10/11/2016

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Every year among a shortlist of candidates one winner is selected for Governor’s Conservation Awards. This year the winner was  Crystal Caves attraction.  

In the Tourism Industry Conservation category, the award requirements state that the ideal candidate “must be a leader in offering environmentally friendly visitor services, [and] they must provide visitors easy access to nature, beauty and outdoor recreation opportunities.” 

Situated in tropical forest in Northside, Grand Cayman, Cayman Crystal Caves is the island’s newest nature tourist attraction. All visitors receive guided walking tours. Tours are approximately 1 ½ hours and take you through the surrounding tropical forest area and 3 caves.  Cayman Crystal Caves have formed over millions of years. Over time, as sea levels changed and land began to rise, rooms began to form through water erosion, making caves. Within these rooms stalagmite and stalactite crystal structures began to form, as rain water dripping through the limestone ceiling of the caves left calcium deposits behind. The caves are still today continuing to evolve. 

Christian Sorensen took two decades to purchase the various parcels which encompass the caves and surrounding rain forest, as well as devise a route to the landlocked site from the main road.  In the last few years of planning the attraction, Ergun Berksoy who have vast experience in the tourism sector, joined the Sorensen family in this venture and together they have seen Cayman’s newest and very exciting nature tourist attraction to completion. 

 “On behalf of Cayman Crystal Caves, my business partner Ergun Berksoy and I would like to thank the people of North Side and all those devoted Caymanians who have been part of this project for so many years, making this unique nature attraction possible,” said Crystal Caves developer Christian Sorensen.  He added: “Since opening this year, we have now become one of the most sought after attractions on island, showing the genuine interest amongst people from all over the world to experience the wonders of nature. Many thanks also to the National Trust for the support, and the Cayman Islands Government, and her excellency the governor for the support and hosting this event, this award and recognition means a lot to us.”

At the awards ceremony, the National Trust mentioned Mr. Sorensen spent 20 years developing the North Side caves into one of the island’s most popular tourism attractions.