The following information will help you learn about Cayman and how to get ready to enjoy your visit here. It's a bit long but very informative, especially if you are coming to visit for the first time. The Cayman Department of Tourism can also provide information.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS:

US, British and Canadian citizens, and citizens of British Dependent Territories do not require passports, but must present proof of citizenship (passport or birth certificate and current photo ID. A driver's license or voter's registration card alone is not sufficient) and a return or ongoing airline ticket. **Please note that according to a new US law passed in 1996, a Voter's Registration Card is no longer considered valid proof of US citizenship and is therefore not valid ID for re-entry into the US. Visitors from all other countries require a passport and return or ongoing ticket. Entry is granted for up to six months. Resident aliens of the US who show a valid US Alien Registration Card (green card) may be permitted to enter and remain in the Cayman Islands for up to 30 days. Visitors must keep the pink Immigration slip given to them upon arrival. This is our equivalent of a tourist identification card, with their travel documents and present it when departing. Anyone who wishes to extend their stay after arrival must visit the Department of Immigration and obtain and extension and may be asked to show proof of financial resources to permit an extension.

There is a US$10 departure tax payable when you check in for your departing flight.

CUSTOMS INFORMATION FOR VISITORS:

ARRIVING: In addition to personal effects for use while on vacation, visitors 18 years and over are allowed to bring in duty-free either one litre of alcohol, four litres of wine or one case of beer (not exceeding eight litres) and 200 cigarettes, or 50 cigars or 250 grams of tobacco. They should not be confused by the Customs forms which states that returning residents are allowed CI$300 worth of goods duty free. This privilege does not apply to visitors. Books and camera equipment are always allowed as duty free items.

DON'T ATTEMPT TO BRING IN:

The importation or possession of any kind of illegal drugs including marijuana is strictly prohibited by law and violators face arrest and prosecution by local authorities.

Also prohibited are:

Firearms of any kind, Spearguns (or pole spears or Hawaiian slings), Live plants and raw fruits and vegetables are also restricted because they may carry diseases or shelter invasive insects.

Specific questions should be directed to the Collector of Customs, (345) 949-2473.

WHEN YOU LEAVE CAYMAN:

Visitors from the US should be aware that products made from farmed green sea turtles available in limited selections at the Cayman Turtle Farm Ltd. However, importation of genuine sea turtle products is strictly prohibited by US Customs under the CITES treaty of 1978.

CLIMATE:

The Cayman Islands enjoy 'perpetual summer,' lying between the latitudes 19 and 20 North, in the heart of the Caribbean tempered by cooling trade winds.

Temperatures are coolest during February, ranging from 64 to 72 at night and 72 to 86 degrees F during the day. Temperatures reach highs of 85-90 F during the summer months of July and August. Relative humidity varies from 68% to 92%.

The water temperature ranges between 78 and 82 degrees in the winter months and from 82 - 86 degrees in the summer.

Predictably, the rainy season starts in May and lasts through October, with May and October usually the rainiest months. March and April are usually the driest months of the year. Average annual rainfall is estimated at 46 inches.

You can call the Cayman Islands National Meteorological Service in George Town, Grand Cayman for a current weather report at (345) 945-5773 or look at our web site Weather Page.

LANGUAGE:

English is the official language, with a distinctive 'brogue' reflecting heritage of Welsh, Scottish and English ancestors still distinguishing the speech of the Caymanian people. The number of Jamaican residents in the work force means the Jamaican patois and accompanying heavier accent is also common.

DRESS:

Neat, casual and comfortable tropical attire are appropriate throughout the Cayman Islands. Visitors will want to bring smart casual tropical resort wear for evenings out at our restaurants. When attending church services, 'Sunday dress' is appropriate-- shorts and T-shirts are not considered acceptable, especially for ladies. Visitors should remember that the Cayman Islands remains a 'proper' British Crown Colony and they should not wear bathing suits or beach wear beyond the beach or cruise ship--and should cover up when in public areas elsewhere.

There are no nude beaches in the Cayman Islands. Public nudity and topless bathing are strictly prohibited by law.

TAXES AND SERVICE CHARGES:

The airport departure tax is CI $8.00 or US$10.00 per person. Additional taxes on all accommodations include Government room tax of 10% and usually an automatic gratuity of 10% of the room rate. Restaurants often automatically add a 15% gratuity to their bill on food and beverage: visitors should check before adding gratuities.

TRANSPORTATION:

TAXIS are available at Owen Roberts International Airport on Grand Cayman and offer a fixed rate per vehicle or per person to all points on Grand Cayman. This information is available from the taxi dispatcher at the curb. Hotels vans cannot provide courtesy arrival pickup at the airport.

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.

In addition, small 'buses' which are actually privately owned and operated 9- 20 passenger mini-buses and vans, offer passenger service along main roads in and out of George Town. There are small bus stop shelters located at main stops along the road, but buses will pick up passengers almost anywhere along those routes if hailed and they have space.

Taxis are readily available and local mini-buses run along main routes in Grand Cayman.

MOPEDS AND SCOOTERS are also available on Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac. Riders are required by law to wear a helmet at all times and urged to be extremely careful and remember to stay on the left. Average daily rate is US$25 which includes helmet and permit.

Rental bicycles (including 10-speeds and mountain bikes on Grand Cayman) are available on all three islands. On Cayman Brac and Little Cayman, most hotels have bicycles available for complimentary guest use.

TIME ZONE:

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

FOOD AND DRINKING WATER:

Visitors will be surprised by the variety of well-stocked modern supermarkets on Grand Cayman and smaller stores on Cayman Brac. You will find everything from the latest American grocery brands to fresh diary products, meats and gourmet items including whole bean coffees from a range of countries.

All resorts in the Cayman Islands have adequate supplies of potable drinking water and fresh water for showers supplied by reverse-osmosis desalination plants. However, bottled water is readily available at stores on all three islands for visitors who desire it.

CURRENCY AND BANKS:

The Cayman Islands has its own currency, first issued in 1972, whose basic unit is the dollar, issued in notes with denominations of CI$100, 50, 25, 10, 5 and 1 and coins valued at 25 cents, 10, 5 and 1 cent. The CI dollar has a fixed exchange rate with the US dollar of CI$1.00 equals US$1.25. Or, the US dollar equals CI $.80.

There is no need for visitors to exchange their US dollars into local currency. The US dollar is accepted throughout the islands at a rate of CI 80 cents. However, this can be confusing to visitors: for example, a US$20 note becomes CI$16. Banks to NOT give a better rate of exchange! Major credit cards (with the exception of the Discover Card) and travelers checks are widely accepted. Canadian dollars and pounds sterling can be exchanged for CI dollars at local banks.

In addition several Automatic Teller Machines accepting VISA and Mastercard with Cirrus affiliation are located at Cayman National Bank and other banks and at Owen Roberts International Airport.

Although Grand Cayman now has 567 licensed banks, only a handful are full-service of 'A-class' banks providing regular customer service as visitors know it. These include Barclays Bank; Scotiabank; Bank of Butterfield; Royal Bank of Canada; Cayman National Bank; First Cayman Bank; Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce and British American Bank. Normal banking hours are 9 :00 a.m. until 3 p.m. or 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

MEDICAL SERVICES:

The Cayman Islands has a variety of modern medical facilities on Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac, includin government- operated hospitals on both islands.

The George Town Hospital on Grand Cayman has 60-beds and will be undergoing a $22 million expansion and renovation during the next two years. The facilities including an emergency room and ambulance paramedic service, available 24 hours on Grand Cayman reached through a local emergency number, 911 or 555. Also available are physiotherapy, radiology and laboratory services; a dental clinic and eye clinic, and pharmacy. The hospital is affiliated with Baptist Hospital of Miami for patient referrals involving advanced care or treatment.

Also located at the hospital is two- man, double-lock recompression chamber staffed by trained operators supervised by a physician experienced in hyperbaric medicine on call 24 hours for treatment of diving-related accidents.

Medivac services can be arranged quickly through Island Air at Owen Roberts International Airport , using a Lear jet B-20, whenever necessary to US facilities.

There are two private medical centers on Grand Cayman, Professional Medical Centre (345-949-6066) and Cayman Medical and Surgical Centre (345-949-8150), which also has a 24 physician referral hotline for medical advice. Each center is staffed by resident medical practitioners an offering regular visits by a variety of medical specialists. In addition, there are a number of doctors representing a variety of specialties practicing in the Cayman Islands, most of them on Grand Cayman. They are listed in the local telephone directory.

In addition to pharmacies at the Hospital and independent medical centers, there are four-full service pharmacies on Grand Cayman, open Mon. - Sat. Island Pharmacy in Westshore Centre and Health Care Pharmacy in PhotoPharm Plaza on Walkers Rd. are also open from noon until 6 p.m. on Sunday.

There is a new private dental clinic, Cayman Dental Services, in George Town, with two resident dental surgeon/ specialists on call 24 hours. (345-945-4447.) There are other private dental practices available, including Dr. Robert Parr at Cayman Medical & Surgical Centre above. The Faith Hospital in Stake Bay on Cayman Brac has 16 beds and offers emergency room facilities. A new 911 Emergency service is now being finalized throughout Grand Cayman.

GETTING MARRIED IN THE CAYMAN ISLANDS:

Visitors wishing to be married in the Cayman Islands no longer have to fulfill any waiting (residency) period. An amendment to the Cayman Islands Marriage Law passed in November 1994 eliminated the previous 72 hour waiting period. This means that visitors can now get married on the day they arrive, including passengers arriving on cruise ships, who may be legally married during their day in port in Grand Cayman.

Visitors are advised to make arrangements in advance to expedite paperwork and all required details.

A special license will be granted by the Governor for non-resident couples. The application for this license can be obtained from the Chief Secretary's Office, 4th Floor, (Room 406) Government Administration Building, George Town, PH: (345) 949-7900. The fee for this license is CI $150 plus a CI$10 stamp duty (US$200 total).

It is now possible to obtain the special license the same day.

The couple must arrange for a Cayman Islands Marriage Officer before applying for the license. A list of officers is available from the Chief Secretary's office and could be sent in advance of arrival.

Other requirements include proper documentation proving citizenship and age (passport or birth certificate) and marital status (proof of legal divorce decree or death certificate if spouse has died, if applicable); Immigration pink slip showing legal entry into the Cayman Islands or documentation proving visitors is a passenger on a cruise ship. The minimum legal age for getting married without parental consent is 18.

A brochure 'Getting Married in the Cayman Islands' containing complete guidelines and information is available from Government Information Services, Broadcasting House, Grand Cayman. PH: (345) 949-8092; FAX: (345) 949-5936