Made up of three separate islands - Grand Cayman, Little Cayman and Cayman Brac - the Cayman Islands are an idyllic destination featuring endless miles of white sand beaches, calm azure waters, welcoming locals, and rich local traditions. Grand Cayman is the most cosmopolitan of the trio, with a host of sophisticated resorts, fine dining options and enticing shops. The island is aptly named Seven Mile Beach is the island’s most manicured and popular coastal stretch, but those who prefer more secluded, rustic beaches should head to the remote shores of East End and Starfish point. Little Cayman is an off-the-beaten track destination perfect for travelers seeking peace and relaxation, while Cayman Brac will appeal to adventure lovers, with fishing, rock climbing, caving and hiking on offer. The Caymans are among the world’s premier diving destinations, with more than 250 dive sites around Grand Cayman alone. Other activities on offer include paddle-boating, kayaking, jet-skiing, snorkeling, swimming, windsurfing, parasailing, water-skiing and boat cruises.
Banking and Currency
Currency
Cayman Islands Dollar (KYD; symbol CI$) = 100 cents. Notes are in denominations of CI$100, 50, 25, 10, 5 and 1. Coins are in denominations of 25, 10, 5 and 1 cents.
The Cayman Islands Dollar is tied to the US Dollar at a fixed rate of CI$1 = US$1.2 although bank charges for currency exchange may result in minor fluctuations. US Dollars circulate freely and are the best currency to exchange.
A maximum amount of Cayman Islands $15,000 can be brought into the Cayman Islands in cash form. As a visitor, there are no restrictions on how much you leave the Cayman Islands with, although if you have substantial amounts of money you may wish to make a disclosure notifying Customs to show all is above board.
Banking
Banking hours: Mon-Thurs 0900-1600, Fri 0900-1630. Some banks are open on Saturday mornings. Hours may be shorter on Little Cayman and Cayman Brac.
Major credit cards are widely accepted. ATMs accepting Visa, MasterCard and cards with Cirrus affiliation are located at banks on Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac. Take care to inform your bank that you will be using your card abroad, before you travel.
ATMs are widespread and most cardholders shouldn’t have too much trouble withdrawing cash. Grand Cayman has the most extensive network of ATMs. Fees for foreign currency transactions may be charged; these vary from bank to bank so ask yours before travelling.
Travellers cheques are commonly accepted. To avoid additional exchange rate charges, travellers are advised to take traveller's cheques in US Dollars.
Travel, Transport and Getting Around
Owen Roberts International Airport is near George Town on Grand Cayman and is the main airport. It's served by a number of international airlines, flying to destinations in the Caribbean, North America, Central America and Europe. Located at the western end of Cayman Brac is the Charles Kirkconnell International Airport. There is also a small grass strip, Edward Bodden Airfield, located on the southwestern coast of Little Cayman. Cayman Airways provides air service between the three islands' airports. Car rentals are readily available. You must be 21 years old to rent a car. Driving is on the left hand side of the road and seatbelt use is mandatory. Visitors must get a temporary driver's license from the police station or car rental agency. This is obtained by showing a valid driving licence from their home country and paying a USD8.00 fee.
Mopeds and scooter rentals are available on Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac. Helmet use is required. Usual daily rate is USD25 for helmet and permit.
There's no ferry service from Grand Cayman to either of the sister islands, but private boat operators will shuttle you between Cayman Brac and Little Cayman for about USD20 (20 minutes).
Food, Drink and Cuisine Advice
From traditional Caymanian seafood to Caribbean, Thai, Italian and New World cuisine, you are sure to find something to suit your taste. The culinary influences of many regions are reflected in Cayman cuisine. Local specialties such as fish, turtle, and conch are delicious and often less expensive as they don't need to be imported. With more than 150 restaurants dining on the Cayman Islands ranges from luxury five-star restaurants to more laid back casual venues. Standards of hygiene in relation to food health and safety on the Islands, are generally high in hotels, restaurants, pubs and nightspots.
The water in the Cayman Islands is, for the most part, safe to drink. If you can determine that you're drinking desalinated water, then it's safe to drink. Just ask. If your hotel relies on rainwater collected in cisterns, it's best to drink only bottled water. Never drink from a river, spring, or stream, regardless of how clean the water might appear.
Climate and Weather
The Cayman Islands have a tropical marine climate, with a wet season of warm, rainy summers (May to October) and a dry season of relatively hot winters (November to April). A major natural hazard is the tropical cyclones that form during the Atlantic hurricane season from June to November.
Clothing and Dress Recommendations
Like other tropical locales, the Cayman Islands remain warm throughout the year, though some months are much hotter and more humid than others. Bring clothes that are cool, light and comfortable. Depending on when you visit, you may want to pack a light sweater for evenings. If your trip is during late spring or summer, you can definitely do without the sweater.As far as clothing goes, you'll likely be spending most of your time in your bathing suit; but you'll want to pack a few cover-ups, shorts, t-shirts, sundresses and tank tops.Grand Cayman is a pretty casual place so sandals will be appropriate for the majority of your activities. A hat, sunglasses and suntan lotion are essential.
Internet Availability
Most hotels provide Wi-Fi access and Wi-Fi hotspots are located around the islands, including Cayman Brac and Owen Roberts airports, a number of post offices, cafés, restaurants and a few retail outlets. Prepaid HotSpot cards are available at C&W business offices and most gas stations and grocery stores.
Electricity and Plug Standards
Electrical sockets (outlets) in the Cayman Islands are very similar to the electrical outlets found in the United States and Canada, and if your appliance has a North American plug, it's possible that you won't need any adapter at all in order to plug in there. However, there are two potentially very important physical differences that may need to be addressed with an adapter: grounding and/or polarization. If your plug has one or both, and the socket doesn't, then the plug may not physically be able to fit into the socket without an adapter.
In the case of a North American appliance plug, grounding is accomplished by the third, round pin beneath and below the two vertical blades on the plug. Polarization is accomplished by the left vertical blade being taller than the right, so that the plug can't be inserted upside down. U.S. and Canadian sockets are required to be both grounded and polarized. But in Central and South America, the Caribbean, Japan and other areas which use U.S. style sockets, grounding and polarization often are not required, and in fact, the majority of sockets in many of these areas do not accept the taller blade and/or the third grounding pin. This will prevent a North American appliance plug from being able to plug into these sockets, if the plug is either grounded or polarized.
Electrical sockets (outlets) in the Cayman Islands usually supply electricity at between 110 and 120 volts AC. If you're plugging in a U.S. or Canadian 120 volt appliance, or an appliance that is compatible with multiple voltages, then an adapter is all you need.
But travel plug adapters do not change the voltage, so the electricity coming through the adapter will still be the same 110-120 volts the socket is supplying. If your appliance is from another part of the world, and it is built only for 220-240 volt electricity, or a Japanese appliance built for 100 volts, then a travel plug adapter by itself won't be sufficient. The voltage will have to be changed from 110-120 volts at the socket, to whatever voltage your appliance requires. This is accomplished with a voltage transformer.
