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Cayman Islands Practical information Cayman Islands

 
 
Area : 100  sq.mi - Population 32000 hab.
Cayman Islands

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Practical information Cayman Islands

superficie

Area

100  sq.mi
vol

Flights

Allow 12 hrs 15 mins, including a connection. George Town is 4,8O8 mi from London.
decallage horaire

Jet Lag

population

Population

32000 hab.
aeroports proche

Airports

Owen Roberts airport in Grand Cayman is located less than 2 miles away from George Town. There are no buses or shuttles other than the ones provided by hotels. By taxi, expect a fare of about 5 pounds to get to the centre of town. On Cayman Brac Island, the airport is located 5 miles away from the city and in Little Cayman, Edward Bodden Airfield airport, west of South Town. There are no taxi services on either of these islands, but a car rental counter is set up, and hotels come and pick up their customers.
More than 70% of visitors arrive by boat (by cruise boat for the most part). Cruisers stop off the coast of George Town on Grand Cayman and in Creek on Cayman Brac.
securite

Security

It is a secure and pleasant archipelago for tourists.
langue

Languages

The official language is English. A small minority of people speak Spanish.
formalites

Requirements

For European citizens, only a valid passport is requested. However, you can be asked to show proof of a return ticket. A tax of $25 per person has to be paid upon departure.
religion

Religion

Almost the entire population is Christian, but of different religious persuasions: Presbyterians, Anglicans, Baptists, Roman Catholics and other Protestant beliefs.
monnaie

Currency

The currency is the Cayman Islands Dollar (KYD or CI$), the rate of which is fixed against the American Dollar: 1 CI$ = 1.22 USD, or approximately 0.81 Pounds Sterling. Since the archipelago is very popular among American tourists, the US Dollar is accepted in all tourist areas, especially in Grand Cayman. You will only really need local currency for small expenses. Similarly, travellers cheques in USD are easier to exchange then those drawn up in Pounds. Although shops and restaurants accept payment by Visa or Eurocard/MasterCard credit cards, these do not work in all ATM machines. It is also better to have enough cash on you before leaving for Cayman Brac and Little Cayman because you may have to go some way away from your hotel to find an exchange service. Banks are open from 9:00am to 2:30pm from Monday to Thursday and from 9:00am to 4:30pm on Fridays.
transports

Local transportation

The car remains the best way of to travel around the islands. Each of them has a circular road in good condition. When in Grand Cayman, you will not have any trouble finding a taxi, on the two other islands, you will have to opt for a car or motorcycle rental. You will find rental agencies in airports. People drive on the left and you must be 21 or over to rent a car. A local driving license will be issued on the premises in rental agencies, on presentation of your national driving license.
To go from one island to the other, travelling by plane is the only option. From Grand Cayman, the small planes of Island Air travel to the two other islands in a little more than 30 minutes (a distance of about 80 miles). Cayman Airways, which also has flights to the United States, serves Cayman Brac only. From Brac to Little Cayman, it is only a 7-minute flight with Island Air. You can also use the private shuttle-boats that link the two islands in 20 minutes.
sante

Health

No medical treatment is required. Take sunscreen with you as well as mosquito repellent products. Like in all tropical paradises, danger can come from aquatic fauna but also from plant species. Thus, be careful with what you touch. Medical structures are of good quality. Note that there is a decompression room at Georges Town hospital (for diving accidents). Island Air has a repatriation plane for sanitary evacuations towards the United States.
Useful numbers:
Emergency numbers: 911 or 555.
The Chrissie Tomlinson Memorial Hospital (George Town, Grand Cayman): Tel: (345) 949-6066, Fax: (345) 945-1695.
Dental emergency (24h/24): (345) 947-4447.
electricite

Electricity

Voltage of 110 V. Electrical outlets of American type (2 thin pins). Adaptor needed.
frequentation

Flood of tourists

In 1999, the archipelago received 1,43 million visitors
394,000 tourists came by plane, and the rest by boat. This is not surprising, since the archipelago is a port of call for American cruise boats.
taxe

Taxes and tips

Most hotels add a service tax of 5 to 10% of the bill's total. In restaurants, a 15% tip is expected.
telephone

Telephone

To call the Cayman Islands from the UK, dial 00 + 1 + 345 (country code) + the personal number you wish to call.
To call the UK from the Cayman Islands: 00 + 44 + personal number you wish to call without the first 0.