Three Cayman Islands Create an Idyllic Destination

The Cayman Islands are located in the western Caribbean and consist of three islands called Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman. Together they form a little piece of paradise just 480 miles south of Miami. Visitors to the islands can enjoy sun kissed beaches and some of the best snorkelling and diving in the world.

The largest and most visited Ireland is Grand Cayman which is around 76 mi.². It is best known for having a shallow reef known as the North Sound which is around 35 mi.². Cayman Brac is the second largest island and is 89 miles north-east of Grand Cayman.

It is just 1.25 miles wide and 12 miles long, giving it an area of around 14 mi.². It's perhaps the most spectacular out of the three islands as there is a massive central limestone outcrop which dominates the island. Little Cayman is just 5 miles west of Cayman Brac and has an area of just 10 mi.².

The islands were discovered purely by chance in 1503 by Christopher Columbus whose ship was blown off course. He noted the islands were occupied by turtles, and this is the reason why islands were originally called Las Tortugas.

In 1523 a map showing the islands named them Lagartos which means large lizards or alligators, and by 1530 this name had changed to Caimanas which is the Carib Indian word for marine crocodile, as this creature is known to have lived on the islands. Over time the name gradually changed to become the more familiar Cayman Islands.

Cape Verde Named As Top Winter Destination for Surfers

Thomas Cook has named Cape Verde as one of its top five surfing destinations for winter, and points out that this archipelago is ideal for keen wind surfers and surfers as the trade winds blow across the islands between December and May.

There's no doubt this collection of islands is becoming far more popular as a tourist destination, and while many might come here for the surfing there are plenty of other activities to enjoy. It's the ideal spot for anyone who enjoys walking along long sandy beaches, or who wants to spend their days sunbathing and generally enjoying the peacefulness here.

Some of the most spectacular beaches can be found on Boa Vista as it has no less than 55 km of gorgeous white sand. Praia de Chaves is particularly amazing as the sand dunes have been sculpted by the winds, creating incredible patterns.

Deep sea fishing is a popular activity, and there are plenty of opportunities to join local fishermen, and the islands of Sal and Sau Vincente are considered to be amongst the best for fishing.

While there are lots of water sports above the water, the region is also ideal for anyone who enjoys diving as the clear waters make it easy to see the massive rock formations and shipwrecks. Trekking is also a popular activity, especially as the islands have a vast variety of landscapes. Other activities include quad biking, turtle watching and bird watching and horse riding. Island hopping is also a popular day trip.

The Cayman Islands, Much More Than a Tax Haven

The Cayman Islands immediately conjures up images of offshore accounts as it is perhaps best known as being a tax haven, but there is far more to recommend this Caribbean paradise.

The three islands were originally discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1503, but he didn't find them appealing enough to take the trouble to go ashore. By 1670 the islands were under the control of the British and had been named Grand Cayman, Little Cayman and Cayman Brac, and the first settlers began to arrive, even though the Cayman Islands didn't seem to have much to recommend them at the time as they didn't produce any goods.

They still produce very little, as most income is earned from financial services and tourism, and they have to import around 90% of consumer goods and foods. It's only recently that they have become better known as a tourism destination, even though they have stunning beaches.

One of the best-known is Seven Mile Beach on Grand Cayman, which is just over 5 miles long, and it is well worth spending several days at least relaxing here. The islands are well known for their excellent diving and snorkelling, as they have more than 300 marked dive sites and the waters are crystal clear. In fact the Cayman Islands are considered to offer the best diving in the Caribbean.

Each island has its own distinct personality, and Little Cayman is truly tiny at just ten miles square with just one hundred inhabitants. Cayman Brac is a little larger with a population of around 2,000, but most people choose to stay on Grand Cayman.

Escaping the Winter in Cape Verde

The nights are drawing in, the weather forecasters are making dire predictions of another severe winter and the prospect of getting away somewhere hot for a week or so is becoming increasingly appealing.

While traditional holiday hotspots such as Egypt and the Canaries are always a good option, there is another choice which is still only a five-hour flight away. Cape Verde is an archipelago of 10 islands that offer a Caribbean environment within a short haul flight of Europe.

The tourism industry is still very young, but there has been substantial investment by the government into infrastructure, including international airports on the islands of Boa Vista and Sal, as well as all the usual amenities travellers expect. It's an excellent holiday destination, and all the islands have a unique personality. One of the most popular is Boa Vista, and with its fabulous beaches which extend for miles it is easy to see why.

The main town of Boa Vista is Sal Rei, whose buildings betray its colonial past. However one of the nicest things to do on this island is visit Santa Monica beach, which is 11 miles of glorious white sand on the sheltered south of the island – its waters are ideal for swimming.

Boa Vista is ideal for a week or two of relaxation in the tropical sunshine, and it's not difficult to see why so many new resorts and developments are springing up. During the boom Cape Verde was rapidly growing into one of the world’s top tourist destinations, and now it is on the re-burn.

Cayman Islands History and Economy

Although the Cayman Islands were first sighted in 1503 by Christopher Columbus, it wasn't until several decades later that the first English visitor landed on the islands. Sir Francis Drake landed in 1586 and gave the islands their name. However they remained largely uninhabited until the 17th century, and there is no archaeological evidence to suggest an indigenous people.

England took formal control of the islands in 1670, and remained in control until 1962 when the Cayman Islands became a separate Crown colony. They are historically known for being a tax exempt destination, and much of their economy is due to the fact that they are major international financial centre and the fifth largest banking centre in the world with around $1.5 trillion in banking liabilities.

However the islands are also known for being a luxury tourist destination, especially the island of Grand Cayman which is home to the famous Seven Mile Beach along which a number of the island resorts and hotels are located. In spite of its name, the beach is only 5.5 miles long, but is well known for its beauty and has frequently been named the best beach in the Caribbean.

Tourists also visit the islands of little Cayman and Cayman Brac, and all three are popular with scuba divers. There are also several locations where tourists can swim with stingrays, with the most popular being Stingray City in Grand Cayman. The Cayman Islands make an ideal destination year-round, as temperatures are comfortably in the late 20s. The driest months are January to April, while the wettest months tend to be in autumn.

Cape Verde Will Meet Millennium Development Goals

A new report published recently by the World Bank in Washington, says Cape Verde is well on track to meet its Millennium Development Goals, and is one of only four African countries set to do so. Alongside Ethiopia, Ghana and Malawi, Cape Verde is expected to achieve most of its goals by 2015, or possibly even sooner thanks to acceleration in growth and progress of social indicators.

In order to do this Cape Verde has made considerable improvements in areas such as education, health and infant mortality, and has also improved various economic aspects such as its business climate.

Cape Verde is amongst the top 10 countries in the world to have introduced the most reforms in 2010, and the report fully expects to continue seeing the country in this list due to the various reforms which are still underway.

According to the World Bank, the significant improvement in the business climate in Cape Verde was largely due to the government applying robust reforms.

This is all good news for the tropical archipelago which is becoming increasingly sought-after by property investors. Property is still relatively cheap, and the government’s investment in infrastructure has greatly improved amenities over the past few years.

This has led to a huge increase in tourism numbers as more people become aware of Cape Verde's existence and its close proximity to Europe. The country has an ever expanding number of international flights and an increasing number of international airports to cope with the surge in popularity.