What Is Grand Cayman? The Largest Cayman Island Explained
How the island fits together, from George Town and Seven Mile Beach to the North Sound and the quieter east.
Grand Cayman
The largest of the three Cayman Islands: Seven Mile Beach, calm North Sound waters, easy flights from the US and a quieter east and north coast.
Grand Cayman is the largest of the three Cayman Islands, a British Overseas Territory in the western Caribbean. It is known for Seven Mile Beach, the calm North Sound and Stingray City, and for being one of the easiest Caribbean islands to reach from North America.
The island is small, but its districts differ: the resort strip of Seven Mile Beach, the residential South Sound near George Town, the sheltered North Side around Rum Point and the quiet East End. Our guides start with where to stay.
Start here
How the island fits together, from George Town and Seven Mile Beach to the North Sound and East End.
Quick facts
- Territory
- Cayman Islands, a British Overseas Territory
- Size
- About 196 km²; roughly 35 km long
- Capital
- George Town
- Airport
- Owen Roberts International (GCM)
- Driving
- On the left
- Currency
- CI$1 = US$1.20 (fixed since 1974)
- Signature experience
- Stingray City in the North Sound
Plan your trip
Where to Stay in Grand Cayman: Comparing the Island’s Areas
The island’s main areas compared for beaches, calm water, dining, drive times and villa stays.
Getting to Grand Cayman: Flights, Arrival and Getting Around
Nonstop routes into Owen Roberts International, arrival tips and how to get around a drive-on-the-left island.
Stingray City, Grand Cayman: How to Visit Responsibly
The North Sound sandbar where southern stingrays gather, the rules that protect them, and how to plan the trip.
Best Time to Visit Grand Cayman: Seasons, Events and Storms
High season, festivals from Cayman Cookout to Pirates Week, and what to know about storm season.
Staying in a private villa
See Grand Cayman villas with RM Oceanfront Rentals (opens in a new tab)
Oceanfront and beachfront villas on the South Sound, North Side, Rum Point and West Bay. Confirm services and inclusions for the specific home. The publisher has an ownership interest in this rental business.