Country info FAQ
What are the Cayman Islands and where are they located?
The Cayman Islands (also known as the Cayman Islands) consist of three islands – Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman. Grand Cayman is the largest island in the Cayman Islands. The Cayman Islands are officially in independent British Overseas Territory and the Queen is their Head of State. However, they are not traditionally counted among the states of the British Commonwealth.
From a geographical perspective, the Cayman Islands lie directly below Cuba in the Caribbean Sea. From Cuba, 366km separate the Caymans from Jamaica, which lies to the southwest, 500km.
What language is spoken in the Cayman Islands or what is the national language of the Cayman Islands?
The official language of the Cayman Islands is English.
How much time difference does the Cayman Islands have and what time is it now in the Cayman Islands?
The Cayman Islands do not have a time change between summer and winter time.
According to German winter time, the Cayman Islands have -6h time difference from Germany
According to German Summer Time, the Cayman Islands have a -7h time difference from Germany
This means when it is 18:00 in the evening in Germany, it is 12:00 noon in the Cayman Islands (German winter time) or (German summer time) 11:00 in the morning of the same day.
What is the capital of the Cayman Islands?
The capital of the Cayman Islands is George Town and is located on Grand Cayman
What is the currency of the Cayman Islands?
The currency of the Cayman Islands is called the Cayman Islands Dollar(KYD)
What do you call the inhabitants of the Cayman Islands?
The inhabitants of the Cayman Islands are correctly referred to in German as Kaimaner (der Kaimaner, die Kaimanerin). However, this is certainly not a common term and one rather speaks of the Inhabitants of the Cayman Islands. However, when referring to the citizenship of the Caymanians, the correct term isBritish. Although the Cayman Islands have their own passport, this is legitimised by the British government and Cayman Islanders haveBritish citizenship.
Security:
How safe is Grand Cayman?
The Cayman Islands have a safety score of 29 (0 is safe, 100 the most dangerous possible) on the app Geosure. This score is equal to or even slightly better than most German cities.
The Foreign Office does not list the Cayman Islands separately from the UK in its travel warning.
We felt very safe in the Caymans at all times. The only problem that can become dangerous if, like us, you are a backpacker who travels a lot on foot, is the road traffic. On many roads there are no separate pavements and also no street lights at night because people drive most of the way by car. So don’t get run over and take a torch with you when you go for a walk in the evening. But these are luxury problems 😉
Flights and travel
TheCayman Islands have three airports: the Owen Roberts International Airport in George Town on Gran Cayman, the Charles Kirkconnell International Airport on Cayman Brac and the Edward Bodden Airfield on little Cayman. The airports in the Cayman Islands are very well organised, modern and the staff are very friendly.
There are currently no airlines offering direct flights from Germany to the Cayman Islands. So if you fly to Grand Cayman, you will have to change planes at least once. Airlines with which you can get to Grand Cayman with one change are, for example, British Airways, Delta Airlines, Air Canada, United Airlines, American Airlines, JetBlue, Cayman Airways and Westjet.
The flight time to Grand Cayman is therefore also higher than for direct flights. The shortest travel time in our research was 13h 51min for the outbound flight from Munich to Grand Cayman, with a stopover in Charlotte (USA → ESTA!). The fastest flight in the test cost €1,337
The cheapest flight from Germany to Grand Cayman in our sample at the end of April 2019 was from Berlin and took 36h 33min with stopovers in Barcelona and Fort Lauderdale (USA → ESTA!) and cost oneway 278
Another option is to travel by cruise ship.
Germans do not need a visa for Grand Cayman for up to 30 days but do need a passport. An onward / outward ticket may also be required and, in rare cases, proof of sufficient funds.
Climate & Weather of the Cayman Islands
The Cayman Islands are located in the middle of the Caribbean Sea. Accordingly, it is pleasantly warm all year round. Like Germany, the Cayman Islands are located in the northern hemisphere, so it is also somewhat colder here in the German winter months. However, this only means that the daytime temperatures are on average slightly below thirty degrees and not slightly above, as in the summer months. However, night temperatures can drop tobelow 20°C during the winter months.
From December to April is drought season in the Cayman Islands. There is much less rain than during the rest of the year. However, rainfall in the Cayman Islands is rarely of long duration but rather short and heavy. There are hardly any completely rainy days.
From June to November is hurricane season in the Caribbean. The months that are most affected are September and October.
The water in the Cayman Islands, like everywhere else in the Caribbean, has a very pleasant bathing temperature all year round.
We first sweated a lot during our stay in the Caymans, as it can get extremely hot and humid here, especially after rain showers.
Sights of the Cayman Islands
Attractions of the Cayman Islands
Beaches & Snorkelling
- Seven Mile Beach (incl: Cemetary Beach & Governor’s Beach)
- Smith’s Barcadere: Great for snorkelling from the beach
- Spotts Beach: Great for snorkelling from the beach
- Eden Rock/Devil’s Grotto: Snorkelling spot with metal ladder as entrance near downtown
- Stingray City: Many tame rays
- Starfish Point: Beach with starfish (don’t touch, don’t get them out of water! !!)
Transportation in Grand Cayman
Walking long distances is not a particularly good idea in the Cayman Islands. There areno pavements in many streets and street lights are not everywhere either. Besides, the sun is so piercing that even pre-tanned people quickly get sunburned.
In addition, many routes are wide and without much shade. This is not fun. Cayman Islanders drive most of the routes by car. Few locals (let alone the well-off) are seen walking along the side of the road outside the inner cities.
Rent a car
Rental cars in the Cayman Islands can be booked in advance. This works very reliably. However, foreigners who want to drive in the Cayman Islands always need a special local driver’s licence. To do this, he must present thedriver’s licence either to the car rental company or to the police station. The permit costs $16. An international driver’s licence can facilitate the issuance of the local driver’s licence, but does not entitle the holder to drive in the Cayman Islands.
Note that in the Cayman Islands it is left-hand traffic, British style.
Taxi in Grand Cayman
Taxis in the Cayman Islands are expensive. For a journey of about 4 kilometres we paid 21€. However, if you are lucky you can catch a shared taxi before heading towards the harbour alone, then it becomes cheaper. The price from the airport to Northpoint is $75-$100, depending on the time of day.
Many taxis have no taximeter,the price is discussed before departure. There is a taxi rank at the airport. What to watch out for is not to drive during the rush hours of 7:00-9:00 and 17:00-19:00. We arrived in Grand Cayman at this time and a taxi driver who was assigned to us even refused to drive us because there was too much congestion on the route.
Buses in Grand Cayman
In Grand Cayman there is a good system of city buses. These are small buses marked in different colours. There are no real departure times. However, the buses run so frequently that you can simply wait a few minutes at the side of the road and beckon the next bus. Even if you walk along the side of the road, the buses will honk at you as a friendly request to get on. You should, however, check beforehand that you are standing on the route – and, of course, on the right side of the road. The rides cost about 2.5$ – 5$ per person.
Ferry in Grand Cayman
On Grand Cayman, a ferry operator runs between Caymana Bay and Kaibo/Rumpoint. The trip costs $25
Flying in Grand Cayman
There is a separate airline for domestic flights within the Cayman Islands from island to island. Cayman Airways Express offers inter-island flights several times a day. Click here for an overview. https://www.caymanairways.com/flight-schedule
Hotels in Grand Cayman
Accommodation, whether hotel or AirBnb in the Cayman Islands is expensive. In a spot check on Booking, we couldn’t find night for under $80 . There are also taxes, in this case$60. The total price for a night in the Cayman Islands in the cheapest hotel in our test is accordingly $140. Most hotels cost over $400 per night. However, it becomes cheaper if you book a complete week. The cheapest offer for 6 nights was $660 including taxes.
The average price for an Airbnb is 328€ per night. The cheapest Airbnb we could find for the Cayman Islands was $67 per night.
However, the standards in hotels and Airbnb are also very high.
Food in Grand Cayman
For a restaurant meal in the Cayman Islands, expect to pay at least €15-20 per person. The price level in supermarkets is also much higher than in Europe. On the other hand, some supermarkets havefresh counters with numerous very good cold and hot dishes and salads. Here you have to calculate about 5-10$ per person.
The general availability and quality of all food and products is very good and above all better than on the two large neighbouring islands of Cuba and Jamaica. Generally speaking, for those who can afford it, the standard of living in Cayman is at least as high as in any region of the UK.
Conclusion: is it worth a trip to Grand Cayman
The Cayman Islands are actually the first country we are tempted to say “no” to. The islands are super beautiful, have great beaches and a spectacular underwater world. The people are nice and the standards are very high. However, the Cayman Islands are simply not a destination for backpackers. If you are on a budget, you have to turn over every euro twice in the Cayman Islands and will still end up spending too much. This detracts from the enjoyment of the holiday. However, if you don’t have to watch your budget and appreciate higher standards than in Europe, the Cayman Islands are the place to be.
