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A diver explores the cracks, crevices and holes in a coral reef on the island of Grand Cayman

A diver explores the cracks, crevices and holes in a coral reef on the island of Grand Cayman

Wall to Wall Excitement and Variety

This is the birthplace of the wall dive. It started when scuba pioneers returned from the Cayman Islands with tales of sheer underwater cliffs that plummeted to unseen depths. Generations of underwater enthusiasts have since made these three islands the leading diving destination in the Caribbean. And there's something for all interests and abilities, from introductory immersions on shallow reefs to extended-range explorations that push the boundaries of recreational diving. Choose an intimate dive lodge on the quiet Sister Islands or indulge at an upscale resort in the heart of Grand Cayman's famous Seven Mile Beach. Swap stories with dive masters at the local pub or dine in five-star opulence. Whatever your style, the Cayman Islands can accommodate.

Scuba Diving has announced their Annual Reader's Choice Awards and the Cayman Islands won more awards than any other destination in the Caribbean! They came in first place in these categories:

  1. Photography
  2. Visibility
  3. Technical Diving

Highlights

  • Best for: Any activity from discover scuba to technical deep diving
  • Best season to visit: Year round, with eastern Grand Cayman sites best in summer
  • Weather: Mid 70s in winter to high 80s in summer. The rainy season runs from May to October, but precipitation does not affect diving conditions

Things to Do

The Cayman Islands Information

About Diving in the Cayman Islands

Though most famous for walls, the underwater landscapes of The Cayman Islands also feature more gradual slopes, spur-and-groove coral formations and shallow sites, along with several noteworthy wrecks. Diving takes place on all sides of each island. Sites to the west of Grand Cayman offer the calmest waters and close proximity to the majority of dive resorts, but boats visit all sides of the island, and divers are served by the most extensive scuba infrastructure in the Caribbean. Water temperatures remain in the low to mid 80s.

Diving in the Cayman Islands Tips

Brush up on your computer and multi-level diving skills for maximum enjoyment and more bottom time on wall dives. Search out the little critters but also keep an eye on the blue water for chance encounters with passing pelagics. Advanced open water credentials are suggested if you want to tour the lower decks of the USS Kittiwake.

Best Places to Dive in the Cayman Islands

The Kittiwake, a former US submarine rescue ship, has become Grand Cayman's signature wreck, but there are several smaller wrecks also worth a dive. Stingray City, just because. Devil's Grotto and Snapper Hole for the tarpon and swarming silversides. Ghost Mountain pinnacle for dramatic views and abundant marine life. North Wall sites such as Babylon require a longer boat ride but reward with dramatic topographies. If visiting the Sister Islands, Bloody Bay Wall is a must-do, and the Tibbetts wreck provides a rare opportunity to dive on a former Russian warship.

What to Pack for Diving in the Cayman Islands

To reduce clutter on dive boat decks, use a mesh day bag for dive gear. Grand Cayman offers a number of good shore diving sites on the west coast, providing additional opportunities for immersion following morning boat dives.

Specials

Dive

Cayman Islands

Cayman Brac Beach Resort

CAYMAN BRAC FREE 21 DRINK PACKAGE - CAYMAN ESCAPE PACKAGE includes 7 nights’ accommodations, 6 days of 2-tank morning boat dives, complimentary use of dive computer, welcome rum punch, breakfast, and dinner daily, manager's cocktail reception, free WiFi, roundtrip airport transfers, hotel tax and service charges. Saturday arrivals only.


Select Departures Only: May 11-18, 2024 | May 18-25, 2024 | June 29-July 6, 2024 | August 10-17, 2024 | August 17-24, 2024 |August 24-31, 2024 | August 31-September 7, 2024

Additional room categories and other dates also available! Book on-line or Contact Caradonna Adventures at 800.328.2288 or email us sales@caradonna.com.
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From $2,495 per person double diver

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Cayman Islands

Little Cayman Beach Resort

LITTLE CAYMAN FREE 21 DRINK PACKAGE - CAYMAN ESCAPE PACKAGE includes 7 nights Pool View Room accommodations, 6 days of 2-tank morning boat dives, complimentary use of dive computer, welcome rum punch, breakfast, and dinner daily, manager's cocktail reception, free WiFi, roundtrip airport transfers, hotel tax and service charges. Saturday arrivals only.

Select Departures Only: April 13-20, 2024 | May 18-25, 2024 | May 25-June 1, 2024 | August 17-24, 2024 | August 24-31, 2024 | September 7-14, 2024 | September 14-21, 2024

Additional room categories and other dates also available! Book on-line or Contact Caradonna Adventures at 800.328.2288 or email us sales@caradonna.com.
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From $2,795 per person double dive

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Cayman Islands

Compass Point Dive Resort

EAST END GRAND CAYMAN SCUBA DIVE DEAL-RELAX-UNWIND-ESCAPE!

Hidden in the sleepy village of East End, Grand Cayman, you will find a dedicated dive resort with the convenience of a private jetty, dive center and access to world class Caribbean reefs!

5 Night Package includes 1 Bedroom Oceanfront or Poolside Deluxe accommodations, 4 days of 2-tank boat dives with Ocean Frontiers, breakfast daily, car rental for length of stay, free WiFi, hotel taxes, and service charges.

Valid 8/19/24-11/3/24. Rates from $1,120 per person/dble diver.
Valid through 8/18/24 & 11/4/24-12/30/24. Rates from $1460 per person/dble diver.

Additional room categories and other dates also available! Book on-line or Contact Caradonna Adventures at 800.328.2288 or email us sales@caradonna.com.
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Rates from $1,120 per person, double diver

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Sunshine Suites Resort

SEVEN MILE BEACH GRAND CAYMAN SCUBA DIVE PACKAGE includes 5 nights Studio Suite accommodations, 3 days 2-tank boat diving with Red Sail Sports, roundtrip airport transfers, hotel tax and service charges.
Includes benefits at sister property located on Seven Mile Beach: charging privileges, use of beach, chairs, umbrellas, towels, concierge, pool treats, fitness center, workout studio, sauna, hot tub/steam room (based on avail at Hibiscus Spa), live music, weekly activities (soccer, corn hole, nature scavenger hunt, beach ball rally, water balloon toss, water drop relay, bocce ball tourney, trivia night, sand sculpture competition).

Valid 8/18/24-10/31/24. Rates from $1,038 per person/double diver.

Additional room categories and other dates also available! Book on-line or Contact Caradonna Adventures at 800.328.2288 or email us sales@caradonna.com.
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From $1,038 per person double diver

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Westin Grand Cayman Seven Mile Beach Resort and Spa

SEVEN MILE BEACH GRAND CAYMAN SCUBA DIVE PACKAGE includes 5 nights Island View accommodations, 3 days of 2-tank boat dives with Red Sail Sports, roundtrip airport transfers, hotel tax and service charges.

Island View from $1,641 per person/dble diver. Valid 8/18/24-10/31/24.
Partial Ocean View from $1,750 per person/dble diver. Valid 8/18/24-10/31/24.
Ocean/Pool View from $1,858 per person/dble diver. Valid 8/18/24-10/31/24.

Additional room categories and other dates also available! Book on-line or Contact Caradonna Adventures at 800.328.2288 or email us sales@caradonna.com.
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From $1,641 per person double diver

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Little Cayman Beach Resort

LITTLE CAYMAN - CAREFREE CAYMAN AUGUST & SEPTEMBER BEST VALUE PACKAGES include 7 nights choice of accommodations, 6 days of 2-tank morning boat dives, complimentary use of dive computer with Reef Divers Valet Diving, welcome rum punch, breakfast, and dinner daily, manager's cocktail reception, free WiFi, roundtrip airport transfers, hotel tax and service charges. Saturday arrivals only.
Upgrade to Ocean Front room category available in shopping cart.

Rates from $2,395 per person/double diver 8/3/24-9/28/24.
Rates from $2,495 per person/double diver 8/2/25-9/26/25.

Book on-line or Contact Caradonna Adventures at 800.328.2288 or email us sales@caradonna.com.
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From $2,395 per person double diver

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Cayman Islands

Cayman Brac Beach Resort

CAYMAN BRAC - AUGUST-SEPTEMBER DIVE PACKAGE includes 7 nights Beach View accommodations, 6 days of 2-tank morning boat dives with Reef Divers, complimentary use of dive computer, welcome rum punch, breakfast, and dinner daily, manager's cocktail reception, free WiFi, roundtrip airport transfers, hotel tax and service charges. Saturday arrivals only.

Rates from $2,095 per person/double diver 8/3/24-9/28/24.
Rates from $2,195 per person/double diver 8/2/25-9/26/25.

Book on-line or Contact Caradonna Adventures at 800.328.2288 or email us sales@caradonna.com.
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From $2,095 per person double diver

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Sunset House

GRAND CAYMAN - SUMMER SPECIAL DIVE PACKAGE includes 7-night Courtyard accommodations, 6 days of 2-tank boat dives, unlimited shore diving, welcome drink and gift, breakfast daily, roundtrip airport transfers, hotel tax, and service charges.
Ocean View, Suite and Apartment Room upgrades and additional Diving Options available.

Valid 4/27/24-12/14/24.

Contact Caradonna Adventures at 800.328.2288 for Information/reservations.
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From $2,109 per person double diver

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Cayman Islands

Compass Point Dive Resort

EAST END GRAND CAYMAN 7 NIGHT SCUBA DIVE DEAL includes 1 Bedroom Oceanfront or Poolside Deluxe accommodations, 6 days of 2-tank boat dives with Ocean Frontiers, breakfast daily, car rental for length of stay, free WiFi, hotel taxes, and service charges.

Valid 8/19/24-11/3/24. Rates from $1,605 per person/dble diver.
Valid 1/1/24-8/18/24 & 11/4/24-12/30/24. Rates from $1990 per person/dble diver.

Additional room categories and other dates also available! Book on-line or Contact Caradonna Adventures at 800.328.2288 or email us sales@caradonna.com.
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From $1,605 per person double diver

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Packages

Dive

Cayman Islands

Cayman Brac Beach Resort

CAYMAN BRAC - CAYMAN ESCAPE PACKAGE includes 7 nights’ accommodations, 6 days of 2-tank morning boat dives, complimentary use of dive computer, welcome rum punch, breakfast, and dinner daily, manager's cocktail reception, free WiFi, roundtrip airport transfers, hotel tax and service charges. Saturday arrivals only.

Book on-line or Contact Caradonna Adventures at 800.328.2288 or email us sales@caradonna.com.
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Cayman Islands

Little Cayman Beach Resort

LITTLE CAYMAN - CLASSIC CAYMAN PACKAGE includes 7 nights choice of accommodations, 6 days of 2-tank morning boat dives, 5 days of 1-tank afternoon boat dives, complimentary use of dive computer, welcome rum punch, breakfast, lunch and dinner daily including 3 drinks nightly (house beer or wine, well drinks or soft drinks), manager's cocktail reception, free WiFi, roundtrip airport transfers, hotel tax and service charges. Saturday arrivals only.
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Cayman Islands

Cayman Brac Beach Resort

CAYMAN BRAC - CLASSIC CAYMAN PACKAGE includes 7 night’s choice of accommodations, 6 days of 2-tank morning boat dives, 5 days of 1-tank afternoon boat dives, complimentary use of dive computer, welcome rum punch, breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily including 3 drinks nightly (house beer or wine, well drinks or soft drinks), manager's cocktail reception, free WiFi, roundtrip airport transfers, hotel tax and service charges. Saturday arrivals only.

Book on-line or Contact Caradonna Adventures at 800.328.2288 or email us sales@caradonna.com.
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Cayman Islands

Compass Point Dive Resort

EAST END GRAND CAYMAN 5 NIGHT SCUBA DIVE PACKAGE including choice of 1 or 2 -bedroom accommodations, 4 days of 2-tank boat dives with Ocean Frontiers Diving Adventures, breakfast daily, car rental for length of stay, hotel tax, and service charges. Additional nights available.

Book on-line or Contact Caradonna Adventures at 800.328.2288 or email us sales@caradonna.com.
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Cayman Islands

Sunset House

GEORGE TOWN - 7-NIGHT DIVE PACKAGE includes your choice of Courtyard View, Ocean View, Suite or Apartment accommodations, daily 2-tank boat dives, unlimited shore diving, roundtrip airport transfers, welcome drink, daily breakfast, fees, taxes and service charges.

Contact Caradonna Adventures at 800.328.2288 for additional Information.
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Cayman Islands

Little Cayman Beach Resort

LITTLE CAYMAN - CAYMAN ESCAPE PACKAGE includes 7 nights choice of accommodations, 6 days of 2-tank morning boat dives, complimentary use of dive computer, welcome rum punch, breakfast and dinner daily, manager's cocktail reception, free WiFi, roundtrip airport transfers, hotel tax and service charges. Saturday arrivals only.
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Cayman Islands

Compass Point Dive Resort

EAST END GRAND CAYMAN 7-NIGHT PACKAGES including choice of 1 or 2 -bedroom accommodations, 6 days of 2-tank boat dives with Ocean Frontiers, breakfast daily, car rental for length of stay, hotel tax, and service charges.

Additional room categories and other dates also available! Book on-line or Contact Caradonna Adventures at 800.328.2288 or email us sales@caradonna.com.
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Resorts

Dive

Cayman Islands

Cayman Brac Beach Resort

CAYMAN BRAC - Cayman Brac Beach Resort is a small but modern two-story, oceanfront dive resort. The expansive grounds include al fresco bar with rooftop deck for watching sunsets, freeform pool, beach volleyball court, and plenty of room for individuals, couples, families, and dive groups to find personal space or enjoy being with friends. Chef-prepared buffet meals can also accommodate special dietary needs. Their Reef Divers dive shop is on property and close to all the rooms. Wonderful dive sites are short boat rides away and include diver favorite Tibbetts wreck plus incredible walls, canyons, and reefs with varied and abundant marine life. And weather permitting, guests will get to dive one morning in the nearby, world-famous Bloody Bay Marine Park off Little Cayman. Cayman Brac Beach Resort accepts Saturday arrivals and Saturday departures.
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Cayman Islands

Westin Grand Cayman Seven Mile Beach Resort and Spa

SEVEN MILE BEACH - The Westin Grand Cayman Seven Mile Beach Resort & Spa offers 343 luxuriously appointed guest rooms amid lush tropical gardens with waterfalls and fountains, freshwater pools, whirlpools, restaurants with indoor and outdoor seating, lounges, 24-hour room service, swim-up pool bar, fitness center and luxury spa. Red Sail Sports is located onsite offering diving services.

Book on-line or Contact Caradonna Adventures at 800.328.2288 or email us sales@caradonna.com.
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Little Cayman Beach Resort

LITTLE CAYMAN - You don’t have to go around the world to experience the quaint charm, intimate warmth, personalized, friendly services and world’s best diving you’ll find at Little Cayman Beach Resort. Everything you need for the perfect dive vacation is steps away from your pool view or oceanfront room – onsite Reef Divers dive shop, boat dock, and underwater photo center; pool with jetted hot tub, al fresco bar, new indoor/outdoor dining room with chef-prepared buffet meals, spa, and much more. Famous Bloody Bay Wall and numerous other dive sites with lush coral and abundant marine life are short boat rides away. And weather permitting, guests will get to dive one morning on the fabulous MV Captain Keith Tibbetts wreck and another great site off nearby Cayman Brac. Little Cayman Beach Resort accepts Saturday arrivals and Saturday departures.
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Cayman Stingrays
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Cayman Islands

Sunshine Suites Resort

SEVEN MILE BEACH - Retreat to the all-suite boutique hotel offering affordable lodging with full kitchens. A short walk from the sparkling ocean waters, and white sand of Grand Caymans famous Seven Mile Beach. Enjoy the convenience of this prime location, freshwater pool with sundeck, dive storage lockers and rinse tanks. Near the 18-hole North Sound Golf Course, and dozens of shops and restaurants. High end accommodations, excellent guest services, plus enjoy a host of amenities at neighboring sister property on Seven Mile Beach. Whether your visit is for business or pleasure, a warm and friendly team awaits you.

Book on-line or Contact Caradonna Adventures at 800.328.2288 or email us sales@caradonna.com.
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Cayman Islands

Sunset House

GEORGE TOWN - With tropical colonial furniture and Wi-Fi access throughout the beautiful landscaped property, Sunset House is located on the water’s edge with excellent diving right offshore. Sunset Divers, the onsite dive operation, offers an exciting, professional, customer service-oriented staff.

Book on-line or Contact Caradonna Adventures at 800.328.2288 or email us sales@caradonna.com.
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Cayman Islands

Compass Point Dive Resort

EAST END Experience Grand Cayman’s tranquil East End from this beautiful oceanfront resort offering one-, two- and three-bedroom condominiums with private patio or balcony. The resort also offers 2 freshwater swimming pools, a hot tub, BBQ pits, bikes, and kayaks for guest use on a complimentary basis. Eagle Ray’s Dive Bar & Grill is located onsite and is open for lunch and dinner daily. PADI 5-Star dive operation Ocean Frontiers is located on site.

Book on-line or Contact Caradonna Adventures at 800.328.2288 or email us sales@caradonna.com.
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Liveaboards

Dive

Cayman Islands

Cayman Aggressor IV

LIVEABOARD The Cayman Aggressor IV is a state-of-the-art liveaboard dive yacht that sets a new benchmark for the industry. Launched in the summer of 2018, this 120-foot vessel offers ten private cabins with en-suite bathrooms, including two premier balcony suites located on the main deck. The yachts four-deck layout allows for an extra-large dive station and climate-controlled lounge on the main deck, an upper deck devoted entirely to the dining salon and the covered aft lounge, and a top sun deck with hot tub, bbq and bar areas. Guests enjoying chef-prepared meals and snacks, and local beer and wine after the day's diving. Over the course of its seven and ten-day itineraries, the Cayman Aggressor V visits sites on all three islands includes the Russian Destroyer in Cayman Brac, Bloody Bay Wall in Little Cayman, and Stingray City, North Wall, South Wall, Kittiwake and Doc Polson wrecks in Grand Cayman.
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Call 800.328.2288 for Special Pricing and Information.

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Diving in The Cayman Islands

It would be impossible to see all the underwater attractions of The Cayman Islands on a single visit. Dive sites ring all sides of Grand Cayman, and the Sister islands of Little Cayman and Cayman Brac, providing a total of at least 365 named sites. You could literally dive a different site every day for a year. The best way to make sense of this plethora of underwater opportunities is to understand what each coastline has to offer. On Grand Cayman, the western shore is protected from trade winds and easterly swells. The shores of Seven Mile Beach drop gradually to a sandy plateau dotted with coral heads. This calm mid range is home to a number of diveable shipwrecks, including the fully-intact USS Kittiwake. a 250-foot submarine support vessel put down in 2009. Other wrecks sit in depths from 20 to 70 feet, and in varying degrees of decomposition. These include the Oro Verde. Balboa, Cali and Doc Polson. Offshore of the shelf, walls begin at depths of 70 to 60 feet and drop to more than a mile. The island's southwestern corner offers a rocky coast with some of the island's best shore diving, with grottoes and swim throughs that attract tarpon and swarms of baitfish. The island's north shore is known for steep walls and vertical canyons, while the south and east coast start with spur-and-groove formations that drop more gradually toward the outer walls, which begin at greater depths. Sand-bottom canyons cut between these formations, which sometimes rise to create vertical ramparts that project outward from the reef line. On the north shore of Little Cayman, walls start at depths as shallow as 20 feet along Bloody Bay Wall, while the south side provides more extensive coral shallows and spur-and-groove formations that lead to a deeper drop. Cayman Brac offers north-side walls similar to Grand Cayman, and shallow to mid-range reefs to the south, which is also the site of the Captain Tibbetts, a former Russian frigate put down as an artificial reef in 1996. A majority of dive operations on Grand Cayman are located on the island's western end, or in the expansive lagoon known as North Sound. Depending on the site, boat trips typically last from 15 to 45 minutes. East end operators provide easier access to sites along the windward coast, while dive operations on both Cayman Brac and Little Cayman are located on the southern coast, and make daily trips to north-shore sites. Extended range diving is a growing subset of the Cayman diving scene, and those with appropriate training and equipment can visit deeper sites down to the island's sponge belt at 200-plus feet.

Passport and/or Visa Requirements

A valid passport is required for entry with one available page for entry stamps. No Visas are required for U.S. and Canadian citizens. Check the entry and exit requirements here.

Immunizations

Vaccinations are not required for entering the Cayman Islands if you're coming from the U.S., Britain, or Canada. Please check with your doctor or visit the Center for Disease Control's website here for more information.

 

Culture and Customs

For almost as long as it has been a mecca for divers, Grand Cayman island has also served as an international hub of finance and banking. This has provided the island with one of the highest standards of living in the region. Upscale shops, galleries and modern office buildings line the streets of downtown George Town, while West Bay Road is lined by high-end beachfront resorts and the gateway facades of new residential developments. But these islands aren't just for the international elite. Not far from five-star dining, one can purchase a meal of jerk chicken and peas'n rice from a beachside shanty, or savor a cold draft and a game of dominoes with a crew of fishermen and dive masters. At trip to the island's eastern shore, or the palm-fringed shores of Rum Point is like stepping back in time, while a flight to the Sister Islands is a different world entirely. Social climbing on Cayman Brac means inviting someone to join you for a walk up the Bluff Road for panoramic island views from Deadman's Point. On even quieter Little Cayman, nightlife might involve a tumbler full of rum and a beachside hammock under the stars.

Electricity, Phone and Internet Access

Electrical current is 110 volts AC, 60Hz. American-style two-pin plugs are standard and adapters aren't needed for U.S. and Canadian appliances.

Phone service is provided by Cable & Wireless. Check with your provider to see what rates apply or you will be subject to roaming charges.

There are many public WiFi hot spots on Grand Cayman and most hotels offer WiFi.

Water Quality

Cayman water supplies piped water to the Seven Mile Beach and West Bay areas of Grand Cayman and is safe to drink by World Health Organization (WHO) standards. Cayman Brac supplies desalinated salt water and Little Cayman has its own water system. If you are unsure of the water quality, bottled water is also available for purchase.

Language & Currency

English is the official language. The local currency, is the Caymanian dollar, but the U.S. Dollar is used interchangeably. Credit cards are widely accepted. The Cayman Dollar is represented as CI and offers denominations o f $100, $50, $25, $10, $5, $1 and coins of 25 cents, 10 cents, 5 cents and 1 cent. Check the current exchange rate here.

Time

The Cayman Islands are on Eastern Standard Time (EST) and do not observe Daylight Savings Time. The Caymans are 5 hours behind Greenwich Mean Time (-5 GMT).

Location, Size and Population

The Cayman Islands are comprised of 3 islands and are a British Overseas Territory located in the Western Caribbean. They are located South of Cuba and Northwest of Jamaica. Grand Cayman, the largest of the three Cayman Islands, lies in the far Western Caribbean, 480 miles south of Miami and occupies 76 square miles. The sister islands of Cayman Brac (14 square miles) and Little Cayman (10 square miles) are 89 miles to the northeast of Grand Cayman. Grand Cayman is approximately 22 miles long and 8 miles at its widest point. Cayman Brac is 12 miles long and just over a mile wide and has the most dramatic topography of the trio. Little Cayman, only 10 miles long and a mile wide, is flat, reaching a maximum elevation of 40 ft. The three islands are limestone outcroppings, the tops of a submarine mountain range called the Cayman Ridge, which extends west southwest for the Sierra Maestra range off the southeast part of Cuba to the Misteriosa Bank near Belize. The population of the Cayman Islands is 60,764 (2016).

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