Travelers Information

Below are a some important tips to remember BEFORE you travel abroad.

Get a good guidebook and get to know your destination.

Ensure you have a valid passport and necessary visas.

Check what vaccinations you need at least 6 weeks before you go.

Make copies of your passport, insurance policy & 24-hour emergency number

Leave a copy of your passport, insurance policy and ticket details with family and friends

Take enough money for your trip and some back-up funds e.g. travelers cheques

Leave a copy of your itinerary and a way of contacting you, with family and friends.

Make sure your passport is valid for a minimum of six months at return date.

Write the full details of your next of kin in your passport.

Take another form of ID with you (preferably with a photograph).

Plan to stay healthy.

Check if your medication is legal in the country you are visiting.

Pack your medication in your hand luggage.

If taking medication with you, also take the prescription and a GP's letter.

Make sure you know about local laws especially relating to alcohol and drugs.

Make sure you know about local culture especially relating to dress codes.

Take a phrase book that you can use in emergencies.

Check the validity, expiry dates and cash available on your credit or debit card(s).

The first thing you should do if anything goes wrong is to contact your relatives and friends at home. They can then take appropriate action within the United States. The same advice should be taken if a natural disaster occurs during your visit to a foreign country.

In most cases people only need advice. But in cases of real difficulty such as death, serious accidents and illnesses, arrests and detentions, or those at risk of physical harm, the Consultant will take action.

"Informational Links" for our US guests...

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Tranquility - Island House #6 -51 Sand Pointe Road
Barefoot Lagoon - Island House #11 -31 Sand Point Road
Toto Kai - Island House #13 -19 Sand Pointe Road
Kai Time - Island House #14 - 40 Water Cay Road
Kai Kotch - Island House #17 50 Water Cay Road
-What you can bring into the Cayman Island-
"Informational Links" for our UK guests...
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"Informational Links" for our Canadian Guests...
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What to Wear [Weather]

Dress is more restrictive than other islands and more elegant. Neat, casual and comfortable tropical attire are appropriate throughout the Cayman Islands. Dress is casual and public nudity, including topless sunbathing, is strictly prohibited. A beach cover-up shirt, or dress is required when you leave the beach. Pack smart, casual tropical resort wear for evenings out at restaurants, "Sunday dress" attire for attending church services, and plenty of swimsuits. Although it is the tropics, occasionally it can become cool at night. Packing a warm shirt is a good idea. For nighttime dining, casual elegance - something more than T-shirt and shorts - are preferred.

The Cayman Islands remains on Eastern Standard Time year-round and does not change to Daylight Savings Time in April.

Currency

The Cayman Islands has its own currency, whose basic unit is the dollar. The CI dollar has a fixed exchange rate with the US dollar. There is no need for visitors to exchange their US dollars into local currency. The US dollar is accepted throughout the islands. The local currency, the Cayman Islands dollar, is equivalent to US $1.25. American currency is generally accepted as are major credit cards. Banking hours are 9 am to 2:30 pm Monday through Thursday, and 9 am to 1 pm, and 2 pm to 4:30 pm on Friday. The departure tax when leaving Cayman is US $12.50.

The Cayman Islands use the same electrical standards as the USA - 110volts, 60Hz. Most of our electronics and appliances are imported from the USA, and any travel items such as camcorders, blow-dryers, electric razors and travel clocks will work.

A mandatory Government room tax of 10% is standard and will be added to your room charge. A departure tax of CI$10.00 or US$12.50 per person is also payable at the airport if not included in your ticket.

The legal age for drinking alcoholic beverages on the Cayman Islands is 18 years. A licensee may lose his license or be fined for serving alcoholic beverages to any under-age person.

Many restaurants will automatically add a charge of 15% to your total food and drink bill. In this case tipping is not required, and you should check your bill before leaving extra. Your food and beverage server receives only a portion of the gratuity, and you may tip extra at your discretion.

The piped water in the Cayman Islands is completely safe to cook with or drink. All hotels and condos and most restaurants and private homes are connected to the city water supply. The water is originally pumped from the sea and then purified by reverse osmosis.

The Cayman Islands is served by 4 FM radio stations offering a mix of local and international music and programming via Radio Cayman 105.3 & 89.9; Z-99 99.9; ICCI 101.1. There are two free "over-the-air" local television stations: CITN Cayman 27 (also on cable channel 12) and CITS Island 24 (cable channel 9). Cayman 27 offers 24 hours of international and local programming, while Island 24 is a 24-hour tourist information channel. There is also Cable TV (35 channels including ABC, NBC, CBS, PBS, FOX, ESPN) which is available at most hotels, condos and other rental accommodations, and is in wide use in private residences. CITN also broadcasts the Pirate Landing Pageant and Float Parade live the first Saturday of the Festival, and in a later re-broadcast.

The public transportation option in Grand Cayman is a public bus system which is considered efficient and inexpensive by most travelers. The bus has only been operating for less than ten years, reflecting the recent growth of the area. There is a bus terminal located in downtown George Town from which all of the busses start their journeys.

The Grand Cayman bus starts operating every morning at six and runs until anywhere from nine at night until midnight depending on the route and the day. Hours are shorter Sunday through Thursday and longer on weekends. Busses run frequently; anywhere from every fifteen minutes to every hour on the hour, depending on the route.

Visitors coming to Grand Cayman from major cities are forewarned that these busses are not like big city busses. In fact, in terms of the vehicles themselves, they are actually more like shuttle busses or large vans than they are like city busses. However, visitors should not be deterred by this small town style of transportation. The busses operate just like standard city busses and the drivers are usually friendlier than big city bus drivers.

In October 1998, Grand Cayman launched its first ever-official public bus transportation system. The new bus terminal is located adjacent the Public Library on Edward St. in downtown George Town and serves as the dispatch point for buses to all districts. There are 38 mini-buses operated by 24 licensed operators, serving eight routes. Daily service starts at 6 a.m. from the depot and the schedule is as follows from George Town to:

West Bay - every 15 minutes, 6 a.m. - 11 p.m., Sunday - Thursday; 6 a.m. - midnight, Fri. & Sat. Fare is CI$1.50 each way.

Bodden Town - Every 30 minutes, 6 a.m. - 11 p.m., Sunday- Thurs.; 6 a.m. - midnight, Fri. & Sat. Fare is CI$1.50 each way.

East End and North Side - Every hour, 6 a.m. - 9 p.m., Sunday - Thurs. and Saturday. On Friday, buses will operate until after Midnight. Fare: CI$2 each way.

The new system uses colour - coded logos located on the front and rear of buses to identify routes as follows: Route 1 (yellow) and Route 2 (lime green) cover George Town to West Bay; Route 3 (blue) provides service between the depot in George Town and Bodden Town. Route 4 (purple) operates between the depot and East End. Route 5 (red) goes from the depot to East End and North Side. Route 6 (dark green) operates from North Side to West Bay. Route 7 (dark green with white numbers) is an inter-district service for George Town. Route 8 (orange) runs from the depot to Hutland in North Side. Licensed buses are identified by blue licence plates. To maintain consistency in fares, each bus must display a fare table outlining standard government-authorized fares. The hotline number for public comment and feedback is 945-5100.

They provide transportation to and from the airport in air-conditioned limo buses, primarily to North Side and East End. They have 17 years of experience, and allow grocery and liquor store stops. They prices are 15% less than the competition. Car rentals available at very competitive prices. Phone: 345-947-9626, Fax: 345-947-9626

Upon arrival in Grand Cayman taxis are available at Owen Roberts International Airport and offer a fixed rate per vehicle or per person to all points on the Island. This information is available from the taxi dispatcher at the curb. Hotels vans cannot provide courtesy arrival pickup at the airport in Grand Cayman Taxis are readily available from all resorts and from the taxi stand at the cruise ship dock in George Town. A sign with current rates is posted at the dock.

Taxicabs are located in abundance right at the airport and at all major hotels. There is a clearly marked stand once you exit the customs area at Owen Roberts International Airport. Fares are based on a minimum fees of $6.25, plus a per mile rate and also a charge per person to all points on Grand Cayman.

Check with the taxi dispatcher for an accurate fare to your destination based on the number in your party before departure. Hotel vans or car rental agencies cannot provide courtesy arrival pickup at the airport.

There are several private limousine services on Grand Cayman, for special events and airport transfers.

These child companies are licensed, insured and professionally trained to care for your child... so you can rest assured that your children are getting the best care while you enjoy some of the island wonderful fine dining and night life, or to enjoy a day of driving

Baby-sitting, child care, care of the elderly, and equipment rental, for hotel and condo guests, in the comfort of your tourist facility by a trained staff of mothers with previous experience in the field. Call (345) 949-1509, or fax to (345) 949-0213.

Duty Free Shopping
A number of shops offer the world's best perfumes, watches, jewelry, crystal, and china at duty free prices.

Religion & Churches
Cayman is, mainly, a Christian community with churches representing various denominations including the Roman Catholics, Anglicans, Seventh Day Adventists, Presbyterians. Visitors are always welcome at services.

Festivals & Carnivals
The Pirates Week Festival held in October celebrates the island's swashbuckling history and is the largest annual festival. The Batabano Carnival is held in spring and has a more Caribbean flavor with costumed bands taking to the streets to the sound of steel pan music. The Queen's Birthday Parade in June is an event of pomp and underlines Cayman's close ties with the British Crown.

Nightlife
Several nightclubs cater to American and Caribbean musical tastes. There are two comedy clubs, two local theatres that regularly stage dramatic performances, and a cinema that presents current movies.

Pet Regulations
A current official health certificate for your pet plus a completed application form for the importation of dogs and cats to the Cayman Islands are needed to obtain an Import Permit. ResidentDogsAndCats.pdf