In this article, we review “Hell” in Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands.
What is “Hell”?
Hell is a rock formation that over the years, has become a popular tourist attraction.
This rock formation consists of jagged black iron-shore limestone. In simple terms, this is an area of spiky black rock.
Hell covers an area of about 2 acres, and is surrounded by a dense forest.
Why is this attraction called “Hell”?
There are different theories to explain why this area is called “Hell”, but the most widely accepted explanation is that people would joke that this is what Hell must look like, referencing the jagged black rock formation.
The name “Hell” created a buzz due to its uniqueness, meaning that tourists started to visit in large numbers.
You can even send a post card from the post office located at Hell that says “sent from Hell”.
Where is Hell located?
Hell is located in West Bay, Grand Cayman.
This is about a 25 minute drive north from the cruise ship port in George Town.
Below is a Google Map showing the exact location of Hell:
What will you see when you visit Hell?
You will see an area of black jagged rocks that stretches for about 2 acres.
Surrounding the rock formation is a dense forest. If you are lucky, you may see some birds and other wildlife. There is a small gift shop at Hell where you can buy souvenirs.
There is also a post office that you can send post cards from that says “sent from Hell”.
Below is a video showing Hell:
Do you need to do a tour to visit Hell?
You do not need to do a tour to visit Hell.
If you are a tourist, you can simply drive to Hell and enter for free.
The only scenario where it makes sense to do a tour to Hell is if you are a cruise ship passenger, since you have limited time and no transportation. You can usually book tours to Hell through your cruise ship.
Is Hell worth visiting?
Hell is overrated and not worth visiting if you have limited time in Grand Cayman.
Almost any other activity would be more interesting than visiting Hell. You can check out our list of the top 25 things to do in Grand Cayman for ideas.
If you are in Grand Cayman for a while, and you happen to be driving past Hell, then it makes sense to stop by for 10 minutes to check it out. There is no entrance fee to see the rock formation, so you have nothing to lose if you are already in the area.
Is Hell a fun experience for kids?
Hell is not a fun experience for kids or adults.
It is mildly interesting for a few minutes, since the rock formation is unique, but it is far from being a life changing experience.
A much more exciting activity that you can do whilst vacationing in Grand Cayman is Stingray City. Stingray City is a shallow sandbar in the sea that you can hold and feed wild stingrays. Stingray City is very safe and is a great family activity.
What is the best way to get to Hell?
The best way to get to Hell is to rent a car and drive.
The public bus system in Grand Cayman is not reliable, meaning that you could be waiting in the sun on the side of the road for 10 to 15 minutes before a bus arrives.
You could take a taxi, but taxis in Grand Cayman are very expensive. For example, a simple 25 minute taxi ride from the cruise ship port in George Town to Hell could cost over $40 USD.
Uber and Lyft are not options since the Cayman government banned those services to protect the local taxi industry. You can check out our article here where we explain why Uber & Lyft are not available in the Cayman Islands.
If you are a cruise ship passenger, then the best way to get to Hell is to book a tour through your ship, since transport will be included, and usually tours to Hell include other stops.
When is the best time to visit Hell?
Since Hell has no entrance fee, it is technically open 24 hours a day.
Hell can become very crowded with cruise ship passengers, meaning that it is best to avoid visiting Hell when there are a lot of cruise ships in Grand Cayman.
You can check out the cruise ship arrival schedule for Grand Cayman so that you can plan your visit to Hell when there are no cruise ships.
Hell won’t have any cruise ship passengers after 3pm because all of the cruise ship passengers will have returned to port by then. So if you are an overnight tourist staying in a hotel or condo, then you can consider visiting Hell in the afternoon after 3pm to avoid the crowds.
If you plan on sending a post card from Hell that says “sent from Hell”, then you will need to visit during a week day (Monday to Friday) before 3pm, to ensure that the post office is still open.
Is there free parking?
Yes, there is lots of free parking at Hell.
How much does it cost?
There is no entrance fee at Hell.
You can see the rock formation for free. However, there is a small souvenir shop where you can buy gifts.
It is common to see tours to Hell being sold online, but these tours are charging money not because there is an entrance fee to Hell, but because they are bus tours that take you around Grand Cayman, and simply include Hell as one of the stops. If you have your own car, then you can drive to Hell yourself and enter for free.
Final thoughts
Hell is overrated and not worth the time to visit unless you are already in the area, and have a lot of spare time.
There are a lot of fun activities to do whilst vacationing in Grand Cayman that are significantly more interesting than Hell.
Check out our list of the top 25 things to do in Grand Cayman for better alternatives to Hell.
