The Cayman Islands are dotted with deal-cutting characters with briefcases and mobile phones, scuba divers in wet-suits and English folk checking the cricket scores. The islands are colourful with coral reefs, bright orange frogfish, sociable stingrays and reggae beats on the street. As a result of the islands' mellow charms, resorts and condos have sprung up all over. But if you want to get away from it all there are lots of places to escape the satellite dishes.

Best time to visit: June to October to avoid the peak season.

Essential experiences

Diving famous dive spots such as the Bloody Bay Wall and Jackson Point on the north-western coast of Little Cayman; strolling the mile-long trail that winds through the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park; treasure-hunting on Cayman Brac; meandering through Mastic Trail - the old-growth forest that once supplied early settlers with timber; sightseeing on Cayman Brac, which is covered in fruit trees, orchids and cacti and surrounded by lots of good beaches.

In a few words, the Cayman Islands are

Shipwrecks, pirate history, condos, luxurious resorts, snorkelling and diving.

Did you know?

The Booby Pond Nature Reserve is home to one of the hemisphere's largest breeding populations of red-footed boobies. The Cayman Turtle Farm is the only one of its kind in the world and this government-run operation raises green turtles to increase their population in the wild and - slightly more disturbing - sells their meat and shells.