Aruba vs Cayman Islands: Which Caribbean Island to Visit

The Caribbean is full of great islands to visit and it can be hard to decide which one to go to on vacation. When comparing Aruba vs Cayman Islands, you’ll notice how many similarities these islands have–which doesn’t exactly make the decision any easier.

Aruba vs Grand Cayman Island

The Cayman Islands are comprised of three islands: Grand Cayman, Little Cayman and Cayman Brac. The main island is Grand Cayman and where most people end up vacationing, so that’s the one we’ll focus on in comparison.

The Cayman Islands are a popular place to visit due to their proximity to the US. They have great marine life, beautiful beaches and are a British territory. But Aruba is also a popular choice with its Dutch-Caribbean charm and equally stunning beaches, so which island should you choose? I’m breaking down some key considerations for both islands to help you decide which island might be more your style.

Getting There

Both islands are a direct flight from South Florida (I’m in Florida so that’s my reference point). In terms of location, the Cayman Islands are much closer to get to. They are located directly south of Florida and the flight is about 1 hr 40 min.

Aruba on the other hand is located in the very south of the Caribbean, right off the coast of Venezuela. Even then, the flight isn’t too bad and is about 3 hours from Miami.

Getting Around

Taxis

If you’re saying on the west side of either islands, you might be ok without renting a car. Depending on where you stay, a lot of places are walkable and you can use taxis for short drives.

In Aruba, taxis are regulated by zone but that didn’t stop us from getting scammed ha. We never knew which zone we were going to (only where we were going to), so we just had to take the driver’s word for it. And the regulated fees can be pretty high ($30 to another zone).

Grand Cayman taxis aren’t regulated so you’re left to negotiate prices with the drivers. Make sure you negotiate before agreeing to a ride. And if you plan on using a taxi to go across the island, that can definitely be more expensive. Both are pretty similar in terms of taxi rates, but the regulations will differ.

Rental Cars

I’m more of a rental car person and like to have the freedom to explore an island on my own. Car rentals in Aruba are located right outside of the airport so it’s very convenient to pick up a car when you land. You can use your US driver’s license and driving is on the right side of the road.

Similarly, in Grand Cayman, most of the car rental places are just a quick walk across the street from the airport. However, driving will be on the left hand side and steering wheels will be on either side depending on where the car is from. The island also has quite a few major roundabouts that can get backed up. If you aren’t familiar with the island and know exactly where you’re going, you can easily end up in the wrong lane and it’s tough to get over in the traffic.

Weather

Because of the location of these islands, weather will factor in a bit depending on when you want to visit. Typically, high season in the Caribbean is between December-April. You’ll have less rainfall and warmer temperatures, but you’ll also have higher crowds.

Grand Cayman follows more of that season. Hurricane season is July-November so you’re more likely to have rainfall if you visit during this time.

Aruba on the other hand is so far south in the Caribbean that it’s actually outside of the hurricane belt. While you might see some rain during the typical hurricane season, it will likely be lighter showers and you’ll still have enjoyable weather. You’re more likely to have great weather year round for Aruba.

Aruba has a dryer climate and does have Tradewinds going across the island too which can make it very windy. It does cool down the heat but you’ll have to deal with the wind.

Accommodation

Both islands are expensive and definitely have a range of high-end hotels and resorts. On Aruba, you have the luxury resort on Renaissance Island, the Marriott and Barcelo as an all-inclusive option. Grand Cayman has the Marriott, Westin and the Ritz-Carlton.

You can also find more affordable options and AirBNB rentals on both islands. We opted for AirBNBs and found cute homes for rent.

Food

When it comes to food, I think both islands have a pretty good range of cuisine. You’ll find fresh seafood, high-end restaurants and local flavors in both places. The only thing that is a noticeable difference between the two is that Aruba is a Dutch territory so you are able to find Dutch cuisine on the island as well. It probably has more restaurant options as well.

Affordability

In general, Grand Cayman tends to be more expensive than Aruba. Prices are generally higher, food is more expensive and places are more high end on the island.

Aruba has a broader ranger of options so you can find some places that aren’t as expensive, though it’s still a pretty expensive island. You’ll find upscale boutiques and nice resorts. The currency is typically tied to the dollar, so that will reflect in a lot of prices. We tried to do Aruba on a budget to try and keep costs down at the time.

Capital

Aruba’s capital, Oranjestad, is a colorful Dutch colonial town with vibrant buildings and lots of shops and restaurants. It’s a very scenic place and easy to walk around to explore.

George Town, Grand Cayman’s capital is located along the water on the southwest side of the island and has some museums, restaurants, the cruise port, rum distillery tours, etc.

I’m a little indifferent on which one is better, but Aruba does have the cute, colorful buildings which are fun to see.

Snorkeling + Diving

When it comes to underwater life, Grand Cayman wins this one for me. Aruba has clear water and its fair share of snorkeling and diving spots, but I wouldn’t say that’s necessarily what it’s known for. It does have many diving sites including the SS Antilla, the largest shipwreck in the Caribbean at 400 ft long. It’s a good island for beginning divers and has a lot of wreck dives you can do.

Grand Cayman has some really good snorkeling spots. We saw quite a bit of marine life when we went snorkeling and many stingrays around the island (away from Stingray City). We even saw a stingray come up to the beach at Spotts Beach.

But it’s even more well known for its diving. Grand Cayman has over 200 dive sites around the island with reefs, wrecks and wall dives. There’s a popular wreck here as well, the USS Kittiwake, which is 251 ft long. Or you can dive off the north wall that goes 6,000 ft deep. We ended up doing a shore dive at a place called the Devil’s Grotto which had some really pretty light beams shining through the grottos.

Beaches

It’s a little interesting that both these islands have a similar layout in that their main beach is very long and is on the west side of the island. In Aruba, you have two beaches right next to each other: Palm Beach (2 miles long) and Eagle Beach (4 miles long). Grand Cayman has a beach on the west side called 7 Mile Beach.

Don’t get me wrong, both islands are incredibly beautiful and have fantastic beaches. And beach preference highly depends on what you like in a beach (beauty, crowds, amenities, snorkeling, etc) so this is purely a preference.

I tend to like beaches with less amenities and put a lot of weight on how beautiful the location is. And I’d have to say I thought the beaches on Aruba were a little more beautiful. When I went, the water was turquoise, calm and incredibly beautiful with white sand beaches.

There are a lot of beaches on Grand Cayman and some really unique, pretty spots as well. So both are great islands for beaches.

Landscape

Both islands are pretty flat, have beautiful beaches, caves and blow holes along the coast. But Aruba does have a more interesting landscape in my opinion. There are divi divi trees around the island that are unique and grow in the direction of the wind. And the island is covered in cacti.

Hiking

I love getting out on mountainous islands to do hikes because the views are usually fantastic (like the Ram Head Trail on St. John). However, both Aruba and Grand Cayman are pretty flat islands.

Aruba has a few hills and you can hike up Mt. Hooiberg but it’s only about .6 miles RT. You can also hike to the Conchi Natural Pools on the east side (which is a popular 4WD route) or the California Lighthouse.

Grand Cayman’s hikes are through flat areas too but you’ll see some different vegetation. One popular hike is the Mastic Trail which takes you through the mangroves. Another place with walking trails is the Queen Elizabeth II Botanical Park.

I wouldn’t say I would necessary choose hiking on either of these islands myself, as I mostly do it for landscape views. You can see the beauty of the island doing other activities in my opinion.

Attractions

There are quite a few things to do on both islands so this one is tough to compare.

Grand Cayman has numerous beaches, great snorkeling and diving spots, caves to explore, Starfish point, Rum Point, a bioluminescent bay and a place called Hell with some unique rocks. That’s just to name a few. You’ll have plenty of activities to do here whether you stay a few days or a week.

On the other hand, there’s a lot of things to do on Aruba too. Aruba has beautiful beaches too, caves to explore, a national park, the Casibari rock formations, flamingoes on a private island, a donkey sanctuary and gold mill ruins.

Day Trips

Small Islands

Aruba has a few small islands located off the coast, notably Renaissance Island and De Palm Island.

Renaissance Island is where you’ll find the famous pink flamingos on the beach. However, there are only 6 of them and they are part of a private resort. To see them and the island, you can either stay on the private island or buy a limited day pass which runs about $125/person.

De Palm Island is also a private island and resort that you can visit and buy a day pass to. There’s a waterpark, beaches, snorkeling, etc and a ferry that will bring you over. Ticket prices vary but you can expect them to be in the same ballpark as Renaissance Island.

Main Islands

Both Aruba and Grand Cayman are nearby other main islands. Bonaire and Curacao are near enough to Aruba but you’ll have to fly there. Likewise, if you want to visit the other Cayman Islands from Grand Cayman, you’ll need to fly there as well.

Unless you have a lot of time, or have already visited Aruba or Grand Cayman, it doesn’t really make sense to go to one of the others unless that’s your main destination.

Across the Island

While the islands are shaped differently, both are set up similarly. The west side of both islands is where the main beach and capital are. The east and north sides are lesser visited but have attractions you can venture out to for the day.

The east end of Grand Cayman has a few things to check out like the blow holes along the coast and a few secluded beaches. On the north side, you can find the Cayman Crystal Caves and of course, the famous Stingray City where you can swim with stingrays.

In Aruba, you have Arikok National Park where you can find natural bridges and natural pools, caves, and beautiful beaches as well. One of my favorites is Baby Beach which is all the way at the southern tip.

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