About
Brac Reef Beach Resort is a charming, family-owned all-inclusive getaway located on four and a half acres of sandy white beachfront on Cayman Brac Island in the Cayman Islands. While Cayman Island diving is a specialty, Brac Reef caters to divers and non-divers alike, welcoming families, small conferences, wedding and honeymoon guests and adaptive divers. Guests have unbridled access to the following Club amenities and activities:
• 26 miles of diving on the Sister Islands, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman Island with expert guidance from renowned on-site dive shop, Reef Divers II
• Outdoor pursuits including snorkeling, kayaking, fishing, tennis, beach volleyball, hiking, bicycling and mountain biking
• Underwater Vacation Photo & Video Center
• Expert-guided bird watching for over 200 species
• Cave Discovery
• Day Spa
• Pool and Jacuzzi facilities
• Fitness Center
• Caribbean dining at The Palms Caribbean Restaurant, The Great Palm and The Tipsy Turtle Pub
• Room Service
• Cyber Beach free wireless internet at bar and in lobby
• Boutique and Gift Shop
• Organized family activities including Beach BBQ’s and family swims
• Weekly Resort activities including Manager’s Welcome Party, movie and karaoke nights
• Concierge coordination of additional services including baby-sitting, grocery, car rentals, medical clinic and hospital, dentist and optician
Location: Brac Reef Beach Resort is located on a private beach on the southwest end of Cayman Brac Island.
Island Details: Cayman Brac is a British Crown Colony located 480 miles south of Miami in the West Caribbean. The middle sister of the three Cayman Islands, Cayman Brac is 89 miles from Grand Cayman and five miles from Little Cayman. It is a coral island surrounded by reef with a population of about 1200 residents.
Island Geography: Referred to simply as The Brac, the island is 12 miles long and over 1 mile wide with a distinguishing bluff running through its center. The bluff begins at sea level on the west end of the island, and rises to about 140 feet at the eastern tip.
Island History: Brac is Gaelic for bluff. Discovered in 1503 by Christopher Columbus, the island today is a peaceful quiet hideaway not only for divers and snorkelers, but for sports fishermen, bird watchers, rock climbers and those who want to relax.
Accessibility: Cayman Brac has been facilitated by the addition of a modern airport capable of accommodation Cayman Airways’ 737s, as well as their twin-engine fleet of Twin Otters (Cayman Express). Cayman Airways offers direct flights from Tampa, Ft. Lauderdale, Houston International and Chicago. Cayman Brac can also be accessed by private plane or boat. Specific entry information can be obtained through the Cayman Islands Civil Aviation Authority. Just a one-hour flight from Miami, Grand Cayman is serviced by many major airlines.
Cayman Island Entry Requirements: The Western Hemisphere Travel Institute requires a passport for entry in the Cayman Islands.
Architecture: The resort’s architecture reflects the quaintness and charm of the Caribbean. Building exteriors are finished in a warm peach hue.
Accommodations: Brac Reef Resort offers forty deluxe beachfront guest rooms divided into sister, two-story “treetop height” buildings. Each building is immersed in a setting of lush tropical foliage, the natural beauty of the surrounding crystal blue waters, swaying Palms and amazing Caribbean sunsets. Each guest room is furnished with:
• Upscale tropical décor
• Tiled floors
• Two double or one king-sized bed
• All ground floor rooms have patios; all second floor rooms have private balconies (all ocean view)
• Individually controlled air conditioning, as well as overhead ceiling fans
• Color cable televisions, radio/alarm clock and IDD telephone
• Internet available in each room
• Bathroom with combination tub/shower and a deluxe bathroom amenity package, suites offer walk-in showers with dual shower heads
• Complimentary in-room hair dryers, irons and ironing boards
• Coffee centers
• Mini refrigerators and microwaves
• Room service
• Drying lines ad laundry services available
All rooms are non-smoking, but guests may smoke on the patio or the bar area.
Resort History: Brac Reef Beach Resort is owned and operated by the family of Cayman Brac native, Linton Tibbetts. Daughter, Mary Brandes in currently the Managing Owner of Brac Reef.
Diving/Reef Divers: Cayman Brac is considered to be one of the world’s premier scuba diving vacation destinations, home to hundreds of varieties of fish, coral, and marine life. The pristine beauty of the warm Caribbean Sea provides a spectacular marine environmental for reef, wall, and wreck diving. Reef Divers, the on-site dive operator, provides first-class “valet” service, top-rated equipment and a modern fleet of specially designed dive boats. Their professional instructors and captains balance concern for your dive safety and care for the environment, yet are certain to give you an unforgettable and completely unique diving experience. Refer to the detailed fact sheet for additional information.
Dining: The Palms Restaurant and The Great Palm tempt you with a taste of the tropics, serving American and continental cuisine. Internationally-trained chefs feature ever-changing menus including local seafood specialties, island favorites and gourmet desserts with an acclaimed pastry chef. The main dining room seats 60 guests, while the new dining room seats up to an additional 40 guests with a screened-in patio seating 20. Room service is available. Breakfast is served from 7am – 9am, lunch from 12:30pm – 1:30pm and dinner from 6:30pm – 8pm daily.
The Tipsy Turtle Pub is a poolside bar overlooking the beautiful beach, specializing in refreshing, tropical cocktails. Food is served between 12 noon and 9pm, including delicious bar fare like burgers and salads. The bar opens at 11am and closes at 1am Monday – Fridays, closing at midnight on Saturdays. Sunday hours are 12 noon to midnight.
Polly’s Landing Boutique and Gift Shop: The gift shops offers island souvenirs, t-shirts and beautiful resort treasures including candles, coins, jewelry and giftware. Find everything you need in terms of dive wear and island clothing. Also offering small necessities for your stay that you may have forgotten to pack.
Tropical Touch Day Spa: The only spa on the island of Cayman Brac. Treat yourself to the ultimate in relaxation and rejuvenation with a selection from an extensive menu of massages, body treatments and facials. Enjoy a treatment at the spa center offering private, serene surroundings, or arrange an outdoor body treatment on the beach overlooking the beautiful Caribbean waters. Spa also offers manicures and pedicures. See the complete list of spa services and rates for additional details.
Island Shapes Fitness Center: Fitness Center includes a stair-stepper, treadmill, stationary bike and Universal weight machine with free-weights. Get your workout started with an in-room TV/VCR and disc player.
Reef Photo: Established in 1984, Reef Photo is the oldest, full-service professional underwater photo and video center on Cayman Brac Island. Located in Reef Divers Dive Shop, Reef Photo services are offered to all divers on Cayman Brac. The shop provides E-6 film processing, photo/digital coaching, custom underwater video productions, equipment, rentals, film and battery sales and comprehensive Nikonos V camera repairs. Refer to the detailed fact sheet for additional information.
Conferences & Event Facilities: The Governor’s Conference and Banquet Center offers a setting of casual elegance that will accommodate any seminar or reception, from conferences to family reunions, retreats to weddings, and casual to formal affairs. A conference and event coordinator will assist in covering all event details, while award-winning chefs will cater to your dining needs. Refer to the detailed fact sheet for additional information.
Snorkeling: There are multiple snorkel sites around Cayman Brac and Little Cayman Islands. Snorkelers enjoy the coral reefs which come close enough to the surface to allow views usually only available to divers. Cayman Island laws protect the 100 different hard and soft corals that flourish the area. View 500 types of fish and many other types of marine life including turtles, spotted Eagle rays, reef harks, moray eels, stingrays, Horse-Eyed Jacks and barracudas.
Caribbean Fishing: Fishing has been dubbed the “Unofficial National Sport of the Caymans”. The Cayman Islands are the Caribbean fishing destination for both skilled and unskilled angles. Year-round, anglers can catch bonefish weighing an average of 3-6 lbs and Tarpon weighing up to 20 lbs in the land-locked brackish pond, and permit weighing up to 35 lbs caught in the flats. Marlin, tuna, grouper, and triggerfish are also prime catches. Shore fishing and deep sea fishing charters can be arranged through the resort.
Escorted Island Tours: Take in the Cayman Brac Museum, quaint shops, and pass island homes and gardens. Visit the Bluff Lighthouse and Christopher Columbus Park’s newly dedicated Wall of Distinction. Explore secret caves, beautiful beaches and a world renowned 140’ bluff. There are over 200 species of birds to search out, as wetland ponds serve as a resting place for migratory birds on their way South. Top-notch tour guides show you the sights on The Brac. This free escorted tour on the islands is provided by Nature Cayman and can be organized for you by the front desk staff.
Cave Exploration: Visit historic caves, including Rebecca’s Cave, Bat Cave and Peter’s Cave while also exploring the beautiful stalactite and stalagmite formations.
• Rebecca’s Cave where a young island girl is entombed after her family found refuge there during the 1932 hurricane
• Bat Cave where hundreds of harmless bats dwell in the easily accessible cave
• Peter’s Cave offers the most dramatic view of both the north side of the island and the bluff
Hiking and Biking: There are 35 named and marked nature trails, including wetland trails, bird watching spots, beach walks and historic landmarks. Trail signage is posted all along the trails to highlight hidden secrets of the island. Bicycles are available at the resort for a leisurely tour.
Tennis Courts: Lighted tennis courts are available. Tennis equipment is available for use at the front desk.
Bird Watching: There are 200 species of birds recorded on the island. Almost 80% of the birds are migratory, but early morning and sunsets reveal hundreds of land and water birds, flocking to inland ponds. The Brac even boasts its own rare Brac Parrot.
Rock Climbing: One of the best kept secrets on the Brac, Cayman Brac boasts “The Bluff,” the highest point on the three sister islands. The limestone rock formation rises 140 feet from the middle of the island and extends to the Caribbean Sea. There are seven areas on the island which have been bolted. These areas are all around the east end of the bluff; getting to these climbing sites is almost as much fun as the climb itself. The most spectacular sites are located below the lighthouse at the far end of the island.
