The Best Grand Cayman Beaches to Visit

The Cayman Islands are known for their white sand and turquoise water and there are no shortage of Grand Cayman beaches to explore. Especially due to its more famous beach which is nearly seven miles long and aptly named Seven Mile Beach.

Grand Cayman beaches are all free and open to the public up to the water line. And there are many places around the island where you can find ‘beach access’ signs that will take you along a dirt road to a spot of sand. If you rent a car, definitely check out some of those roads, as you never know what you’ll stumble upon!

Some of the best beaches are found on the west side of Grand Cayman. While you could easily stay on the west side of the island on Seven Mile Beach, there are other sandy spots that are great places to snorkel or swim at. Which are the best will depend on what you like to do at the beach, but here is what some of the popular beaches around the island are like:

Seven Mile Beach

Seven Mile Beach is the most popular beach and one of the top things to do on Grand Cayman. It’s easily accessible with many of the hotels and resorts sitting right off the sand. The beach is a long stretch of light colored sand with turquoise water. Because of how long it is, you’ll get a bit different scenery in different spots.

There are a few designated public areas with their own parking lots, or you can look for beach access paths between some of the hotels. Most of the beach is sandy, but you’ll have the occasional rocky area along the way as well.

Governor’s Beach

One of the designated public sections of Seven Mile Beach is Governors Beach. There’s a small section right off the side of the Governor’s house where there are a few picnic tables and benches. There’s also a beach area in front of the white picket fence where you can hang out at too.

There was plenty of sand to spread out on and the area was really pretty with some shade up by the picnic tables. On a windy day, you might see some kite surfers on the water.

Cemetery Beach

Another designated public section is Cemetery Beach, which is right next to a cemetery. There’s designated parking and bathroom facilities across the road and a small path along the cemetery that will take you to the beach.

There’s a sandy area in front of the cemetery with some large trees that offer shade. This area was quiet and peaceful to relax at, though there are a few scattered rocky areas in the water.

Smith Barcadere

Towards the southwest corner of the island in South Sound is where you’ll find Smith Barcadere also known as Smith Cove. It’s a smaller cove with some sandy beach areas and rocks jutting out from the shore. It’s a beautiful area and a scenic photo spot.

The cove is shallow and great to swim in. Don’t forget to pack a snorkel as well to check out the rocky areas.

Spotts Beach

One of the more unique beaches on the island (in my opinion) is Spotts Beach. This beach has a spotted look from the seagrass growing near the shore. It’s located on the southern end of the island, just a short ways away from the airport. It’s got a cute sandy area with several palm trees to plop under and a few covered picnic tables.

It also has a long dock with stairs leading into the water that you can snorkel from. This is a great place to explore underwater. It’s pretty shallow for a ways out and there’s lots of marine life lurking in and around the seagrass. We were hoping to spot a turtle but saw a stingray near the dock instead!

Colliers Beach

Colliers Beach is a large sandy area located on the east end of the island. While the water isn’t quite as pretty here as it is on the west side (lots of seagrass), it’s still a great, local spot to head to. And there were only a few people here at the time!

There are a couple of pavilions with seating areas to avoid the sun, a dock on the left side of the beach and a large beachy area to park your car. If you’re already exploring the East End, it’s worth stopping at to cool off!

Barefoot Beach

Another beach on the East End is Barefoot Beach. When we went, we were the only ones there but I got the impression that it’s more of a local hangout and potential party spot (based off of the litter). The beach road takes you into a forested area where you can park your car under the trees. Then there’s some beach paths that will take you a few steps to the sand.

While it’s sandy, there’s a ton of seagrass both in the water and on the sand, but that always makes for a good snorkeling spot. It wasn’t the cleanest area so we didn’t stick around long. If you walk to the end, you’ll see a rocky shore and there are some stops off the road that take you to a stone walkway along the coast. The water looked really pretty off of the rocks, but the beach was just an ok spot.

Cayman Kai

Also on the north side of the island near Rum Point is Cayman Kai Public Beach. It’s got a nice entrance with a paved parking lot and stairs leading up to a restroom and a picnic pavilion. Then there’s a little boardwalk leading down to the beach.

However, this beach is basically what Hell Grand Cayman would look like as a beach. And if you haven’t been to Hell yet, it’s a place with a bunch of black granite rock. There’s not much of a sandy area here and not much of a place to walk.

Right before Cayman Kai:

Ironically though, right before the official Cayman Kai public area is another little sandy road that leads to another beach area. I don’t know if it even has a name but it looked like one of those ‘beach access’ roads we’d been seeing so we drove down it to check it out.

This beach was much better with plenty of sand and some more picnic tables with a covered pavilion. One of the tables has a little makeshift thatched roof. But this area was much more enjoyable to hang out at.

Rum Point Beach

Rum Point is located on the north side of the island and is a big, sandy area on the water with a bar and restaurant. It’s currently under construction but I suspect it was and will be a pretty lively area when it’s up and running again. Currently there are picnic tables and lounge chairs by the water so you can relax while you eat and drink. And there’s a small bar and grill open as well.

The construction, however, shows a massive beachside bar and looks like it will be quite the production. I read reviews that this used to be a fun, local hangout spot so sentiment is quite mixed about the new facilities. There will also be a sports shop for Red Sail Sports that will offer rentals and tours. Either way, it’s a great spot to watch the sunset over the water.

Starfish Point

Another popular beach on the island is Starfish Point. It’s located all the way in the north part of the island near Rum Point. The water is incredibly shallow and it’s a popular spot for starfish to be found. So much so, that tour boats often include it as a stop on their tours. It’s pretty neat to stumble upon starfish in the water, but make sure you leave them alone!

Starfish can’t breathe outside of the water but even the oils/sunscreen on your body can harm them. Picking them up–even in the water–can cause them stress which can be detrimental. It’s best to observe them where they are.

It’s a bit of a drive to get there if you aren’t staying nearby, but there are several other things worth seeing on the north side and east end. If you aren’t renting a car but still want to visit this spot, look for a Stingray City tour that includes it!

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