Called one of the best beaches in the Caribbean by “Travel + Leisure” magazine as well as “U S News and World Report,” Seven Mile Beach (also known as West bay Beach) sits on the west side of Grand Cayman Island. This 6.3-mile continuous stretch of sand (despite its name) is one of the most developed areas of the island and home to many of the resort destination’s top hotels.
The History of Seven Mile Beach
Grand Cayman Island and Seven Mile Beach were originally home to the Carib tribe. Christopher Columbus and his crew brought Europeans to the island’s shores in 1503 on his fourth voyage to the New World. Subsequent slavery and the introduction of European diseases for which the native tribe had little immunity erased the indigenous population. All that remains today is the lovely topography of the islands and the name, Cayman, which is derived from the Carib word for “crocodile.”
The Cayman Islands were ruled by Jamaica between 1863 and 1962. When Jamaica won her independence from Britain in 1962, the Cayman Islands elected to remain a protectorate of the United Kingdom. A governor administers the island nation today.
The structure of Seven Mile Beach continues to evolve and the stretch loses a little bit in length each year to erosion. Still, the beach is one of the most lovely and most beguiling in the region. Seven Mile Beach is known for its colorful coral reefs just offshore and the excellent snorkeling and diving found there. As with all beaches in the Cayman Islands, access is open to the public. In addition to the many luxury hotels, the beach is home to multiple seaside restaurants.
To book your own idyllic vacation along Grand Cayman’s Seven Mile Beach, contact South Bay Beach Club at soutbaybeachclub.com or by calling 407 992-2844.
February 15th, 2016