About Cayman

The Cayman Islands is a group of three islands, Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac, and Little Cayman, located about an hour south of Miami, Florida. Cayman is a tax-neutral jurisdiction and is well-established as one of the world’s leading financial centres. Additionally, it is a popular upmarket tourist destination due to its tropical climate, pristine white sand beaches, and world-class diving. Residents enjoy a high standard of living with access to all the conveniences of modern life, in a small-town setting that still has many examples of old-world charm and friendliness. All three islands enjoy outstanding natural beauty, side by side with sophisticated shopping, dining, and entertainment.

The population of around 70,000 represents more than 130 nationalities. Approximately half of the residents are expatriates (often termed ‘ex-pats’) who live and work in the islands, mostly in the professional and service sectors. As a British Overseas Territory, the Cayman Islands’ laws and government are based on the British system, while its proximity to the United States means that many aspects of everyday life reflect North American standards and practices.

Quick Facts

CLIMATE With its tropical location, Cayman enjoys warm temperatures year-round, with higher levels of humidity during the summer months. From December through April, daytime high temperatures average in the low 80s Fahrenheit, rising to the high 80s during the summer
Current Weather
CURRENCY The local currency is the Cayman Islands (CI) dollar, which is pegged to the US dollar. US dollars are widely accepted in Cayman, but prices may only be given in CI dollars. Restaurants, hotels, and stores will normally offer an exchange rate of 80 cents CI for $1 US or $1.20 US for $1 CI. However, banks generally offer more favourable rates – often giving clients 82 cents for $1 US and $1.22 US for $1 CI. Bank accounts can be held in CI dollars, US dollars, Canadian dollars, British pounds sterling, and Euros.
TIME ZONE Geographically, the Cayman Islands share a time zone with Miami, New York, and Toronto. However, unlike North American cities in this time zone, the Cayman Islands does not observe Daylight Savings Time, remaining on the same time (five hours behind British Mean Time) all year.
MEASUREMENTS Apart from gas, all measurements follow US standards. Temperature is measured in Fahrenheit, distances in miles, areas in square feet, and weight in pounds. Gas, however, is measured in imperial gallons (approximately 20% more than a US gallon.)