, and are generally reached by a path from the road marked "beach access"

- popular spots include Public Beach (next to Calico Jacks), Governor's Beach and Cemetery Beach (both named after the landmark beside it)

 

Technically, all beaches are public (and therefore free) up to the high water mark. Nothing is fenced in, and you can walk the length of the beach along the water without being charged any admission fees.

 

In order to put your towel down on the sand above that high water mark, you either need to be at one of the public beach sections or at one of the beach clubs that has specifically encouraged people to visit.

 

You can't (legally, anyway) put your towel down in front of a condo building or hotel complex, or use their facilities, without permission of the owners/management.

 

Questions?

Excellent description bookbabe.

Seven Mile Beach is the main tourist section of the island. It's pretty well-developed. The quietest sections you're going to find there will be places like Cemetary Beach (farthest section from the port area) where there are no facilities. (Facilities = people) All of the sections of SMB are easily accessible by taxi or public bus from the port area.

 

Outside of George Town there are numerous nice beaches that may (or may not) have fewer people. The quietest ones will again be those that have no facilities such as restrooms, food, drink, etc. Those beaches will all require either a rental car, or in the case of some of the closer ones, a taxi with a prearranged return time.

 

Any beach area with rental chairs is likely to have them chained together. Otherwise, the owners would spend too much time each day hunting for lost chairs that had been relocated to distant or unusual "quiet corners." :D

 

A couple of the hotels are rumoured to have day passes available for purchase by cruise visitors. Their chairs usually aren't chained, as they are around the hotel pool and directly in front of the hotel on the beach. However, their rates are much more expensive than just renting a chair and using the free facilities provided by places such as Royal Palms, Sea Grape or Tiki Beach.

 

Or, you could just find a spot that suits you and throw down a towel for free...

I have heard Cemetary Beach has decent snorkeling. I was wondering if we could start out there and then meander down to somewhere more amenity friendly like a Calico Jacks. Thanks.

I have heard Cemetary Beach has decent snorkeling. I was wondering if we could start out there and then meander down to somewhere more amenity friendly like a Calico Jacks. Thanks.

I don't know if I'd call it decent, but it's got better snorkelling than most of the other sections. And your ability to enjoy different sections of Seven Mile Beach in the same day is only limited by your willingness to walk (and haul your stuff along with you).

I have heard Cemetary Beach has decent snorkeling. I was wondering if we could start out there and then meander down to somewhere more amenity friendly like a Calico Jacks. Thanks.

We did what you are describing. Went first to Cemetery Beach, snorkeled (we did find it good), then walked along the beach to Calico Jack's. The only caution is it is not a short walk (I would estimate at least a mile).

Enjoy!

Last year we took the bus to Governors Beach. Swam out about a football field length to a small reef. Quite a few fish, but not like going out from the dive shop.

After we snorkeled, we walked down to Calico Jacks and spent the rest of the day. Probably a 5-10 min walk.

Did you specifically want to go to Calico Jacks and passed other places you could have stopped at or is there not really anything until you reach Calico Jack's?

How far out into the water did you have to go until you saw anything interesting?

Thanks for your help.

Did you specifically want to go to Calico Jacks and passed other places you could have stopped at or is there not really anything until you reach Calico Jack's?

 

How far out into the water did you have to go until you saw anything interesting?

 

Thanks for your help.

Sorry that was for Mets07