Colliers Wilderness Reserve

Colliers Wilderness Reserve protects a block of dry forest and wetland in the East End of Grand Cayman, held by the National Trust as habitat rather than as a visitor site. Native hardwoods, silver thatch palm and a seasonal pond are the substance of it. West Indian whistling ducks and the island's endemic birds use the ground, and the vegetation here is close to what covered the island before clearing.

What you actually see

• The dry forest - native hardwood close to the island's original cover.
• The silver thatch - the endemic palm through the understorey.
• The seasonal pond - the wetland at the centre of the reserve.
• The birds - whistling ducks and the island's endemic species.

When to go

December to April is the dry high season and the tracks are usable. Bird activity is best early. Mosquitoes are severe after rain.

Honest expectations

This is habitat protection rather than a park; there are no marked trails or facilities. Access is rough and a guide through the Trust is worth arranging. Mosquitoes can be genuinely severe.

Nearby

East End Lighthouse Park is east, and the Salina Reserve is north.