Hell

The basics

While the formations at Hell look volcanic, they were actually shaped by algae eating away at ironshore limestone, leaving the black jagged pinnacles. Visitors can enjoy views of the unusual landscape, take quirky photos with different cutouts, browse several gift shops, and send postcards with a Hell postmark from the post office. The town is included in many sightseeing tours of the West Bay and some tours of the full island, including tours by bicycle and self-drive scooter.

Things to know before you go

• It’s free to visit Hell. Several gift shops and public toilets can be found near the site.
• Visitors are not allowed to walk on the limestone formations, which are razor sharp.
• There are several platforms available to safely view the formations.
• It’s against the law to remove rocks from Hell.

How to get there

Hell is located on Hell Road, in the West Bay district of Grand Cayman. Driving from George Town, it’s about 8 miles (13 kilometers) north, taking Esterly Tibbets Highway; there’s plenty of parking onsite. It’s also possible to take a public bus from George Town. Many people visit as part of a sightseeing tour of the island or West Bay.

When to get there

Hell is open 24 hours a day. The gift shops are open morning to the end of the afternoon, and the post office is open weekdays. Hell is popular when cruise ships are in town. To see it without the crowds, time your visit for after 3pm, when cruise ship passengers have returned to port.

How Hell got its name

There are several stories as to how Hell got its name. According to one, a British commissioner saw the site and exclaimed, “This must be what Hell must look like!” Others say it was due to a British general hunting in the area who exclaimed, “Oh hell,” after missing a shot. And yet another story claims that if a pebble were to be thrown into the formation, it would sound like it was falling all the way to Hell.