Cayman Turtle Centre

[PinkIce26]

Has anyone visited the Cayman Turtle Center? There are so many conflicting reviews on Trip Advisor.  Is it a tourist trap? Taking a 5 year old boy who loves dinosaurs.  Thought this might interest him. 

[shipgeeks]

We enjoyed it.  No kids of our own, but the children we saw seemed to be having a good time.

[TravellingBritNY]

Define "tourist trap", please.

 

Opinions are quite divided on the Turtle Centre, previously known as the "Turtle Farm" - some see it is a preservation work to breed and release turtles, others see it as a way to raise the traditional turtle meat that has been common on the island since it was first inhabited, still others see it as a captive sealife experience like dolphin experiences, and so on.

 

A lot of people have their own opinions on this, and some are very willing and eager to come on to Internet forums and propound them.

 

Bottom line is, it's really up to you - a lot of people really enjoy it, some have issues.  I don't think there is one right answer...

[bookbabe]

It’s not cheesy or junky, and it’s fairly large.  If by “tourist trap” you mean mom&pop places like you’d find in a small town, luring in the people driving by on the interstate, or county fall fair type haunted houses and rickety coaster quality, then no, I can assure you it’s not that.  It’s very nicely organized with an effort made to provide education as part of the experience, it’s not SeaWorld by any stretch of the imagination, but the pictures on their website are pretty accurate and not staged or photoshopped.  I’d check out their website to see more, and if it would appeal to you.  https://www.turtle.ky
 

Cayman did have one tourist trap by the definition above, the Pirate Caves and Petting Zoo in Boddentown, but it’s thankfully closed and is now a restaurant.

[PinkIce26]

23 hours ago, TravellingBritNY said:

Define "tourist trap", please.

 

Opinions are quite divided on the Turtle Centre, previously known as the "Turtle Farm" - some see it is a preservation work to breed and release turtles, others see it as a way to raise the traditional turtle meat that has been common on the island since it was first inhabited, still others see it as a captive sealife experience like dolphin experiences, and so on.

 

A lot of people have their own opinions on this, and some are very willing and eager to come on to Internet forums and propound them.

 

Bottom line is, it's really up to you - a lot of people really enjoy it, some have issues.  I don't think there is one right answer...

By tourist trap I meant they charge you $35 and everything is old and falling apart and   there are no turtles to swim with.  

[cruising in mn]

Oh my gosh, I have no children, Im 52, LOVE turtles, and thought this was by far one of the coolest things we've ever done!. You get to hold as many turtles as you want... honestly. I sat in a pool full of them by myself, could pick them up and play with them. Then you can snorkel with them in a man made giant pool sort of thing, it was amazing. 

I had the time of my life. There was also a waterpark, my husband went there, but I couldnt drag myself from the turtles. 

I guess if you didnt love turtles it could be a tourist trap, but I enjoyed the heck out of it last Feb! 

[shark&minnow]

We visited the turtle farm on an excursion that also included the sting rays and hell. I loved the turtle farm!! We got to hold baby turtles and they were so cute! I thought it was a very nice place.

 

 

 

 

[Capt_BJ]

 

[TravellingBritNY]

I think this just goes to show that different people can visit the same thing and come away with completely different impressions.  

[cb at sea]

It is a "farm", where they raise turtles for food.  They do also show them off....and it can be a learning experience, but it is a "farm".

 

[cloud7cruise]

We were there in January.  We only paid for the TURTLE CENTRE EXPLORATION TOUR and not the more expensive TURTLE ADVENTURE TOUR.  I though it was well worth the price of admission.  In comparison, I thought (after the fact) that the taxi fare was the tourist trap.  If you are wondering about what is in the Cayman Turtle Centre, take a look at my video to get a sense of what's there when we visited.  Leave a comment on the video if you have any questions, as I only come on here once every couple of weeks.

 

 

[shark&minnow]

The Cayman Turtle Centre^[1] is a conservation facility and tourist attraction located in the West Bay district of the Cayman Islands. First established in 1968 as the "Cayman Turtle Farm" by a group of American and British investors, the facility was initially used to breed the endangered green sea turtle for commercial purposes. By raising the turtles in a farming operation, the turtle meat could be produced for local consumption without depleting the wild population of the species.

Although still in operation as a farm for raising turtles in order to sell product, the Cayman Turtle Centre has been developed into an important research project and conservation facility. It is now also the largest land-based tourist attraction in the Cayman Islands and welcomes more than 500,000 visitors annually.^[2]