Cayman Turtle Farm: Island Wildlife Encounter 

The Cayman Turtle Farm is Grand Cayman’s premiere interactive wildlife destination. A must-visit for tourists and locals alike, it is located in West Bay. This attraction balances a turtle conservation project with a commercial breeding initiative, promoting both Cayman tourism and environmental consciousness in one safe, educational environment.

The largest land-based attraction in the islands, the venue welcomes over 200,000 visitors every year. Founded in 1968, it was the very first commercial project to domesticate the Green Sea Turtle. In 2010, the name of the attraction was extended to “Cayman Turtle Farm: Island Wildlife Encounter” to reflect the recent inclusion of a number of other animal species.

There are many exciting exhibits and interactive displays. Green's Breeding Pond is home to the farm's mature green sea turtles and the Turtle Touch Tanks allow direct handling of yearling turtles. Smiley's Saltwater Lagoon houses Smiley, a 9-foot saltwater crocodile, while Breaker's Lagoon and Turtle Lagoon offer the largest island swimming pool and swimming with the turtles respectively.

 

Loggerhead's Sea Loft is home to endangered loggerhead turtles. While these loggerheads have been bred with Green Sea Turtles, they exhibit many typical behaviours and physical features. At Predator Reef, you can look through a number of viewing panels to see nurse sharks, tarpon and barracuda in action – feeding time is a hit among guests. Last but not least, they boast a Free Flight Aviary wherein a number of local and exotic bird species fly, nest and interact. Another popular area of the park is Cayman Street, a path lined by traditional homes, sand gardens and conch shells that makes for an educational stroll outdoors. The Blue Hole Nature Trail leads to Butterfly Central, a beautiful habitat for a variety of species, most notably the Cabbage White Butterfly. Those enjoying a full-day excursion can visit Schooners and enjoy some delicious Caribbean and International cuisine while overlooking the Turtle Lagoon.

The Cayman Turtle Farm is open Monday through Saturday, from 8am to the last admission at 430pm, and from 10am to 4pm on Sundays. The Turtle Adventure Tour, which grants access to the entire park, costs $45.00 US for adults and $25.00 US for children and the Turtle Farm Exploration Tour, which is for the turtle farm only, costs $30.00 US for adults and $20.00 US for children. Kids aged 4 and under are free. Complimentary parking for cars and bicycles is available directly across the street.