Trip Planning Advice – Harbour Heights, Cayman Islands

Are you planning your first trip to visit us here at Harbour Heights? Here are some things to keep in mind before you arrive.

Directions. Familiarize yourself with the directions on how to get to Harbour Heights from the airport. Many visitors keep their phones in airplane mode to avoid any overseas charges on accessing data. If that is the case, you will be unable to use the GPS function of your smartphone.

Rental Cars. We are a British Territory, and as such, we drive on the left side of the street. Cayman Island rental agencies offer cars that are set up with the driver side on the right. You can ask for a driver side left. To obtain a driver’s license here in the Cayman Islands, you will pay a small fee at the rental agency for a temporary license. Please check with your personal car insurance to understand if you are covered while driving here. If not, our rental agencies can offer insurance to cover you. 

Driving. If you are unsure of which side of the road to drive on – watch for traffic to go by first, then follow the cars in the direction you are going. We have many roundabouts here in Grand Cayman instead of traffic lights, you will go clockwise in these roundabouts. Most entrance and exit access into parking lots are also reversed. It is helpful to have your passengers help watch for driving cues as well. 

Currency. Most businesses here accept US dollars. When dining, most receipts show the cost of your purchase in both US dollars and Cayman Islands dollars. If you pay a bill with US money, you will receive your change in Cayman Islands currency.

Groceries. Grocery shopping on Grand Cayman Island is just like shopping anywhere else – except our grocery stores are not open on Sundays. Here you will find Foster’s Food Fair IGA, Kirks, and Hurley’s in Grand Harbor. If you are flying in on Saturday, you may want to make sure to visit one of these supermarkets and stock up for the weekend or the week. Beer and wine are not sold in our grocery stores.

Liquor. We are uniquely set up here at Harbour Heights to be able to sell liquor to our guests from our property office. You may buy liquor during our business hours only. 

Dining Out. We have a wonderful range of restaurants here on Grand Cayman Island. Take a look online at the restaurants we have. You may want to make dinner reservations ahead of time, especially if you are visiting during our high season. One thing to make sure to notice – is the gratuity already included in your bill? Take a look at the bottom of the check before you finalize any payments. Again, you can pay with Cayman Islands currency or in US dollars.

Beach Access. The beaches around the entire island are public. Private beaches start at the high water line. Look for “Beach Access” signs along the road – park your car and follow the footpaths to our beautiful beaches. Along Seven Mile beach you will find Governor’s Beach, Public Beach, Cemetery Beach and West Bay Public Beach. 

Snorkeling. Even if you do not consider yourself a diver, you may want to invest in a snorkel, mask, and fins. The Cayman Islands are surrounded by the crystal clear Caribbean Sea and is a premiere diving destination. We have wonderful marine life off our private beach and all around the island to enjoy. The dive shops here can help you with gear if you are not able to bring these things with you. You can also find fish identification guides to help figure out what you have seen while diving!