Cruisers in the Caribbean have two options when it comes to beaches named Seven Mile Beach. One is located in Negril, Jamaica, and the other languishes in the Cayman Islands. Due to its beauty, location, surrounding area and amenities, Seven Mile Beach in the Caymans is the one to visit if you want to have a memorable tropical excursion.
Seven Mile Beach is located near Georgetown, Grand Cayman, the capital of the Cayman Islands on the largest of the three islands that make up the country. Though the official currency is the Cayman dollar, cruisers can also use American dollars in any of the shops, for public transportation and in local restaurants. Oddly, Seven Mile Beach is not seven miles long, and only measures five miles in length.
Discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1503, the Cayman Islands have long been the center of business and banking in the Caribbean. In 2004, much of the islands and its beaches were destroyed by Hurricane Ivan, the worst storm to hit the island for 86 years. After a long recovery effort, the beaches are once again pristine.
Located about 480 miles south of Miami, the Cayman Islands are actually the visible peaks of a giant underwater coral and limestone mountain chain. Because of this, the waters around all three islands are alive with massive coral reefs, teeming with tropical fish. The islands are also located near the Cayman trench with depths of more than four miles.
Seven Mile Beach offers lots of sandy places to relax in the sun or shade. Though there is no fee for using the beach, some of the many hotels and restaurants camped along the shore do charge for the use of their umbrellas, lounge chairs, restrooms or other amenities. Though most of the areas just off shore do not offer good snorkeling, some of the rockier areas feature colorful coral and fish. One of the best snorkeling spots is also the most unusual beach along Seven Mile--you access the beach by walking through a cemetery to get to the turquoise water.
Access to the beach is relatively simple. Catch a cab, which will cost around $10 USD, as you exit the pier, and tell your driver you want to go to Seven Mile Beach. If you want to save some money, you can also take the public bus with fares around $2.50 USD per person. Smaller pockets of the larger beach, and some of the easiest for cruisers to get to are Public Beach, Cemetery Beach and Sea Grape Beach.
Cruisers should keep in mind that ships must dock out in the harbor, utilizing smaller tender ships to transport passengers to shore. The walk from the cruise ship to the tender can be intimidating as the gangway rises and falls with the swells of the ocean. Wear comfortable shoes so that you don't slip on the wet walkway.
Small bills are much easier to use than bills larger than $20. You can go to the purser's desk on board the ship to exchange large bills.
