By Sarah Greaves-Gabbadon
JetSetSarah

WHAT’S NOT to love about Grand Cayman’s Seven-Mile Beach?

Sugar-white sand; glassy turquoise waters; a string of hotels, restaurants and bars right on the sand (shout out to Calico Jack’s!); and a lively, in-the-thick-of-it vibe.

But sometimes even the beach-iest bum wants to take it down a notch and chill out on a patch of sand that’s a little more laidback and local. That’s when you should head to my preferred patch of sand, Smith Cove.

Also known as Smith Barcadere,  this chill-out spot on South Sound, just a few minutes’ drive outside George Town, has tiny twin beaches, warm silky waters, great snorkeling and absolutely no “scene.”

Beyond restrooms and a few picnic tables there are no amenities, so bring your own beach chair, umbrella and cooler of drinks.

Your fellow beachgoers: local families, a handful of in-the-know expats, and a vocal flock of local chickens that peck their way through the tangle of foliage that conceals the quiet strand from the main road.

Smith’s Cove is beach, pure and simple – and just the way I like it.

Sarah Greaves-Gabbadon, Caribbean Journal’s Travel Editor, is also the founder ofJetSetSarah, “where travel and shopping meet.” This story was originally published on JetSetSarah.