Coming in September!

Newbie Joined: 31 Jul 2009 Posts: 9

Hey there! EXCELLENT WEBSITE! We're coming in mid Sep. Have just a few questions if anyone can help out...

1. How is weather in September? Hurricanes? Rain? Any other weather concerns?

2. Just the 2 of us, I'm Amy, 42years old, Husband is Tom, 46. We both like to dive. Looking for a dive company who is not in a hurry, doesn't go too deep if we don't want to, good with beginners, and lots of PATIENCE. A good price wouldn't hurt either. Smile

3. We budgeted for 3 fine dining restaurants. Must be directly on the water, fine cuisine, good wine selection. We don’t mind spending a couple hundred dollars for dinner and drinks if it’s worth the price. Want to walk away feeling like it was worth the money.

4. See a lot about sting ray city, so already added that to must do. There are so many things to do and they all look fantastic. We have 3-4 non-diving days to explore the island. What are the best places to see?

Thanks for any replies and suggestions!
Amy palm

Posted: Sat Aug 01, 2009 6:58 am Post subject:

Welcome to the forum pconstwest Smile

,

Glad you found us and thanks for the compliment!

I think you'll find that almost all of your questions can be answered if you spend a little bit of time exploring our forums and reading some of the posts there.

We have several dive operators that we recommend and they would all be sure to cater their dives to your abilities and wishes. You would never have to go deeper than you want to.....that's for sure.

I think that Joe has made a list of our recommended restaurants according to price category, so that might help you pick out your special dining experiences. There are so many to choose from! Everyone has their favorites....I happen to love the Reef Grill. Casanova's is another one and it is definitely right on the water.

Definitely don't miss Sting Ray City. We recommend Soto's Cruises for a nice uncrowded boat with lots of personal attention.

As far as weather goes in September, I'm pretty sure that it is during Hurricane season, so you might have some rain or storms. After all, the devastating Hurricane Ivan, was on September 11, 2004. On the other hand, you could have perfect weather!

So, do some reading and if you have any more specific questions, please ask. You can get a lot of good ideas from people's trip reports, as well.

Have fun with the planning,

Char

Newbie Joined: 16 Mar 2008 Posts: 9

As far as restaurants go, my advice is to not limit yourself to being "directly on the water" only. There are many other great restaurants throughout Cayman.

Cheers,

Posted: Sun Aug 02, 2009 6:25 pm Post subject:

Flews wrote:

As far as restaurants go, my advice is to not limit yourself to being "directly on the water" only. There are many other great restaurants throughout Cayman.Cheers,

Excellent point Flews: Eating every meal at 5-star ocean front restaurants can become quite costly—Even with your Activity Guide discounts at many of our finest restaurants. Fortunately, our Restaurant Directory contains the most highly valued restaurants, many with entrees as affordable as a few dollars.

Another good read for dining connoisseurs is our Selecting Restaurants topic.

And you can always use our handy Menu Search to find the restaurants that serve your favorite dishes at the locations and price ranges that best suit your preferences.

Frequent Flyer Joined: 08 Mar 2006 Posts: 27

I'm not a diver but my family would say be sure and use Ollie Miller. As far as dinner.....You need to got to Papaggallo's (West Bay). It is wonderful and the setting is so nice...not on the water but it's nice.

Counting.....75 and I will be on K-Man!

Posted: Mon Aug 03, 2009 2:42 pm Post subject:

Hi sherryayc and

Pappagallo is one of my favorite restaurants too. Although they are not ocean front, they are on the water. Many seats directly overlook their expansive lake with beautiful trees that are back lighted at night.

Just a slight correction: It's Ollen Miller that operates out of Turtle Reef at the Cracked Conch.

Newbie Joined: 31 Jul 2009 Posts: 9

Thank you Char and Joe and everyone that replied and the people that have obviously put so much time and effort into creating this masterpiece of a website! It's the whole encyclopedia of the Cayman Islands!!!

I got back 3 of the 4 quotes I sent in to the hotel search, all with GREAT DISCOUNTS, by the way! Also, VERY NICE PEOPLE! Not at all like many of the other countries we have traveled to, much more polite and friendly. Anyway, settled on Anchorage. Not quite the cheapest but free welcome gift for Activity Guide members, so thank you for that. What really sold me was that wonderful article about the vacation lifestyle, the "island within an island", and being really remote but still close, the Anchorage seems to have all of that, which is even better than an all inclusive. More of an all RECLUSIVE! Jump

Narrowing diving down to Neptune's and Off the Wall. Both look perfect for us. If anyone has anything to persuade us either way, please go for it. Otherwise, we are slightly leaning towards Off the Wall.

Restaurants! Oh, My, God! I had no IDEA there were that many restaurants on that tiny little island!! 200 or more!!! Joe, I read through so much of what you have done and all the work you go through to inspect all of the restaurants, I just can't thank you enough. Even with the filtered down list, there is still an incredible amount to pick from. For sure we want the Papagallo, the Lighthouse, maybe the Grand Old House, The Wharf, Hemingways, all for our fine dining. More than we budgeted for but my God! There are so many amazing restaurants! Another great thing about this site is the videos! Videos don't lie, and they sure do make it seem like we've already been there.

This vacation is especially important to us. We don't want any unplesant surprises and I can't thank everyone enough for pointing us in the right direction.

I still have so much more to read and my must do list is already filled with over 50 things! But it's all good and we can't wait to see it all in person.

Thanks again for all your help.

Amy palm

Newbie Joined: 16 Mar 2008 Posts: 9

I haven't been to Grand Old House in years, but it was lovely. This one is definately right on the water - our table was on the patio overlooking the ocean. clapping

I also recommend the Sunshine Grill at the Sunshine Suites hotel across from the Westin. Great, well priced, unique food. Perhaps for lunch one day?

Finally - let me suggest something local. ********** Cracked Conch (since you like to dive). Or several others of a similar gendre. Real island fare, reasonably priced. Especially if you like seafood or roti or curry goat, etc... Very Happy

My only regret is my all time favourite Cayman restaurant is no longer - Durty Reids! crying

I wound't recommend it to tourists, but it was a great local haunt when I was spending a lot of time on Cayman years ago.

Cheers,

Newbie Joined: 16 Mar 2008 Posts: 9

I am profoundly dismayed by your edit of my last post.

I thought this forum was about sharing views and opinions about Cayman. It would appear by your edit it is nothing more than a shill for "approved" businesses.

Please remove all my previous posts and any information pertaining to me from this forum. I will not be associated with such blatant censorship.

This is my last post and I hereby resign from this forum.

Although I am sure you will just edit out this post so no one else will know my views on this subject...

Sincerely,

Posted: Wed Aug 05, 2009 7:16 pm Post subject: Re: Censorship?

Flews wrote:

I am profoundly dismayed by your edit of my last post.

I thought this forum was about sharing views and opinions about Cayman. It would appear by your edit it is nothing more than a shill for "approved" businesses.

Please remove all my previous posts and any information pertaining to me from this forum. I will not be associated with such blatant censorship.

This is my last post and I hereby resign from this forum.

Although I am sure you will just edit out this post so no one else will know my views on this subject...

Sincerely,

As per your agreement with the TOS when you registered you knew that the Cayman Activity Guide is an advertiser driven publication which includes this FREE website. It is unfortunate that you are profoundly dismayed, but Joe, the owner and editor of the publication, has done extensive research to promote only the best Cayman has to offer. By allowing free advertising to those that do not choose to, or are not asked to, advertise is not a fair business practice to those paying advertisers who contribute to making this forum available to us.

.... a shill for approved businesses? .... I suppose that's what it is! Only the best of Cayman is promoted in the Cayman Activity Guide!

Have a Wonderful Day Flews!

Posted: Thu Aug 06, 2009 11:47 am Post subject:

Thanks Jack! Very Happy

Yep, we just go shilling along to the tune of the highest bidders. Though I find that difficult to reconcile with the fact that we spend over ten hours per week evaluating potential businesses and turn away an average of 10 potential clients per month, while maintaining a waiting list of over 20 establishments^* because we do not feel that they offer what we consider to be among the highest value to our members and readers.

*20 advertisers represent an average monthly income of CI$8,000 (eight thousand Cayman Island dollars); roughly 10 thousand US dollars.

Newbie Joined: 31 Jul 2009 Posts: 9

Dear Joe,

Please go ahead and keep right on "shilling" to the highest bidders! wave

Me and Tom have visites several countries and NEVER found any website anywhere near this helpful. I would think that most people able to use a computer and schedule flights, rent cars, visit foreign countries, would be able to make up their own minds if a particular place did not seem right for them. Then again maybe not! spin

I can never express enough how much you and your amazing forums, website, menu search, weather, news, videos, photos (your underwater pictures are AMAZING, BTW), have helped us plan the perfect vacation. Heck, we haven't even been there yet and you've already saved us over $100!

Videos and pictures do not lie so I for one do very much have the list narrowed down to what someone who has lived there for so long think are the best. And not just based on what I read here, but also double checking a few of the more expensive restaurants. I also appreciate all of the work you do in inspecting all of the restaurants, dive companies and helping us not have to learn everything the hard way.

So if this is all a shill, long live the shill and thank you for all the work you do in presenting the most fantastic website I have ever seen!

I have our condo and dives booked, assuming the weather is okay. September should not be a problem it sounds like, unless something develops, just our luck!

Keeping fingers crossed for good weather...

Amy palm

Newbie Joined: 09 Sep 2008 Posts: 9 Location: NE Ohio

I completed my open water dives with Neptunes Divers. I was very nervous and they provided a very patient experience. I highly recommend them. I am visiting in November and will use their services to complete my advanced. I would not go back if I did not trust them. Beanie.

Newbie Joined: 31 Jul 2009 Posts: 9

Thanks again for the help. We kept going back and forth with divers, Neptunes, Off the Wall, Neptunes, finally picked Off the Wall. Maybe we'll dive with BOTH!

Restaurants, nearly impossible! Spent hours workgin on must do list, back and forth. Think we have it finally narrowed down to 4 upscale dinner, the rest casual!

Amy palm

Frequent Flyer Joined: 19 Oct 2005 Posts: 75

So.....what restaurants have you decided on? There really are a lot of good places to eat!

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