Driving Tour of West Bay in Grand Cayman

1. Boggy Sands Road

Head north along West Bay Road (keeping the sea on your left). Once you pass the four way stop next to Centennial Towers, you are in the district of West Bay. Take a left at the four-way stop and park.

Walk towards the sea and turn left onto Boggy Sand Road (with the sea on your right), which runs parallel to the beach. This little road gives you a glimpse of the Cayman Islands of yesteryear: lined on either side with quaint, traditional Caymanian houses painted in shades of pastel surrounded by colourful shrubs, you will feel you have stepped back in time momentarily. This is a great place to see some examples of Caymanian architecture and of the typical sand gardens adorned with conch shells. Boggy Sand Road is one of the most picturesque streets on the island. Be sure to grab a bite to eat at Heritage Kitchen, where they serve a delicious array of Caribbean-style dishes.

2. Cayman Turtle Centre

Head back to the 4-way stop, turn left and continue driving on the main road, hugging the coast and as you make your way around to the Cayman Turtle Centre. This is a great place to stop and spend a few hours learning about sea turtles, exploring the nature trail, free-flight bird aviary, butterfly garden, and more.

3. Cayman Collections Centre

After the Turtle Centre, head across the road to the Cayman Collections Centre, and enjoy learning about some of Cayman's history. The centre houses a wonderful collection of artefacts from the Cayman Islands National Museum's collection and is definitely worth a visit.

4. Hell

The site known as Hell is located in the district of West Bay on Grand Cayman. Visitors can explore the site, take pictures, and even send "postcards from Hell" to friends and family using the local post office. It's a popular tourist attraction, and many visitors find the geological formations intriguing.

5. Beaches to Explore in West Bay

There are some wonderful beaches in West Bay which you can explore before stopping somewhere for lunch. Read on to learn about Cemetery Beach, West Bay public beach and Barkers National Park.

West Bay Public Beach is a serene shoreline spot that caters to a laid-back day in the sun. Situated on the quiet north end of Seven Mile Beach, it offers ample white sandy space for relaxation and embraces the typical Caribbean vibe. There are public changing rooms and toilets, Foster’s supermarket is within walking distance for those interested in a picnic, or visit Heritage Kitchen for a lunchtime fish fry. Public cabanas with seating, shaded areas and a small number of parking spaces are all also available.

Cemetery Beach is a popular spot for locals and tourists alike, who are looking for a more tranquil, less crowded beach experience typically found on Seven Mile. Soft white sand (of course), and shady seagrape trees await you after the brief walk along the walled edge of the cemetery, which gives the beach its name. Renowned as a great spot for snorkelling, there is a reef located in about 30ft of water, at a distance of about 5-10 minutes swim offshore.

Right at the north east tip of West Bay you will find this hidden gem, the Barkers National Park. Significantly less visited, this is where the West Bay horseback riding companies bring their tours, and it's a great spot for windsurfers and kitesurfing, so on a windy day you will no doubt see sails in the air. You can swim here but there is a lot of turtle grass and the beach is a little rocky. There are no designated parking areas, so just park on the roadside and walk through to the beach. There are also no facilities.

6. Lunch Stop

Time to recharge your batteries and get some lunch. There are quite a few lunch options in West Bay, including Calypso Grill, Heritage Kitchen, Macabuca, Nourish at VIDA, NOVA, Schooner's at the Cayman Turtle Centre, Tukka West and VIVO. The Cracked Conch and Ristorante Pappagallo are also wonderful restaurants in West Bay but they are only open for dinner.

There is also a Subway at Centennial Towers at the 4-way stop just as you come into West Bay if you want to pick up a sandwich, and there is a Fosters grocery store on the left just before the 4-way stop if you want to pick up supplies for a picnic.

There are lots of other great places to eat in West Bay from local eateries to waterfront restaurants. Check out these additional recommendations.

7. Snorkelling & Diving

Other activities that you can do in West Bay include diving and snorkelling from Macabuca dock (Turtle Reef) or Divetech dock (Lighthouse Point). Lots of large and very docile tarpon hang out in the water here, and these majestic creatures are wonderful to see in their own element.

• Turtle Reef is primarily a shore dive with a mini wall; snorkellers can follow the edge of the wall, admiring the bright reef fish and soft corals. Access to the water is easy from Macabuca. Look out for turtles!
• Lighthouse Point is just a short swim from shore where snorkellers can enjoy the mini wall and thriving reef. You'll also see the Guardian of the Reef statue.

For more snorkelling spots across Grand Cayman, follow the link below.

If you organise in advance of your road trip through West Bay, you can book windsurfing or kitesurfing lessons from Kitesurf Cayman. Receive a private or semi-private lesson on the beach in the Barkers National Park.

Alternatively, a true highlight is going for a horseback ride along the seagrass-strewn beach in Barkers National Park with Pampered Ponies or Coral Stone Stables. Both do beach rides and beach-swim rides.