GETTING THERE
Arriving by plane
The national airline is called Cayman Airways (KX) (Internet: www.caymanairways.com) and offers flights between Grand Cayman and Miami, Tampa, Houston and Kingston (Jamaica). British Airways (BA) (Internet: www.britishairways.com) offer direct connections from London to Grand Cayman. Lufthansa (LH) (Internet: www.lufthansa.de), Swiss International (LX) (Internet: www.swiss.com) and Austrian Airlines (OS) (Internet: www.aua.com) offer flights to Miami in cooperation with other airlines, from where there are regular connecting flights.
Departure fee
20 CI $ or 25 US $. This does not apply to children under the age of 12 and travelers in transit who continue their flight within 24 hours.
Arrival by ship
The port of Grand Cayman is called by many shipping companies as part of cruises. Passenger ships operate between the Cayman Islands and North America, Mexico and Europe.
Cruises to the Cayman Islands are offered by Carnival Cruise Lines (Internet: www.carnival.com), Celebrity (Internet: www.celebrity.com), Holland America (Internet: www.hollandamerica.com), Norwegian Cruise Line (Internet: www.ncl.com) and Royal Caribbean Cruises (Internet: www.royalcaribbean.com).
The Cayman Islands have the legal authority to limit the number of passengers to 6000 (3-4 ships) per day. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays are particularly busy.
ON THE GO
Traveling by plane
Since there is no ferry service between the Cayman Islands, one is dependent on the national flight connections. Cayman Airways (Internet: www.caymanairways.com) and Island Air (Internet: www.islandair.ky) connect Grand Cayman with Cayman Brac and Little Cayman as well as Cayman Brac and Little Cayman several times a day.
Flight times
Grand Cayman – Little Cayman: 45 minutes; Grand Cayman – Cayman Brac: 40 min; Cayman Brac – Little Cayman: 15 min.
On the way by car / bus
A good road network connects the coastal cities of the respective island. An inexpensive but irregular regular bus service runs between George Town and all regions on a total of 8 routes. Buses to West Bay run every 15 minutes, to Bodden Town every 30 minutes and to East End / North Side every hour. The fare is between 1.50 and CI $ 2 for one way. Taxis are readily available everywhere. The taxi price is set per person and route. Rental cars: All known rental car companies are represented in George Town. There is compulsory insurance. Fully comprehensive insurance can be arranged with the rental car company. Bicycles, mopeds and motorbikes can also be rented. Helmets are compulsory. Documents:On presentation of the national driver’s license, an international or tourist driving license (Visitor’s Driving Permit) is issued for a fee of US $ 5.20. Minimum age: 21 years.
Traffic regulations:
left-hand traffic.
Be careful with buses: the doors open to the side of the road.
MONEY
Currency
1 Cayman dollar = 100 cents. Currency abbreviation: CI $, KYD (ISO code). Banknotes are available in denominations of 100, 50, 25, 10, 5 and 1 CI $; Coins valued at 25, 10, 5 and 1 cents. The KYD is pegged to the US dollar. US dollar bills are an accepted method of payment. According to transporthint, Cayman Islands is a country in Central America.
Credit cards
All major credit cards (with the exception of the DiscoverCard) are accepted. There are seven banks on Grand Cayman that offer all kinds of services (ATMs, withdrawals, etc.). Details from the issuer of the credit card in question.
ATMs
ec / Maestro card / Sparcard
cards with the Cirrus or Maestro symbol are accepted throughout Europe and worldwide. Cards with the Cirrus or Maestro symbols are accepted in some ATMs in the Cayman Islands, but not in stores. Further information from banks and credit institutes.
Attention: Travelers who pay abroad with their bank customer card and want to withdraw money should find out about the possibilities of using their card from their bank before starting their journey.
Bank opening times
Mon-Thu 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Fri 9 a.m.-4.30 p.m. some banks are also open on Saturday mornings.
Foreign exchange regulations
No restrictions on imports (obligation to declare from the equivalent of 15,000CI $) and export of national or foreign currencies. However, imports of Jamaican dollars are limited to J $ 20 per person.
Currency Exchange
US dollars are the easiest to convert, although Canadian dollars and British pounds sterling are widely accepted. The US dollar can also be used as a means of payment on the islands. The customer usually receives change in Cayman dollars. There are ATMs at the Cayman National Bank and other banks, as well as at Owen Roberts International Airport, from which cash in the local currency can be withdrawn with major credit cards or cards with Cirrus and Maestro symbols.
LANGUAGE
Overview
English is the official language. Jamaican patois is also widespread, as is Spanish, especially the regional dialects of Cuba and Central America.
PUBLIC HOLIDAYS
DUTY-FREE SHOPPING
Overview
The following items can be imported into the Cayman Islands duty-free (people over 18 years of age):
200 cigarettes or 250 grams of tobacco;
1 liter of spirits or 4 liters of wine or up to 8 liters of beer.
Prohibited imports
Counterfeit money, gambling accessories, drugs of all kinds and accessories, weapons, plants and parts of plants, fresh fruit and vegetables and round meat may not be imported.
Prohibited exports
Lobster, clams and clam meat.
ECONOMY
Business etiquette
You shouldn’t be too casual when you go on business. Business cards are common, and letters of recommendation are also occasionally used. Appointments with politicians and government officials are relatively easy to make. Officials are not allowed to accept gifts. Even in the private sector, gifts of money or valuable gifts are not welcomed.
Business hours: Mon-Fri 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Economy
Cayman Islands Chamber of Commerce (Chamber of Commerce)
PO Box 1000, George Town, Grand Cayman
Tel: 949 80 90
Internet: www.caymanchamber.ky
Business contacts
Cayman Islands Chamber of Commerce (Chamber of Commerce)
PO Box 1000, George Town, Grand Cayman
Tel: 949 80 90
Internet: www.caymanchamber.ky